Cheech Tremendous

I think it's because Nate McClouth has a really good arm, which tends to get very overvalued in people's analysis of outfield defense. The problem is that evaluating defense is really tricky if you aren't watching every play of every game, and the good defensive stats out there (like +/-) aren't that well known or understood yet. Basically, to win a Gold Glove you have to be noticed, which in the ends up rewarding the guys who either hit the best, or make the fanciest looking plays. Neither one has much to do with defensive ability. It's a really flawed system.

Baseball Prospectus' Internet Baseball Awards (NL Edition) NL MVP: Albert Pujols 1. Albert Pujols 1233 97 38 17 5 7 4 2 2 1 1406 18650 2. Hanley Ramirez 26 454 191 164 105 76 46 38 14 15 1129 8477 3. Lance Berkman 14 223 195 167 159 89 74 46 31 26 1024 6853 4. Chase Utley 21 105 196 155 149 101 85 54 45 16 927 5899 5. David Wright 10 93 163 152 171 118 104 63 50 28 952 5694 6. Chipper Jones 14 70 131 128 133 115 81 68 47 28 815 4793 7. Ryan Howard 53 116 75 80 64 44 38 28 35 24 557 3880 8. Manny Ramirez 32 63 72 65 79 50 40 42 49 51 543 3205 9. Tim Lincecum 5 33 61 77 94 61 70 50 44 22 517 2803 10. Ryan Braun 7 49 61 94 55 53 56 44 37 22 478 2732 NL Cy Young: Tim Lincecum 1. Tim Lincecum 955 335 56 15 4 1365 12224 2. Johan Santana 273 619 184 71 22 1169 8218 3. C.C. Sabathia 122 155 281 159 128 845 4315 NL Rookie of the Year: Geovany Soto 1. Geovany Soto 1178 63 17 1258 6096 2. Joey Votto 74 618 242 934 2466 3. Jair Jurrjens 26 302 324 652 1360 NL Manager of the Year: Lou Piniella 1. Lou Piniella 389 283 176 848 2970 2. Charlie Manuel 265 273 153 691 2297 3. Joe Torre 257 236 174 667 2167 Full results can be found here: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=8282

Dodgers declined their option on Brad Penny. He could be a great low-cost, high reward pick-up for a pitching starved team this offseason.

NL Gold Glove winners: P Greg Maddux, Dodgers C Yadier Molina, Cardinals 1B Adrian Gonzalez, Padres 2B Brandon Phillips, Reds 3B David Wright, Mets SS Jimmy Rollins, Phillies OF Nate McLouth, Pirates; Carlos Beltran, Mets; Shane Victorino, Phillies Most of these look okay, with the exception of McClouth. He's one of the worst centerfielders in the game.

Boras said that Varitek has earned a comparable deal to the one Posada signed last year (4 years, $52 million). He'll be lucky to get 1/4 that amount. Boras can say whatever he wants about Manny, Tek and Lowe. The market will determine what they get. As for the Martin rumor, I've heard that one too. I just don't believe that it can be true. If he's really available, I'd encourage the Sox to go all in. I don't know what the cost would be (Youks? Buchholz?), but they should pay it. C'mon, we all know that Boras negotiated the actual contract. The media angle was just that, a media angle. This notion that he was left out of the meetings between Yankee management and A-Rod is totally false. The actual language was carved out by Boras.

I absolutely picked Chicago to finish ahead of Minnesota (read: http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?...hl=predictions), as did most everyone else. Most people expected Minnesota to be really bad, like last place bad after they traded Santana. The Sox overperformed expectations too, but let's not change history based on the way things ended up. Gardenhire was able to work five inexperienced pitchers into a capable rotation and turned underperforming prospect Carlos Gomez into a legit centerfielder. Nothing against Ozzie, but Ron Gardenhire did an excellent job with a really mediocre team this year.

Tie goes to La Parka.

Expect them to also overlook that La Parka took the all-important TSM vote.

Credibility gone, thread over. Thanks for playing.

Might as well use this thread for actual winners too. I didn't bother to look up the schedule for announcements, but they should be starting any day now. In the mean time, Baseball Prospectus is rolling out the winners of their Internet Baseball Awards. These are voted on by those who frequent the site. American League winners were announced today. One would presume that the NL will come tomorrow. AL MVP : Dustin Pedroia 1. Dustin Pedroia 408 319 247 154 136 58 35 18 11 4 1390 12963 2. Joe Mauer 423 240 163 138 102 43 34 25 10 6 1184 11416 3. Grady Sizemore 160 187 176 154 112 76 57 38 28 12 1000 7871 4. Alex Rodriguez 122 130 157 151 153 115 82 57 34 33 1034 7284 5. Cliff Lee 131 123 138 132 113 69 66 50 29 13 864 6477 6. Kevin Youkilis 93 122 124 134 140 111 86 58 58 32 958 6391 7. Carlos Quentin 91 106 140 115 134 103 63 76 66 40 934 6124 8. Josh Hamilton 54 69 79 123 137 137 143 116 86 58 1002 5527 9. Justin Morneau 40 105 108 122 105 67 78 72 38 32 767 4824 10. Roy Halladay 16 75 62 91 120 68 61 71 46 20 630 3661 AL Cy Young: Cliff Lee 1. Cliff Lee 1164 281 24 7 2 1478 13750 2. Roy Halladay 292 977 92 19 7 1387 10283 3. Jon Lester 16 52 547 141 71 827 3753 AL Rookie of the Year: Evan Longoria 1. Evan Longoria 1264 118 11 1393 6685 2. Alexei Ramirez 51 359 210 620 1542 3. Mike Aviles 50 334 191 575 1443 AL Manager of the Year: Joe Maddon 1. Joe Maddon 1202 103 16 1321 6335 2. Ron Gardenhire 52 417 160 629 1671 3. Terry Francona 47 267 211 525 1247 Full article can be found here: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=8281

Finally, a candidate who cares about the real issues.

That was the idea, but no one did it in the nominations thread and they aren't really doing it here. Go nuts.

Aww, I see. Don't worry EHME, there's always next year. Besides, you have your own Hall.

It's just that I only counted it as 3/5 of an actual vote. The correct answer was '80%'. A half-black/math joke? C'mon, you can do better.

I counted your vote EHME. It's just that I only counted it as 3/5 of an actual vote.

It will be a dirty, ill-fitting New Jersey Nets hat with the 1980s logo.

Nominations thread is done and it's time for the finals. Originally this was only going to be five posters, but a tie has expanded the field to seven. Just place yes or no next to each poster (or bold the ones you want in). A 75% approval is necessary for induction. Czech Agent Milky Kinetic Slayer Incandenza Bob Barron

Ryan Howard put up a .339 OBP in over 600 at bats last year. Somewhat out of line with his career average, but for a 28-year-old first baseman with old player skills, I wouldn't count out that his best days are already behind him. I wouldn't go so far to say that Philadelphia should trade Howard, but if you can move him in the right deal I say go for it. He's due for some outrageous arbitration claims the next couple of seasons, and really, the production isn't quite where it should be for that kind of money.

Things are a little slow at the office today, so I'll give this a shot. Sabathia - Brewers: Milwaukee makes a big pitch on a short deal (say 4 years, $100 million) and Sabathia resigns. It's a discount over better offers, but he takes it knowing he can go back on the market in a few. Teixeira - Yankees: NY misses out on Sabathia and goes all in on the 1B. Contract ends up around 8 years, $160 million. Holliday - Phillies: Not sure where Holliday ends up. I'll take a guess that Philly loses Burrell in free agency and makes a big pitch to bring Holliday on board. Perhaps a package built around Victorino is the answer. Peavy - Braves: Atlanta nuts up and parts with their big prospects to get something done. Burnett - Yankees: After Sabathia goes, bidding gets out of control for Burnett. Red Sox and Orioles make a big push, but NY goes five years, $90 million and gets it done. Manny - Dodgers: Ramirez finds the contract offers to be a little less than what he was expecting. LA seals the deal with a two year offer for $55 million. Sheets - Braves: After securing Peavy through a trade, Atlanta turns their eye to free agency and uses their cash reserves to get Sheets on a short term deal. Three years, $51 million gets it done. K-Rod - Mets: New York intends to stay out of it, but the market gets crazy for Fuentes and Minaya decides that Rodriguez is the better deal. It takes five years, $65 million to get it done. Burrell - Rays: Tampa Bay uses the extra playoff revenue to secure that big middle of the order bat. Dunn - Nationals: Adam Dunn becomes the bargain basement power hitter on the market, getting pursued heavily by the Royals, Nats and Mariners. Washington signs him to a four year, $60 million deal.

Curious as to why you'd see him fitting in Orlando. Howard likes to play low, Lewis is a slasher and AI is a slasher. Just seems like you run the risk of putting too many defenders in the paint. Orlando would be better served with a guy who is an efficient passer and good spot-up shooter.

Is there an actual lever? I just thought that was a figure of speech.

So it sounds like polling booths are still fairly common around the country. Here in Oregon we actually mail our votes or drop them off at the county office. For whatever reason, I figured the rest of the country was starting to go this route as well.

The nominations period is now over. Agent, Milky, Kinetic and Czech have secured four of the spots. Bob Barron, Incandenza and Slayer tied for the final spot. I'll go ahead and throw them all onto the final ballot. How do we want to do the final round? One thread for all the finalists, or an individual for each? I'm thinking just one, seeing as no one really takes thing even remotely seriously.

The Booker run was well over five years ago.

Looks like the death of Obama's grandmother has given him the spark to pull ahead of La Parka.