MLB.com quotes Dusty Baker as saying today about Nomar Garciaparra, "The guy can hit. He's a good fielder, [has] an excellent arm. When I look up his record, the guy has a lifetime .322 [batting average], that's unbelievable. For a right-handed hitter to hit .370 without a lot of speed, that's something, too." (Emphasis added.)

We are talking about the same Garciaparra, right? The one who's stolen 86 bases in his career, and has 50 career triples? The one who's one of the fastest players on the team?

Baker also said this today: "I read years ago that Ted Williams, when he hit .400, his worst slump was 0-for-7. Nomar said he didn't remember going two days in a row without a hit. That's hitting."

My immediate reaction was that, if Baker has Garciaparra's statement correct, Garciaparra can't have a good memory. But it's largely true: Garciaparra rarely goes two days without a hit. Last year, despite having a below average year for him, only twice in 81 games did he go two days in a row without a hit. Remarkable consistency, it seems to me.