TWiB 8/28 - 9/3

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Figures a game in which Zambrano was dominating when I left finishes in the 11th with Ryan Dempster walking in the winning run. I see Fast Freddie Bynum made a crucial error that tied the game up and also struck out three times batting second. At this point, let's go for the gusto and shoot for the cellar. Just two games now.

[Precious Roy 0]

If Beltran never played a game this year the Mets would likely still be in 1st place in the NL East.

 

They'd probably be in first because the rest of the division is playing .500 ball, but so what? Ifs, ands and buts don't factor into MVP voting.

 

Beltran is first in MLB in total win shares, 4th in MLB in defensive win shares. He's also 5th in baseball in runs created.

 

Sure, he's not the only guy on the team having a good year (Reyes and Wright are 9-10 in win shares), but he's still been the biggest part of their success. That's like saying that you could just take Albert Pujols off of the 2004 Cardinals because Rolen and Edmonds were having great years. It doesn't work like that.

 

Howard is tied for 13th in total win shares, and defensively he doesn't even rate. He's tied for 20th in runs created.

 

Beltran is hitting .324 with RISP. Howard is hitting .243.

 

And in a stat I'm not totally sold on, Clutch rating (Hits with RISP minus overall BA times at bats with RISP, plus HR with runners on minus (all HR/AB) times at bats with runners on)....Beltran gets a 7.7....Howard gets NEGATIVE 5.3, one of the worst in the league.

 

And as naiwf said, he outclasses Howard in OBP, Slugging, doubles, strikes out less, and makes a difference on the bases.

[naiwf 0]

With Ortiz possibly done for the year, is there any chance Jermaine Dye sneaks into the top 2 or 3 in AL MVP voting? I thought it was a mistake when I heard the BBTN guys say he'd hit his 39th HR tonight, but apparently he's having the quietest monster year ever.

 

.324/.390/.651, 143-441, 23 2B, 2 3B, 39 HR, 106 RBI, 85 Runs, 47 BB, 95 K, 5 SB

[Guest]

What is A-Rod's "clutch rating" (lol)?

[Bored 0]

I don't think too much Hardball Times "Clutch" stat either but here's the Top 5 and Bottom 5 in each league.

 

Top 5 A.L.

 

1. Michael Young

2. Raul Ibanez

3. Jose Lopez

4. Hank Blalock

5. Carl Crawford

 

Bottom 5 A.L.

 

1. Ichiro Suzuki

2. Nick Swisher

3. Grady Sizemore

4. Miguel Tejada

5. Mike Lowell

 

Top 5 N.L.

 

1. Lance Berkman

2. Albert Pujols

3. Todd Helton

4. Jeff Francoeur

5. David Wright

 

Bottom 5 N.L.

 

1. Brad Hawpe

2. Matt Holliday

3. Jason Bay

4. Jamey Carroll

5. Juan Pierre

[KingPK 0]

Yeesh, Beckett has a good game for once and they can only give him a measly run. I think we can safely say that it's time to raid the minors and give some kids time in the show.

[Precious Roy 0]

What is A-Rod's "clutch rating" (lol)?

 

2.6

[Vern Gagne 0]

Mark Redman? Mark Fucking Redman.

 

Every series the Twins do this pull a complete no show against the some scrub.

[Hawk 34 0]

I'm pissed at LA, why can't you just beat Cincy like normal and let me go to sleep? I got class in like 6 hours.

[Guest]

This is twice in the last few days and I'm not going to put myself through more.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Damn, Astros extend Oswalt to the tune of $73 million over the next five years.

[Guest NYankees]

I can only imagine how much Zito is going to get on the Open Market now.

[vivalaultra 0]

And that's a bargain, too. I'm just glad he's signed before he gets closer to free agency and feels the itch to test the market.

 

And just to expand on specifics-Roy's getting $13 million in 07 and 08, $14 million in 09, $15 in 2010, $16 in 2011, and the club can either buy out the contract for $2 in 2012, or Roy'll get $16 million for 2012. He'll also donate $100,000 a year to the Astros in Action fund, and he's got a full no-trade clause. However, he did not get another bulldozer, but he did look stylish at the press conference, with his grey t-shirt/blazer combo.

[naiwf 0]

Captain Clutch & Abre-who just blew chances to get the Yanks the lead as they left men on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out.

 

I'm thinking Zito gets like 6 yrs/$90 million from the Yankees or Mets.

[Guest NYankees]

Yankees take a 1-0 lead off of a Craig Wilson homerun.

[naiwf 0]

Not that I think this will happen, but if the Yanks sweep Detroit here they'll be 1 GB in regards to the best record in the AL.

[mike546 0]

Another great performance from Wang. Picks up win number 16, and he has a nice shot at gertting 20, with about five or six starts left.

[TheShooter 0]

Today's Red Sox starting lineup:

 

K. Youkilis LF

A. Cora SS

M. Loretta DH

M. Lowell 3B

G. Kapler CF

D. Mirabelli C

E. Hinske RF

D. Pedroia 2B

C. Pena 1B

 

Is it football season yet?

[TheShooter 0]

Holy shit, they just had second and third with nobody out AND THEY SCORED.

 

WTF.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Prediction: Phillies, Padres, and Reds all lose today (Padres are facuing a pitcher that has owned them, Hamels is shaky, Reds can't beat Dodgers)

[Brett Favre 0]

Does anyone have ESPN Insider? The Chien-Ming Wang article, by Rob Neyer looks interesting.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Cubs got swept by the Pirates, with Dempster blowing an extra-innings save chance for the second straight night. They're only a game and a half up on the Pirates now. They can do it!

[KingPK 0]

It seems like the Cubs and Red Sox are pretty much interchangeable right now. Both teams have one good starter (Schilling/Zambrano), an offense that can't do dick and a shitty bullpen that includes one guy that is always used regardless of the fact that he blows (Dempster/Timlin).

 

I need a drink.

[Precious Roy 0]

I think it's time for Wang's name to start coming up in Cy Young discussions. Not that he has any chance compared to Santana/Halladay/Verlander, nor does he deserve to win, but he's having a damn good year and I can see him getting some 2nd/3rd place votes.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

I think it's time for Wang's name to start coming up in Cy Young discussions. Not that he has any chance compared to Santana/Halladay/Verlander, nor does he deserve to win, but he's having a damn good year and I can see him getting some 2nd/3rd place votes.

He barely has over 60 strikeouts in almost 180 innings and an ERA of almost 4. No freaking way.

 

Wins are the most important thing for a team in the end, but wins are the only reason why Wang would even be considered for the Cy Young and that should have more to do with the Yankees' offense.

[Open the Muggy Gate 0]

As a Red Sox fan, even I'll say I'm impressed that Wang has 16 wins so far and has a 2.7 ERA in his past 10 starts. But I don't think he's getting MVP. Halladay or Santana will be all over that with Santana I think getting the nod.

[KingPK 0]

He might get some third place votes, but I highly doubt he's getting any second.

 

I'm hoping we do a similar vote at the end of the season like we did a couple years ago.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Ryan Howard MVP knocks in a few more to get the Fightins up 3-zip, Hamels looks good.

[Precious Roy 0]

Wang's ERA is 3.66. That's not "almost 4". His WHIP is 1.29.

 

Verlander's ERA is 3.4. His WHIP is 1.27.

 

Both have 16 quality starts

 

The only real difference between the two is strikeouts.

 

Oh, and run support, Verlander's is 4th best in the league. Wang's is 13th. So you can can the "oh but he plays for the Yankees" argument

 

I don't think he deseves to win, but you can't ignore how well he's pitched.

 

Actually, now that I look at the stats more closely, Mussina should be getting some consideration as well. He's got the most quality starts in the AL and less run support than Halladay or Verlander, as well as those OMG STRIKEOUTS that are apparently crucial to award consideration.

 

I guess it doesn't really matter though, because Johan Santana clearly deserves to win.

 

More importantly, SAL FASANO HIT A DOUBLE!!!!!!

[therealworldschampion 0]

I did get to see the Dodgers/Reds highlights from last night's 16 inning game. Ryan Franklin finally helped out the Phillies I see....