ROOT ROOT ROOT: Apparently they still hold the playoffs even if the Phillies fall short of qualifying (based on skewed records, mind you). I can't say I have much of a rooting interest beyond my ingrained pro-Bal'mer, anti-Yankees biases, but those who do care about today's results and beyond (including the young Spacemen) may want to express hopes, fears, and that other stuff.
Meanwhile, we all agree that while Miguel Cabrera had a rare and extraordinary season, Mike Trout was the most valuable player in the American League, right? Right?
Also, I have enjoyed the hell out of booing Larry "Chipper" Jones throughout the course of his career, yet admire and have feared him plenty, so I will have a small sad when his season ends. Still, go Cardinals!
So, wait, if we unskew the records, did the Phillies win the NL?
ReplyDeleteTickets for first three Nats playoff games, my first playoff games. -- Ted
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, Trout is the real MVP even if he won't take home the hardware. If he knew how to win he should've been in the division with the White Sox.
I root root root for the A's, as I have mentioned here too many times. I took off from work early on Wednesday to watch them put a capper on a wacky season; it was WONDERFUL. If they weren't in it, I'd be pulling for a Beltway Series, but as it stands now, well, I wouldn't say no to another Bay Bridge Series (this time, with infinitely fewer earthquakes). Or a coast-to-coast against the Nationals, sure.
ReplyDeleteFirst comes getting past Detroit, and oh, that pitching. And (shouldn't-be-MVP) Miguel Cabrera. And Prince Fielder. I love playoff baseball, you guys!
I was sincerely hopeful on Wednesday that it would have been the Yankees getting bounced to the Wild Card game, but oh well. Today, it's go Orioles! As far as the NL Wild Card game, well, that's a pick-your-poison as far as I'm concerned. May the Nationals give them a sound thrashing on Saturday.
I understand that Trout had a great year, and that the Triple Crown categories are no longer so gaudy in these days of advanced sabremetrics. But still. Cabrera had more hits, more home runs, more RBIs, more doubles, and hit for a better batting average, slugging percentage and OPS. Why wouldn't that be worthy of MVP?
ReplyDeletePut it this way. The Tigers wouldn't have finished first without Cabrera. The Angels certainly would have finished third without Trout.
It could be your last chance to root for Big Jim. Can't pass that up.
ReplyDeleteBecause Trout was almost as good as Cabrera in those categories (certainly he was in the top 3 in total offense in the AL by any measure) AND he was arguably the best defender in the AL! The massive difference in their defensive contributions completely swamps the minor difference in offense.
ReplyDeleteAs to your 'finished third' comment:
THE ANGELS WON MORE GAMES THAN THE TIGERS!
I guess some part of the argument for Trout would be that (a) Trout was a considerably better fielder and base runner than Cabrera, (b) Trout hit in a tougher hitting park than Cabrera (and so while his OPS is lower, his OPS+ is higher), and (c), to the extent we care about such things, the Angels had a better record than Detroit in a tougher division (put another way, Detroit's record against the AL West was well below .500 and much worse than that of the Angels against the West or Central). All that said, I don't think Cabrera would be a bad or undeserving MVP choice, I'm just not sure he's the ideal choice.
ReplyDeleteRBI is a lousy comparative stat, since Trout hits leadoff and had something like 150 less men on base when he came up (plus they would have been bottom of the order guys). Trout stole a ridiculous amount more bases (49 to 4) and played significantly better defense. Where Trout made 4 errors (only 2 at his primary position in CF) and had a .990ish fielding percentage, Cabrera was a defensive liability, with 13 errors, a .960's fielding percentage and a negative dWAR.
ReplyDeleteSaid in my best Bawlmer accent, GO Os!!!! Granted, I couldn't name more than 3 current players, but I could tell you the starting line up from the Why Not? season of 1989. Steve Finley and Brady Anderson made my little teen heart in Towson go pitter-pat.
ReplyDeleteBut let's face it, all that matters is the Yankees losing as soon as possible.
The last time the O's were in the playoffs, they were My Team. Now, they are the ex-boyfriend who moves back to town, looking good and with a nice life and lovely family. I'm happy for them. I wish 'em well. But I've moved on, and I'm all about my Nationals right now.
DeleteGood luck to the Orioles and Rangers in their tie-breaker game for the wild card and to the Braves in their exhibition game against the Cardinals!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea until just right now that Chipper Jones was a Larry. My dad, also a Larry, hates his name and says most Larrys that are famous are kind of chumps. He's all, "Name a Larry that isn't a dork or a jerk." I wish Chipper'd gone by Larry - woulda made Fa happy. (As it is, I try to console him with Larry Bird and Larry Fitzgerald.)
ReplyDeleteThe great thing about "Larry" though is it's the sort of name that Gary Larson used for people in The Far Side. Along with names like "Art" and "Carl"
ReplyDeleteOakland is my second favorite Bay Area baseball team!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Bud - you've done it again.
ReplyDeleteI'm still in denial about the end of the White Sox's season, but as is my tradition every year, I become a Cardinals fan in the playoffs. My sister in St. Louis appreciates it.
ReplyDeleteGoing to the Nats game on Wednesday (wish they'd post the time already) and am thrilled to pieces for them! Hoping they go all the way, and looking to enjoy the ride.
ReplyDeleteChipper is actually a LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-RRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYY.
ReplyDeletePulling for the Reds in the NL and either the O's (c'mon, it's Jim Thome!) or the A's in the Junior Circuit.
ReplyDeleteIf Cabrera continues to kick ass in the post season, does than change things? I know it's not supposed to, but does it?
ReplyDelete