Official 2011 MLB Thread: Playoffs??

[John McGuirk]

Wow, usually you hear props for a guy who hustles on ever play. I guess the Tigers are really just that petty to complain about anything.

Please tell me the other things they complain about. And don't give me the Weaver crybaby incident, he started that BS.

 

[cyborg ninja 14]

Disappointed that the Angels didn't take 2 of 3 in Texas. In other random Angels notes, why the hell did they trade Napoli and go with Mathis, he can't hit worth a lick.

Oh, um, D-backs are still winning the West. Yay...

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/base...alls-detroit-tigers-barking-over-sean/1187886

In other news, the Tigers keep finding more ridiculous things to ***** about.

Wow, usually you hear props for a guy who hustles on ever play. I guess the Tigers are really just that petty to complain about anything.

As we all know quotes from a team's hometown paper without a word said from the other side are always completely accurate and balanced. I'm sure the team that employes guys like Raburn and Inge is going to be complaining about another guy's "hustle". I'm sure a known **** talker like Sean Rodriquez was just too busy "hustling" out there.

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

LOL, that is pretty dumb. I hate Penny anyways. Awful signing.

The man is married to her:

Give him some props.

 

[John McGuirk]

As we all know quotes from a team's hometown paper without a word said from the other side are always completely accurate and balanced. I'm sure the team that employes guys like Raburn and Inge is going to be complaining about another guy's "hustle". I'm sure a known **** talker like Sean Rodriquez was just too busy "hustling" out there.

Yeah, not a word from Detroit media either. It's totally true though.

Rodriguez is a punk anyways. The Rays were just little whiners that nearly got swept.

 

[Poeman]

Those pesky diamondbacks...

 

[Kingfish]

As we all know quotes from a team's hometown paper without a word said from the other side are always completely accurate and balanced. I'm sure the team that employes guys like Raburn and Inge is going to be complaining about another guy's "hustle". I'm sure a known **** talker like Sean Rodriquez was just too busy "hustling" out there.

Alright.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/bi...at-Sean-Rodriguez-for-swearin?urn=mlb-wp17053

 

[Spidey-Bat]

I miss Brad Penny. It was great when he was in the NL, a guaranteed victory for the Mets whenever he pitched against them.

 

[cyborg ninja 14]

So about the whole MVP thing, who cares in regards to baseball Seriously, do individual awards in baseball, specifically the MVP really matter that much anymore? The plethora of candidates in the AL make handing out the award almost useless because a legitimate argument can be made for all with no real loser.

Granderson- He's having a great year, but if you take him out of the Yankee lineup, they'd still find a way to get it done. Does make him the MVP, when his production could be easily replaced?

Bautista- I'm noticing that writers acknowledge that he's having the best offensive year, but don't put him near the top of their ballots, which likely means that the MVP criteria has now become "best player on the best team." So do this now mean that if 2001 Barry Bonds was playing on the 2011 Blue Jays, he wouldn't be considered a more legitimate candidate even if his team wasn't as good as the Yankees or Red Sox? Much like the hall of fame, the voters need to decide what criteria should be used to vote on.

Gonzalez/Pedroia/Ellsbury- Three great players having great seasons on a great team. It's hard to distinguish which player's production is deemed more valuable than another when the context is drastically different for each. Ellsbury is having a crazy great year as a leadoff man, A-Gone is delivering as predicted, and Pedroia is the best 'little' player in the game. Hard to take of one of those guys, and put them above a Bautista or Granderson.

Verlander- Lock for Cy Young without question, but one argument that one fails to realize is that if the Tigers were a better team, like consistently during the entire season and not just in the last month, he wouldn't be considered an MVP candidate. Nothing wrong with being the Cy Young winner on a probable playoff team though.

So yeah, why vote on an MVP when each player is in a significantly different situation in regards to the surrounding cast, especially when writers still quarrel over how they determine 'most valuable' over the course of a season? I don't see the point right now, just have all the above players share the MVP, it makes more sense.

 

[John McGuirk]

I love how some people think Weaver is still a Cy Young candidate. 4.23 ERA since his uncalled for insults at Mags? No thanks.

MVP - Granderson
Cy Young - Verlander

 

[The Riddler]

giants suck so bad right now. time is running out to make things interesting...the offense is historically bad.

anyway, clayton kershaw needs to be cy young in the nl if things stay as they are.

 

[Poeman]

I love how some people think Weaver is still a Cy Young candidate. 4.23 ERA since his uncalled for insults at Mags? No thanks.

MVP - Granderson
Cy Young - Verlander

Agreed...As of right now, those two should win.

 

[Spidey-Bat]

I love how some people think Weaver is still a Cy Young candidate. 4.23 ERA since his uncalled for insults at Mags? No thanks.

Yeah, let's just ignore everything before that.

 

[Franklin Richards]

Verlander has it wrapped up. Cy Young that is.

If I could give out an MVP to a whole team, I'd give it to the Brew Crew in the NL. Michael Young in the AL. The way pieces keep getting changed around due to injuries he's been a big steady influence. All the while filling in around the infield where needed.

If I were to exclude Rangers due to bias, I suppose I'd have to consider Gonzales in the BoSox camp.

NL Cy should go to Ian Kennedy.

 

[steintym]

In the AL, I'd have to go with Verlander for the Cy Young and Granderson for MVP.

In the NL, I'd probably go with Kershaw for Cy Young and one of the Brewers (Fielder or Braun) for MVP. Unfortunately, they'll probably split some votes in the real voting.

 

[enterthemadness]

Things to look forward to...as a Marlins fan.

1. Vazquez is 6 strike outs away from 2,500 life time. He starts tonight against the Mets.

2. Mike Stanton.

3. Bryan Petersen. Keeps it up and may find himself starting CF next year ( probably be 4th OF though )

4 Mike Stanton

5. Hayes lol

6. Mike Stanton

7. Nolasco's starts ( he's either okay, great, or trainwreck

8 mike Stanton

9 boni

10 Vazquez

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

Not sure I'm following you on Fielder and especially Braun winning MVP?

 

[cyborg ninja 14]

giants suck so bad right now. time is running out to make things interesting...the offense is historically bad.

I don't have the numbers in front of me, but worse than the 2010 Mariners, or about the same you think?

Granderson for MVP.

Make an argument for Granderson winning that doesn't include his RBI or runs scored.

Things to look forward to...as a Marlins fan.

1. Vazquez is 6 strike outs away from 2,500 life time. He starts tonight against the Mets.

2. Mike Stanton.

3. Bryan Petersen. Keeps it up and may find himself starting CF next year ( probably be 4th OF though )

4 Mike Stanton

5. Hayes lol

6. Mike Stanton

7. Nolasco's starts ( he's either okay, great, or trainwreck

8 mike Stanton

9 boni

10 Vazquez

So you mention Vasquez first and last, Mike Stanton, Mike Stanton and mike Stanton. Boni? You mean Bono?

YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!

Not sure I'm following you on Fielder and especially Braun winning MVP?

Both are having great seasons, you can go either way, but I think Braun has the edge between the two.

 

[cyborg ninja 14]

NL Cy should go to Ian Kennedy.

Why? I'm a D-Backs fan and I don't think he should win. He's been pretty awesome this year, but Kershaw and Halladay have out-awesomed him, unfortunately.

Kennedy- 187 IP, 3.03 ERA, 3.29 K/BB
Kershaw- 197 IP, 2.45 ERA, 4.24 K/BB
Halladay- 189 IP, 2.56 ERA, 7.91 K/BB

So Kennedy is in the conversation, but hasn't been quite as dominant. He has the best beard of the bunch, however.

 

[Franklin Richards]

Why? I'm a D-Backs fan and I don't think he should win. He's been pretty awesome this year, but Kershaw and Halladay have out-awesomed him, unfortunately.

Kennedy- 187 IP, 3.03 ERA, 3.29 K/BB
Kershaw- 197 IP, 2.45 ERA, 4.24 K/BB
Halladay- 189 IP, 2.56 ERA, 7.91 K/BB

So Kennedy is in the conversation, but hasn't been quite as dominant. He has the best beard of the bunch, however.

I guess it has to do with the lineup around him. I dunno. If it's just numbers then I am forced to agree with you but some other things make me vote for him.

I don't think Kershaw is under any pressure. I'm not as impressed by his team. He's having a great year. I'm just more impressed with Kennedy.

Halladay benefits from that rotation he's in. He's still a monster. I just don't know if the NL East is giving him much competition.

Kershaw and Kennedy do have the Wins on their side. Gotta love that.


I dunno. Between those three I choose Kennedy.

 

[The Riddler]

team, heck even wins, don't really matter in cy young voting.

kershaw has the second best ERA in the league, the most strikeouts, and the most innings pitched.

i don't see an argument against him.

also, matt kemp should be mvp.

it's funny how bad the dodgers are when they have (potentially) the cy young and mvp of the league on their team.

 

[cyborg ninja 14]

I guess it has to do with the lineup around him. I dunno. If it's just numbers then I am forced to agree with you but some other things make me vote for him.

I believe that among most writers, and a decent amount of fans generally agree that the Cy Young should be awarded to the best pitcher, and not necessarily the best pitcher on the best team. At least, I believe that's how the process goes now.

I don't think Kershaw is under any pressure. I'm not as impressed by his team. He's having a great year. I'm just more impressed with Kennedy.

I don't disagree with the last sentence. Perhaps that since Kershaw was predicted to be good, and is living up to expectations, while Kennedy has exceeded his, meaning that his season has been more impressive? I can agree with that.

But...Kershaw still faces the same division competition that Kennedy does. Is the pressure of facing the Giants different for Kershaw than Kennedy I don't know how you can justifiably separate the two in that respect, since it seems that SF cannot hit regardless of who's pitching.

Halladay benefits from that rotation he's in. He's still a monster. I just don't know if the NL East is giving him much competition.

I don't see how this makes sense. Halladay would pitch differently if he was, for example, stuck in the Astros rotation? The East still has better offenses than the West does. The Nats, Marlins, and Braves outslug the Padres, Dodgers, and Giants easy.

Kershaw and Kennedy do have the Wins on their side. Gotta love that.

Wins are good as a team statistic, I just don't buy into them as much in terms of fully representing an individual accomplishment. Felix Hernandez won the Cy Young last year because when you eliminate wins and losses, he was the best pitcher in his league last season. Now, factor in that the Mariners had the worst offense in the entire game, while the Yankees had one of the best, which benefitted CC. Does that mean that wins mean more due to run support, which pitchers don't have control over in the slightest? Especially in the AL, when pitchers don't even get an opportunity to hit and contribute to scoring. They are at even a bigger disadvantage because no matter how good they may be, you can be in a situation where giving up 1 or 2 runs might be the difference between an individual win or loss. My two cents anyway.

But most pitchers aren't good hitters so they usually are wasted outs (unless you're Dan Hudson, hit hitting numbers are awfully good). Still, Kennedy has pitched well in games because his very good offense has provided him the adequate run support in which to hold a lead with. Kershaw has a crap offense, therefore he has to be economical with his pitches possibly, knowing he may have little run support to work with.

 

[Liam_H]

Ian Kennedy should not win Cy Young, its down to either Kershaw or Halladay. Both have been more dominant than Kennedy. Halladay might have a slight lead due to him being in the tougher division.

MVP is a bit more tricky. Kemp, Braun, Fielder are definitely up there but I'd also consider Justin Upton or Shane Victorino.

 

[steintym]

Not sure I'm following you on Fielder and especially Braun winning MVP?

The Brewers are on a tear and are starting to run away with the division.

Fielder is right at .300, should get past 30+ HRs, close to 100 Runs and is already at 100 RBIs.

Braun's Avg is at .300+, on pace for about 30 HRs, 100 Runs and RBIs and is sitting at 30 SBs.

Pretty good numbers for both players that are leading their team to a division title. Unfortunately, they'll split some votes.

 

[enterthemadness]

Congrats Javier Vazquez. 2,500 K club. And he may add on to it later on.

Duda made history, Duda was 2,500th for Vaz.