Is the AL MVP race pretty much over?

[notin]

Giving more weight to run production you mean.

 

Yes.

[Dojji]

JD was able to accumulate 5.9 WAR despite the negative dWAR. In other words, he was that good at what he did offensively. As I said earlier, Mookie and Trout were in a class above the rest, but if those two were not in the picture, my vote would be for JD. He was signed for his offense, and his offense was better than the rest of the WAR leaders beyond Mookie and Trout.

 

I agree that there's absolutely no reason whatsoever to be anything but perfectly satisfied with JD Martinez' offense.

 

I disagree that JD is more deserving than Jose Ramirez, who plays a much more difficult defensive position and plays it reasonably well.

 

JD has been an excellent signing. And in other years he might have been an MVP candidate, but he was overshadowed by even better years by other players. It happens.

[sk7326]

Melvin and Snitker as manager of they year - both perfectly fine choices, although I don't think we or Tampa will be asking for a refund on our guys.

 

This is usually the stupidest of the major awards ... it proxies to the "most surprising team", because otherwise it would be much too hard for writers to assess this.

[dgalehouse]

I thought Cora deserved it . But it is difficult to win the award when you have a very talented team. That seems to be the mindset of the voters . The prefer the overachievers.

[notin]

Cash had no chance. Not with the way they count ballots in Florida...

[Bellhorn04]

I thought Cora deserved it . But it is difficult to win the award when you have a very talented team. That seems to be the mindset of the voters . The prefer the overachievers.

 

I did a little research on this once, and I found that for 8 or 9 years in a row, the AL manager of the year was with the team that had the biggest increase in wins from the year before.

[sk7326]

I thought Cora deserved it . But it is difficult to win the award when you have a very talented team. That seems to be the mindset of the voters . The prefer the overachievers.

 

It is just impossible to measure manager performance - so that is an easy way for writers to settle on an answer.

[Kimmi]

JD had a great offensive season. But I'm puzzled why you would choose him over other players that had higher WAR, like Bregman as sk7326 mentioned, who had a 7.6 to JD's 5.9. It seems like you're giving more weight to run production.

 

No, I'm not giving more weight to run production. I'm giving more weight to JD doing more in his limited role than full time players do. My feeling is that if MLB is going to have a role called the DH, a player should not be penalized because he is fulfilling that role. As a DH, he was extremely valuable to our team.

[Kimmi]

That is historically how the award has gone...

 

Ironically, that is historically how the Gold Gloves have gone too.

[sk7326]

Snell was a weird choice for Cy Young - though not terrible. But Verlander offered for quantity and Sale offered more quality. Snell splits the difference. But it is cool for him, and he had a terrific season.

 

DeGrom absolutely deserved the Cy Young and absolutely is worthy of the NL MVP even if my betting dollars would be on Yelich.

[moonslav59]

No, I'm not giving more weight to run production. I'm giving more weight to JD doing more in his limited role than full time players do. My feeling is that if MLB is going to have a role called the DH, a player should not be penalized because he is fulfilling that role. As a DH, he was extremely valuable to our team.

 

He's not being penalized. Betts and others are being rewarded for being great fielders and/or runners.

[Bellhorn04]

He's not being penalized. Betts and others are being rewarded for being great fielders and/or runners.

 

That's the way I see it too.

[moonslav59]

Snell was a weird choice for Cy Young - though not terrible. But Verlander offered for quantity and Sale offered more quality. Snell splits the difference. But it is cool for him, and he had a terrific season.

 

Snell had just 22 more IP than Sale. (1.9 less WAR.)

 

Verlander had 34 more IP than Snell and a 2.2 higher WAR.

 

ERA-

46 Snell

47 Sale

50 Bauer

62 Verlander

65 Kluber

 

WHIP

0.86 Sale

0.90 Verlander

0.97 Snell

0.99 Kluber

 

K-BB%

32.9 Sale

30.4 Verlander

(7th) 22.4 Snell

 

xFIP-

55 Sale

69 Carrasco

72 Paxton

72 Verlander

(9th) 75 Snell

 

 

 

 

[moonslav59]

That's the way I see it too.

 

If Betts, Trout & Ramirez was a sucky fielders, JD would be in the conversation.

[OH FOY]

You think the Sox win it all this year if JD signed somewhere else, and we kept Hanley? Basically its same thing. We would have been obligated to Hanley's contract this year, and he's gone. JD will probably Opt out. So the question is without JD do we win it all, with Hanley and Betts, or JD and Betts? That's basically the only change from this season and last. We added Pearce sure, but we were in 1st at then too. The importance of JD was in line-up was huge, with those numbers. MVP for the Sox, to me, so how can you not think MVP for the league. Also JD's influence in the clubhouse, to me was also big. You guys can look up every number you want, I'll just rely on the old peepers. Without JD on this team, I don't think we win it. Lasts 2 years before this proved it.

 

Price contributions as the Ace in 2nd half, when Sale went down was also big for this team. He is the up there for me too on Sox to be considered MVP for the Sox.

Edited November 15, 2018 by OH FOY!

[Bellhorn04]

You think the Sox win it all this year if JD signed somewhere else, and we kept Hanley? Basically its same thing. We would have been obligated to Hanley's contract this year, and he's gone. JD will probably Opt out. So the question is without JD do we win it all, with Hanley and Betts, or JD and Betts?

 

Is that your argument for JD being MVP?

 

JD was unquestionably the MVA - Most Valuable Addition any team made this year.

[OH FOY]

You think DH should be in Hall of Fame? If you think DH should be in HOF, then MVP has to be considered too.

Betts had unreal numbers in 2016. 93 wins, right. 3 and out, in Playoffs.

Without JD this year, I just don't see us winning it all. He was difference to me, on this team, this year.

 

No need to comment on what I think, speak your own mind. Thanks.

Edited November 15, 2018 by OH FOY!

[Bellhorn04]

You think DH should be in Hall of Fame?

 

I think Edgar Martinez and David Ortiz should be.

[OH FOY]

I think Edgar Martinez and David Ortiz should be.

 

Good for you.

[S5Dewey]

I think Edgar Martinez and David Ortiz should be.

 

I agree, and while I recognize that EM's numbers are better than Ortiz' I think Papi gets in first because of his WS heroics and the fact that he played on the East coast where he got more media exposure. Once it gets determined that a DH can get into the Hall Martinez will be on Papi's heels.

[notin]

You think DH should be in Hall of Fame?

 

Frank Thomas was a DH in 1310 of his 2280 games and is already in the Hall of Fame. And he didn’t get there by dazzling anyone with his glove in those 970 games at 1b...

[Slasher9]

You think DH should be in Hall of Fame? If you think DH should be in HOF, then MVP has to be considered too.

Betts had unreal numbers in 2016. 93 wins, right. 3 and out, in Playoffs.

Without JD this year, I just don't see us winning it all. He was difference to me, on this team, this year.

 

No need to comment on what I think, speak your own mind. Thanks.

 

i believe a DH should definitely be considered for the HoF. edgar & Ortiz immediately come to mind as 2 that will be in.

i believe a DH should never be considered for MVP. it's a specialist position. like a closer. and i dont believe a closer/RP should ever be considered for MVP. I realize it has happened but i dont agree with it.

i believe the Boston Red Sox win the 2018 WS without JDM playing a single game for us. we were that good/complete of a team. we won the division easily. we won the ALDS easily. we won the ALCS easily. we won the WS easily.

[mvp 78]

I agree, and while I recognize that EM's numbers are better than Ortiz' I think Papi gets in first because of his WS heroics and the fact that he played on the East coast where he got more media exposure. Once it gets determined that a DH can get into the Hall Martinez will be on Papi's heels.

 

Papi has 230 more HR's, 200 more R's, 500 more RBI. Sure, Edgar got on base more, but his peak era was during the 95 - 01 which was also the peak era of scoring in baseball. Wonder what Papi's numbers would have been like then.

[mvp 78]

i believe a DH should definitely be considered for the HoF. edgar & Ortiz immediately come to mind as 2 that will be in.

i believe a DH should never be considered for MVP. it's a specialist position. like a closer. and i dont believe a closer/RP should ever be considered for MVP. I realize it has happened but i dont agree with it.

i believe the Boston Red Sox win the 2018 WS without JDM playing a single game for us. we were that good/complete of a team. we won the division easily. we won the ALDS easily. we won the ALCS easily. we won the WS easily.

 

Do the Sox win in 2013 without Papi?

[Bellhorn04]

i believe the Boston Red Sox win the 2018 WS without JDM playing a single game for us. we were that good/complete of a team. we won the division easily. we won the ALDS easily. we won the ALCS easily. we won the WS easily.

 

You really like playing that little game.

 

We might even have won it all without Mookie this year. But I wouldn't have wanted to try it.

[Slasher9]

Do the Sox win in 2013 without Papi?

 

nope.

[BillyWilliams]

Snell was a weird choice for Cy Young - though not terrible. But Verlander offered for quantity and Sale offered more quality. Snell splits the difference. But it is cool for him, and he had a terrific season.

 

DeGrom absolutely deserved the Cy Young and absolutely is worthy of the NL MVP even if my betting dollars would be on Yelich.

 

That's debatable ......

 

Snell was the majors only 21 game winner. His .178 average against and 219 ERA+ were the best in baseball. His 1.89 ERA was the best among AL qualifiers. He allowed 2 or fewer runs in 27 of 31 starts and 1 or none in 21. In 12 starts against the 5 AL playoff teams he went 9-2 with a 2.00 ERA.

[sk7326]

Papi has 230 more HR's, 200 more R's, 500 more RBI. Sure, Edgar got on base more, but his peak era was during the 95 - 01 which was also the peak era of scoring in baseball. Wonder what Papi's numbers would have been like then.

 

You don't have to wonder - Papi never had an OPS+ above 120 during those years (obviously early in his career).

 

Edgar's first batting title was in 1992 - and like Ortiz he had a brief stretch where he wasn't actually very good. But Edgar had a higher career OPS+. Edgar led the league in OPS+ once, Ortiz never did. And of course there is the on-base %. Ortiz will get in the Hall first, and it's not a robbery - but Martinez clearly deserves to be in and was every bit as good.

[BillyWilliams]

Papi has 230 more HR's, 200 more R's, 500 more RBI. Sure, Edgar got on base more, but his peak era was during the 95 - 01 which was also the peak era of scoring in baseball. Wonder what Papi's numbers would have been like then.

 

But martinez doesn't have the PED allegations that have hurt more qualified players than papi.

[mvp 78]

But martinez doesn't have the PED allegations that have hurt more qualified players than papi.

 

The steroid argument is always a wildcard and the one reason Bagwell took too long to get in even though no accusations were levied against him at the time. I think HOF voters will start to care less and less about the steroid issues and Clemens, Bonds, ARod, et al will all be in (and rightfully deserve to be).

 

I like Edgar. He should be in the HOF. I just like Papi better. With Edgar, he hit and played 3b a little but didn't bring much else. Papi hit a s*** ton, had so many memorable heroics, won 3 WS, was a mega superstar who was always smiling and was the face of one of the most important franchises for over a decade. I think stardom plays a bigger role in a guy being elected to the Hall of FAME. I don't believe Edgar put butts in the seats.

 

The only guy I don't want to see in the HOF is Rose who just turned into an absolute grifter.