And the 15th best selling jersey in all of baseball is ....

[Brian]

Ryan Theriot

 

Len mentioned this in passing during the game, so I looked for the Shreveport paper it was in.

 

I guess the Riot really is sweeping the nation.

 

Pretty interesting little article... some Cajuns don't like us calling him The Riot though, and Fontenot is nicknamed "The Pocket Rocket" (? :shock:) in the clubhouse.

 

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?AID=/20070810/SPORTS0405/708100304

[Omar]

Is there a list of the top 50 bestselling jerseys?

[chuckywang]

The article says "THE RIOT" jerseys rank no. 15 in sales for personalized jerseys, a much different statement than your title.

[Sammy Sofa]

and Fontenot is nicknamed "The Pocket Rocket" (? :shock:) in the clubhouse.

 

In an ideal world they were doing that because they were about to launch him back down to the minors.

[Abe Frohman]

I can remember when Theriot played at LSU. He was the exact same player - always hustling his ass off, always getting on base and making things happen. His dad has probably the sweetest moustache you could ever see.

 

He's a hell of a Cub.

[jyoung55]

I wonder if this counts my sweet custom The Riot t-shirt jersey?

[UMFan83]

Yeah big difference. He is #15 in jerseys that people personalize with Theriot's name and number as opposed to premade jersey's like Carlos Zambrano and Aramis Ramirez. Still a great feat though.

[Derwood]

people like light-hitting white middle infielders. i'm sure eckstein sold some jerseys last year too

[Soul]

Interesting that the home-town folk don't go for "The Riot."

 

Seems like a totally obvious nickname to me. Hard to believe nobody called him that before.

[Roast]

people like light-hitting white middle infielders. i'm sure eckstein sold some jerseys last year too

 

I wish the eckstein references would stop. While I agree that people (and the media) love their "scrappy", light hitting, white middle infielders; Theriot doesn't exactly fall into that category.

 

Just take a look at their slg/ops over the past 3 years:

 

Eckstein

2005: .395/.758

2006: .344/.694

2007: .363/.706

CAREER: .360/.710 (7 Seasons)

 

Theriot

2005: *Only had 14 PA*

2006: .522/.934 (159 PA)

2007: .374/.724

CAREER: .408/.771 (3 seasons)

 

I realize he's never going to be some bigtime slugger, but he's proved to have more pop than eckstein with 2 more of both homers and doubles over the past two seasons. And while two isn't really a big difference, when you consider he's done it in nearly 300 fewer PA, it becomes a little more significant.

[CubColtPacer]

people like light-hitting white middle infielders. i'm sure eckstein sold some jerseys last year too

 

I wish the eckstein references would stop. While I agree that people (and the media) love their "scrappy", light hitting, white middle infielders; Theriot doesn't exactly fall into that category.

 

Just take a look at their slg/ops over the past 3 years:

 

Eckstein

2005: .395/.758

2006: .344/.694

2007: .363/.706

CAREER: .360/.710 (7 Seasons)

 

Theriot

2005: *Only had 14 PA*

2006: .522/.934 (159 PA)

2007: .374/.724

CAREER: .408/.771 (3 seasons)

 

I realize he's never going to be some bigtime slugger, but he's proved to have more pop than eckstein with 2 more of both homers and doubles over the past two seasons. And while two isn't really a big difference, when you consider he's done it in nearly 300 fewer PA, it becomes a little more significant.

 

Theriot's minor league numbers and major league numbers this season match up pretty closely to Eckstein's. Theriot's 2006 major league numbers are the only aberration in the data set. He is really a very similar player to Eckstein. He has maybe slightly more pop and slightly less OBP ability, but they are still close enough to be a valid comparison.

[Derwood]

 

Theriot's minor league numbers and major league numbers this season match up pretty closely to Eckstein's. Theriot's 2006 major league numbers are the only aberration in the data set. He is really a very similar player to Eckstein. He has maybe slightly more pop and slightly less OBP ability, but they are still close enough to be a valid comparison.

 

and my point was less about comparing them statistically and more about people clamoring over a guy who is maybe 5th or 6th best on his own team. latent racism? who knows, but there is no reason at all that Theriot should be selling jerseys at such a high rate when he really is just sort of okay. he doesn't even really have much personality

[CubColtPacer]

 

Theriot's minor league numbers and major league numbers this season match up pretty closely to Eckstein's. Theriot's 2006 major league numbers are the only aberration in the data set. He is really a very similar player to Eckstein. He has maybe slightly more pop and slightly less OBP ability, but they are still close enough to be a valid comparison.

 

and my point was less about comparing them statistically and more about people clamoring over a guy who is maybe 5th or 6th best on his own team. latent racism? who knows, but there is no reason at all that Theriot should be selling jerseys at such a high rate when he really is just sort of okay. he doesn't even really have much personality

 

Agreed, although you have to remember that jersey sales are always tilted towards rookies/players with new teams. Theriot is basically a rookie with a catchy nickname-there aren't that many of them out there. My guess is that in regular jersey sales, Theriot is probably still behind Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, and Zambrano.

[killthegoat06]

Wow, that's really surprising. :shock:

[VanceJergins]

 

Theriot's minor league numbers and major league numbers this season match up pretty closely to Eckstein's. Theriot's 2006 major league numbers are the only aberration in the data set. He is really a very similar player to Eckstein. He has maybe slightly more pop and slightly less OBP ability, but they are still close enough to be a valid comparison.

 

and my point was less about comparing them statistically and more about people clamoring over a guy who is maybe 5th or 6th best on his own team. latent racism? who knows, but there is no reason at all that Theriot should be selling jerseys at such a high rate when he really is just sort of okay. he doesn't even really have much personality

 

Racism? Give me a break. Zambrano and Lee are the most popular players with Sosa and Banks being the most popular in team history. And the average fan likes hustle and things that are catchy, like Theriot's nickname and mustache. I'm sure once Pie starts producing a little bit more he'll be more popular.

[B]

 

Theriot's minor league numbers and major league numbers this season match up pretty closely to Eckstein's. Theriot's 2006 major league numbers are the only aberration in the data set. He is really a very similar player to Eckstein. He has maybe slightly more pop and slightly less OBP ability, but they are still close enough to be a valid comparison.

 

and my point was less about comparing them statistically and more about people clamoring over a guy who is maybe 5th or 6th best on his own team. latent racism? who knows, but there is no reason at all that Theriot should be selling jerseys at such a high rate when he really is just sort of okay. he doesn't even really have much personality

 

Racism? Give me a break. Zambrano and Lee are the most popular players with Sosa and Banks being the most popular in team history. And the average fan likes hustle and things that are catchy, like Theriot's nickname and mustache. I'm sure once Pie starts producing a little bit more he'll be more popular.

 

Of course what you said makes sense, but why think about that when it's so much easier to say it's racism?

[FergieJ31]

and my point was less about comparing them statistically and more about people clamoring over a guy who is maybe 5th or 6th best on his own team. latent racism?

 

Dusty, is that you?

[Derwood]

i posed the question, didn't say i agreed

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't think there's any question that a large part of the Cubs' fan base, smallish white guys, identify with guys like Ryan Theriot. But I don't think there's any racism involved when they choose to buy his jersey even those he's clearly not the best player on the team. It's irresponsible to suggest such a thing.

 

The fact is we're talking about personalized jerseys, not the readily available ones for guys like Soriano, Ramirez, Lee and Zambrano. Plus, people often purposefully avoid the bigger names, so as to not be just like everybody else. When looking for a different player, you probably want somebody who could be around for a while, and who is performing. Theriot has been a bright spot for this team. We aren't talking Augie Ojeda and the weird fascination with his littleness. We are talking about a guy who is performing while filling a position that has been a disaster in Chicago for a long time. Add in the fact that he came from within the organization, and that he has a fun nickname, and you've got a recipe for somebody the fans will take to. But he's still not the favorite.

 

Maybe we should look at a comparison to DeRosa. Certainly he's been more valuable to the team. And he's a little white guy as well. But there isn't the same level of silly fan love for him, probably because he was a free agent, coming from outside the organization who doesn't have as goofy of a nickname.

 

There's a lot of reasons, besides race, that go into fan's taking to a player. But even if fans do identify with a guy based partially on race, that is not racist.

[DiamondMind]

people like light-hitting white middle infielders. i'm sure eckstein sold some jerseys last year too

 

same reason some ppl here like murton. oops, did I say that?

[Mizzou]

How in the world did racism enter the discussion? Come on.

[Butterscup1679666578]

people like light-hitting white middle infielders. i'm sure eckstein sold some jerseys last year too

 

same reason some ppl here like murton. oops, did I say that?

 

Murton's a middle infielder?

[Abe Frohman]

With all the underachievement the Cubs have gotten out of their prospects in the past few years, I think we fans of the Cubs appreciate players like Ryan Theriot who busts his ass and plays the game the right way.

 

That is why he is so popular, and it has nothing to do with his skin color.

[Marco4]

I'm sure its just his name, whatever race he is. If I was getting a shirt, I'd consider getting Theriot - I know he's not the best player out there, but it doesn't mean I don't really want him to do well when he is because, as Abe says, he busts his ass everyday.

 

That said, I'd probably get Izturis, because those shirts would be dirt cheap.

[abuck1220]

people like light-hitting white middle infielders. i'm sure eckstein sold some jerseys last year too

 

I wish the eckstein references would stop. While I agree that people (and the media) love their "scrappy", light hitting, white middle infielders; Theriot doesn't exactly fall into that category.

 

Just take a look at their slg/ops over the past 3 years:

 

Eckstein

2005: .395/.758

2006: .344/.694

2007: .363/.706

CAREER: .360/.710 (7 Seasons)

 

Theriot

2005: *Only had 14 PA*

2006: .522/.934 (159 PA)

2007: .374/.724

CAREER: .408/.771 (3 seasons)

 

I realize he's never going to be some bigtime slugger, but he's proved to have more pop than eckstein with 2 more of both homers and doubles over the past two seasons. And while two isn't really a big difference, when you consider he's done it in nearly 300 fewer PA, it becomes a little more significant.

 

Theriot's minor league numbers and major league numbers this season match up pretty closely to Eckstein's. Theriot's 2006 major league numbers are the only aberration in the data set. He is really a very similar player to Eckstein. He has maybe slightly more pop and slightly less OBP ability, but they are still close enough to be a valid comparison.

 

theriot struggled as a switch-hitter through part of his minor league career.