MLB.com Ichiro post

[metsbats]

Is it me (because I'm Asian) or is insulting to Asians? I usually don't use twitter but I was felt this was disrespectful.

[cjw]

To "rake" is to hit a bunch.

[camarokids]

Don't be so quick to be insulted. As said before, it is a term for good hitting.

Too many get hurt too easily......

[STLHAMMER32]

common terminology used among baseball fans

[R. C. Walker]

MLB wasn't using "raking" as a term of hitting but in a (un)humorous take on Asian* mispronunciation of English letters.

But, to be offended or disrespected over a little word is being over sensitive.

*I'm half Asian.

[metsbats]

Thanks for the clarification guys.

I agree with R.C. though this was a subtle knock at Ichiro's lack of command of the English language. Interesting that they use the 'raking' term when referencing Ichiro's milestone hit (how convenient) as I've never see it used when any other player was approaching a milestone hit before.

I'm over it as there is more to be concerned about in this world today.

[truvalue123]

Wow...Ya Gotta be open to learning, not being offended..
to rake, raking

verb: To really hit the ball hard, all over the park. When you’re raking, you’re hitting very well.

(definition from Wikipedia’s Glossary of Baseball)

I’ll admit it, rake or raking as a baseball term is a term I wasn’t too familiar. However just today, I came across it twice including a tweet from the University of Illinois sport information director in reference to Justin Parr’s continued hitting prowess with his summer team the Rochester Honkers.

‘Raking’ is derived of course, from the word for the common garden tool and indicates ‘to sweep or traverse with shot’ only with the baseball bat. Uses of the term ‘rake’ in the baseball realm date as far back to 1990. Boston Globe writer Larry Whiteside wrote of Cecil Fielder:

“He rakes pitches like that because he’s a low-ball hitter. His power is to right and right-center. They can come inside, but he has the strength like Jim Rice to fight it off. And if they make a mistake…”



Let’s not forget how interconnected the language of baseball can be. In baseball, the outfield is often colloquially referred to as the garden and the outfielders as gardeners. A ‘rake’ reference is not much of a stretch. To take it bit further, a batter who hits well especially to all fields can graphically be displayed like this…

[Wrigley2010]

MLB wasn't using "raking" as a term of hitting but in a (un)humorous take on Asian* mispronunciation of English letters.

How do you know this? I took it the same as everyone else here did. Nothing more than baseball terminology. It's a word we used quite often in college and even today in softball.

[R. C. Walker]

Simple:

"Raking" is a verb like "Baking"

No one says "History in the baking." It's "History in/of baking."

Should the proper English headline read "History in/of raking"

Solly. My ingrish is not vely good.

[metsbats]

Show me another instance in recent history where 'raking' was used in this way to reference an MLB players milestone hit.

I stand by my assertion (and R.C's) that it was an indirect knock on Ichiro's ability to speak English. We are certainly entitled to take offense if we feel it was offensive. If others don't see it as offensive you are all entitled to your opinion too and I respect that.