Joe Torre - Manager of the Year

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb...tives&fext=.jsp

 

MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Joe Torre, Yankees: Has laid to rest much of the debate about the Yankees' latest dynasty -- how much of it is him, and how much is it an unlimited budget funneling in players? Made his point with the way he steered the team out of that 13-22 tailspin. Furthermore, has had to maneuver around a lot of personnel moves thrust upon him, and do for long stretches without Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams.

 

Contenders: Grady Little has kept the Red Sox afloat with a lower-grade Derek Lowe, little from Casey Fossum and Pedro Martinez, and a bullpen straight out of a Stephen King novel. Tony Pena got the Royals back on course after a May lull threatened to expose them as frauds.

 

let's just get this straight, Torre, the big time New York guy beats out Pena here? Pena being within 12 wins of topping last years total, in July doesn't seem to count. Maybe if Tony was in New York, he'd praise him, but since he's in Kansas City, he barely knows anything.

 

Oh yeah, and his rookie of the year choice.

 

Hideki Matsui, Yankees: This is also the Argument of the Year. Who best captures the spirit of the award, a 29-year-old Japanese superstar, or a 21-year-old who was recovering from his high school prom three years ago? (NOTE: I guess Rocco got hammered that night) Rocco Baldelli has the name and the game but, until they change the rules, you can't go against a guy who has pushed his average above .300 while vying with Jason Giambi for the Yanks' RBI lead.

 

While there are valid arguments for Baldelli. I'm holding out my vote for MacDougal or maybe Baldelli, after I watch the D-Rays/Royals games this year. Mack the Ninth seems to be ignored by Tom Dumbass here. "A trio of worthy Royals -- Angel Berroa and Ken Harvey, with identical numbers, and closer Mike MacDougal -- cancel each other out."

 

Just one last note here, Berroa's numbers aren't all that different from Matsui's numbers. Same # of HRs. slight different in BA and OBP. Berroa has a higher slugging percentage than Matsui. The only vast difference is in RBIs, and Berroa bats low in the order about every day. Plus, when it comes to speed, Berroa is beating out Matsui easily. "The man's legs didn't come through customs", Apollo Creed would say.

 

Plus, Berroa is coming off a season where he hit .215 as an Omaha Royal. It appears that he has bounced back from a bad year. Matsui was winning a batting title in Japan. I just don't regard the MLB rookie of the year as being a hyped multi-million dollar star. How often has a possible rookie of the year like Matsui been so well-known before he even batted? This isn't like the first Rookie of the Year, Jackie Robinson, nothing is stopping players like Matsui and Ichiro from playing in ML ball when they're much younger.

 

Matsui could be the best "rookie", but Joe Torre is not the best manager.

[Guest alkeiper]

I loved this one.....

 

Setup Man of the Year: Shigetoshi Hasegawa, Mariners. Yes, Brendan Donnelly (0.40 ERA) has dropped jaws in Anaheim. But Shigi (0.79) has been in the same amazing class and has obviously been setting up more wins, since the M's have the Majors' best record.

 

Umm, ok. Hasegawa is the best setup guy since his team has the best record? Its an unofficial award, but this is ridiculous logic.

 

I was ready to defuse Berroa's argument, but looking at the numbers, I actually have to revise my choice here. Berroa's having a better year. The positional difference seals the deal.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

Berroa's also improving as a fielder. He's had like 20 games or so without an error, even if he has had around 15 or 20 this year.

 

Angel is going to be pretty damned good when he gets more experience.

 

As for the Setup Man. Donnelly is better, he didn't blow the lead in the ASG.

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

Sidney Ponson is a 12 game winner on a team thats got 4 fewer wins than the White Sox, and yet they pick Loaiza and don't even mention Ponson in the contenders.

[Guest alkeiper]

Because Ponson's ERA and K/BB rates group him in with the top 10 contenders. No one stands out in that group.

[Guest undisputedjericho]

Rookie Pitcher of the Year: Mike MacDougal, Royals. The workhorse of AL closers, his 24 saves have kept Kansas City in the race. Electric K-Rod, Frankie Rodriguez, had the billing entering the season but doesn't have the numbers. Tops among the starters is Cleveland's seven-game winner, Jason Davis.

 

MacDougal is nice, but Dontrelle isn't even mentioned.

 

 

Edit - Stupid me, I didn't even notice it was AL only.

Edited July 18, 2003 by undisputedjericho

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

that's because this is for the AL awards.

 

You remember what league Dontrelle is in, right?

[Guest NoCalMike]

As long as the Royals hold up for the long stretch, Tony Pena better sure as hell win Manager of the year.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

What about Bob Melvin for manager of the year. Best record in the the league, and they do not have the most talented team.

 

This guy is an idiot though. Pedro Martinez has not had a down year. The bullpen blows all his games.

[Guest CanadianChris]

That guy sure has a hard-on for the Yankees, doesn't he?

 

AL Manager of the Year has to be Pena. HAS to. The Royals were supposed to be in the basement, again. They're leading their division by SEVEN games at the break!

[Guest Some Guy]

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Carlos Delgado, Blue Jays: The secret is out. Delgado averaged 36 homers and 111 RBIs the last seven seasons, but is now putting his numbers out of this world and, more importantly, doing his best to keep the Jays in contention. No Toronto player has led the league in homers (Fred McGriff) or RBIs (George Bell) since the '80s, and Delgado is the front-runner to do both.

 

Contenders: Nomar Garciaparra is all over the leaders' lists, punctuating his comeback from that right wrist injury, but blends into that fearsome Boston lineup. Garret Anderson rates in every department except the standings. Ichiro Suzuki is cloning his 2001 MVP season, but his sensation has waned and we're back to singles hitters not winning MVP awards.

 

I'm not arguing that Nomar is the MVP and Delgado isn't but last I checked TO is second in hte majors in runs behind the Sox. SO by his logic wouldn't Delgado blend in with that fearsome Toronto line up.

 

This guy doesn't know his ass from his elbow.

[Guest treble charged]

Delgado and Wells carry the Toronto offence. Everyone else is pretty much supposed to get on for them and hope that they can drive them in. The only other player who's really having a good offensive season is Myers, and he doesn't even play everyday, anyway.

 

Question: Is it possible for the league MVP to not be the most valuable player on his team? I say this because, as far as I can tell, Roy Halladay is more important to the Jays than Delgado is.

[Guest Some Guy]

SUre it's possible. The MVP is almist always a position player where as on most good teams the true MVP is a their ace. The best example I can think of right now is the Delgado/Haliday and you could also make an arguement for Wells on that team as well. Five tool players don't grow on trees.

[Guest alkeiper]

I usually tend to think the MVPs are the position players, since they play every day. Its hard to be an MVP when you don't play 80% of your team's games.

[Guest treble charged]

Yeah, I agree, but if it weren't for Halladay, I don't think the Jays would have won a game in the past month (and I don't think I'm stretching too much, either).