MLB Hot Stove Edition

[phanan]

You should have just posted a link that said "Red Sox acquire Ramirez"...that would have raised a few eyebrows.

Kind of sad to see Coco go, he was very good this season. Never lived up to the hype of what people expected when the Sox traded for him, but performed well this year and was a great defensive outfielder, noodle arm notwithstanding.

Agreed, but thanks to the great second half of this past season, his value went up big time from last offseason to this one. No way this trade happens last year, or even in June.

 

[MrPryck2U]

Poor CoCo got banished to KC.
Looks like the Hot Stove is really starting to heat up.

The M's got themselves the first Asian-American Manager when they hired Don W-something for the job. Sorry, I forgot his last name.

Pedroia AL MVP-

 

[John Lackey]

Considering the Angels have already said that they won't resign him, you're not exactly going out on a limb there.

How 'bout I limb your FACE.








Headache

 

[phanan]

Pedroia AL MVP-

You had someone else in mind?

 

[MrPryck2U]

Miguel Cabrera

 

[phanan]

Not when the Tigers underperformed so dramatically this year. He certainly didn't seem to help them that much. Doesn't make him much of an MVP candidate.

 

[MrPryck2U]

Aww, you could look at it also as Cabrera having performed well despite the Tigers not being so good. Plenty of guys have been MVPs when their teams weren't good. His stats overall were better than Pedroia's. I've got no problem with Pedroia being the MVP, but I just wasn't blown away by him.

 

[phillyfan26]

Performing well despite your team is not what the award is for. It's about value.

Same reason why I disagree with Ryan Howard getting the MVP a couple of years ago (the tables have turned, haven't they? Two years ago, Howard won over World Series champ Pujols; now, Pujols wins over World Series champ Howard). I think you have to be on a team that at least makes the playoffs to be MVP.

 

[lazarus]

Just found out about Kerry Wood.

And so the last link to the 90's Cubs is gone.

Oh well.

Can't feel too bad for him when Banks, Buckner, Sandberg, Sosa and others didn't get a ring either.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

did you really think cabrera was the mvp?

really?

 

[CTU2fan]

Buckner didn't get a ring either.

He had a hell of a shot though

I think it's pretty cool that the top 4 MVP were from 2 teams (Pedroia, Morneau, Mauer, Youkilis), first time since '80. What's always fun with MVP voting is looking at the complete voting, where you get to see interesting things like Evan Grant leaving Pedroia off his ballot altogether, or guys like Raul Ibanez, Mike Mussina, and Jason Bartlett(!) getting votes.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

CQ had that shit locked up if he didn't take himself out with the wrist injury. It wouldn't have been close. But that's yesterday's paper. Is it March yet?

 

[Hewson]

. Plenty of guys have been MVPs when their teams weren't good.

No, just Arod.

 

[speedracer]

What's always fun with MVP voting is looking at the complete voting, where you get to see interesting things like Evan Grant leaving Pedroia off his ballot altogether, or guys like Raul Ibanez, Mike Mussina, and Jason Bartlett(!) getting votes.

What, you don't think that a guy who provides average defense and below-average offense at shortstop deserves a MVP vote?

 

[MrPryck2U]

did you really think cabrera was the mvp?

really?

Not really, but his overall stats were better than Pedroia's. You can look it up.

And Hewson was right about A-Rod. The Rangers sucked, but he was an MVP anyway when he was with them. The two other times A-Rod won was when he was with the Yankees and they won over 90 games.

 

[Hewson]

His stats overall were better than Pedroia's. .

Only his power stats were better.

Cabrera: .292, 37HR, 127 RBI, 85 runs, 180 Hits, 36 doubles, 2 triples, .349OBP, 56BB, 1SB, 126K, .537 SLG

Pedroia: .326, 17HR, 83 RBI, 118 runs, 213 Hits, 54 doubles, 2 triples, .376OBP, 50BB, 20SB, 52K, .459 SLG

So to say Cabrera's stats are better means you only look at HR and RBI, which is a very narrow way of assessing a player's value.



Pedroia led the league in hits, runs and doubles. If you think Cabrera deserved it more, you're about as short sighted as Evan Grant who left him off the ballot completely, and made up a bumbling excuse, I think he was just still pissed that Pedroia started the All Star game over Kinsler.

 

[Hewson]

Not really, but his overall stats were better than Pedroia's. You can look it up.

.

^ I did, you're wrong.

 

[speedracer]

Not really, but his overall stats were better than Pedroia's. You can look it up.

Positional scarcity and defense count for a lot. Cabrera's OPS was 17 points higher than Pedroia's, his OBP was way worse and he played crummy defense at an easier position.

Pedroia isn't exactly a mind-blowing candidate for MVP, but the only other players who deserved consideration were Joe Mauer, Grady Sizemore and Kevin Youkilis.

 

[phillyfan26]

So, Chase Utley, as much as he denied it all year, WAS injured from the end of May till the end of the season.

He was putting MVP-like numbers up for the first two months, and then suddenly evened out to a .290 average.

Out four to six months due to hip surgery, possibility of returning for the season opener.

I knew he was tough, but not that tough.

 

[the tourist]

Raul Ibanez, Mike Mussina, and Jason Bartlett(!) getting votes.

Kind of insulting to Ibanez and Mussina....

 

[speedracer]

I see that Aaron Heilman has issued a "start me or trade me" ultimatum to the Mets. I am pretty sure they will be happy to comply with one of these requests.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

DAYAN VICIEDO

You heard it here first.

 

[randhail]

sweet unis.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

No, just Arod.

and andre dawson

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

No, just Arod.

and andre dawson

for a guy on a team that stinks to win the MVP his numbers have to be overwhelmingly better than anyone else's... cabrera's were not.

 

[MrPryck2U]

and andre dawson

for a guy on a team that stinks to win the MVP his numbers have to be overwhelmingly better than anyone else's... cabrera's were not.

Ok, you're right.

and you too... Hewson.

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

I've missed baseball.

Bye bye Javy Vazquez! I am not shedding any tears over Boob Logan's departure either.

The Sock didn't really get anything to be excited about in return though. meh.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Yeah, I'm not sad about losing Javy. He choked it up down the stretch last year, couldn't seem to get it done in the big games. I think this was more of a salary dump than anything. We get rid of his $12 million a year. Kenny Williams is one of the best GMs in baseball and I know he's got something up his sleeve. More trades? A couple of free agent signings? I can't wait to find out.

And I guess the best piece we got from the Braves was this Tyler Flowers kid. A catcher who just tore it up at the plate in the Arizona Fall League. We obviously already have a God-like everyday catcher but it's never a bad thing to add depth to your farm system.

 

[Got Philk?]

Do you guys want Soriano?


Please....

 

[phanan]

Will somebody sign Sabathia so we can get this ball rolling?

Please?