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The cycle: Am I alone in this opinion?

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by mpcincal, Jun 30, 2007.

  1. mpcincal

    mpcincal Well-Known Member

    Bringing this question up after Aubrey Huff had his cycle last night.

    My opinion: I don't understand why the media gets so excited when a guy hits for the cycle. Don't get me wrong -- Any batter that has four hits in a game has had a great night, but that's all I see it as: a four-hit night. However, just because he happened to have one of each (single, double, triple, homer), it's played up like some historic thing.

    Yes, I know in Huff's case he was only the third in franchise history to do that, but if, for instance, he hit two homers, a double and single, that would have been a better game. But, assuming the end result was the same (an Orioles loss), he probably wouldn't have gotten as much attention for that.

    And don't even get me started on the possibility of someone in Huff's position last night (needing just a single) hitting one in the gap or off the wall and stopping at first so they can get that prized cycle.

    What do y'all think?
     
  2. zeke12

    zeke12 Guest

    I don't think hitting for the cycle gets enough attention.

    One of the rarest feats in baseball. More rare than the no-hitter, I believe.
     
  3. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

    Because the triple is a hard hit to attain.
     
  4. Boomer7

    Boomer7 Active Member

    I entirely agree. The cycle is the most overrated milestone in baseball. It's not in the top 20 achievements one can have in the game; two doubles, a triple and a homer would be more impressive, three triples and a homer would be more impressive, three doubles and a homer would be more impressive, and so on.

    It's rare, but that doesn't make it special.
     
  5. zeke12

    zeke12 Guest

    In baseball, things that are rare are by defintion special.

    They've been playing it quite a while.
     
  6. Cousin Jeffrey

    Cousin Jeffrey Active Member

    It's not a milestone, it's a statistical oddity that deserves attention; it's one of those things that makes baseball fun. That being said, should the AP demand a special update for each one? No.
     
  7. Eagleboy

    Eagleboy Guest

    It's a novelty. One who can hit for the cycle shows a basic ability to hit, shows off their power and demonstrates that they have speed and athleticism, as well. Sure, Manny Ramirez can hit two home runs in a game, but he's only got 17 triples in his entire Major League career. Is it an incredible accomplishment? No; for every Aubrey Huff, Jose Reyes or Todd Helton, there's a Jeff DaVanon and Daryle Ward who has done so. But it's different, it's unique, and that's why it's a big deal.
     
  8. Diabeetus

    Diabeetus Active Member

    I'd rather see a triples triple :D
     
  9. BTExpress

    BTExpress Well-Known Member

    Hitting for the cycle doesn't make the lead story in a newscast, and it never bumps anything off the front page.

    It sometimes --- but not even always --- is the lead to whatever roundup is running inside.

    Whatever media you are reading that "gets so excited" about it isn't any media that I come into contact with.
     
  10. beefncheddar

    beefncheddar Guest

    My favorite Non-"Mr. Fucking Baseball" minor-league moment:

    Darryl Strawberry is playing for the then-Tidewater Tides and he's pretty obviously not going to be there very long. So mustarddad takes me out to watch him before he gets called up.

    First three ABs he crushes the ball. Homer, triple, double. All of them mashed. He comes up for his fourth AB and we're all yelling for a single. He proceeds to bang another ball off the wall and motors into second with another double while we're all yelling for him to stop at first.

    Fifth AB (Tides are up huge) he then mashes another one off the wall. Tears around first and we're again screaming at him to stop. This time he gets about halfway to second and throws on the brakes. Jogs back to first with a huge grin on his face.
     
  11. Mystery_Meat

    Mystery_Meat Guest

    Strawberry-jack time: I too had an opportunity to watch him play for the Tidewater Tides at beeeeee-u-t-ful Met Park (otherwise known as the Norfolk International Airport's emergency landing strip). I was going with my Mustang League baseball team. Only problem: I didn't have money to buy food at the park, so I had to go home :'(. And I knew good as damn well he wouldn't be there very long, and sure enough he got called up a week later. Oh well.
     
  12. indiansnetwork

    indiansnetwork Active Member

    The Cycle is a nice thing but certainly not that big of a deal as some other fine baseball accomplishments. I would say as a personal thing for a guy like Huff it might be one of those career milestones, he will look back on when his career is finished.
     
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