MLB 2K5 Down the Stretch Edition

[Hewson]

Another win by the Cardinals with Pujols out of the lineup.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

if andruw jones' gold glove defense is supposedly a deciding factor to put him over pujols, how come no one wants to talk about a-rod's potential gold glove as the deciding factor over a guy who doesn't even play the field?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

and the giants are within 5 games... the elect barry bonds as national league mvp campaign is hitting full stride...

 

[phanan]

if andruw jones' gold glove defense is supposedly a deciding factor to put him over pujols, how come no one wants to talk about a-rod's potential gold glove as the deciding factor over a guy who doesn't even play the field?

I don't know what you listen to, but up here in Boston, they're talking about it a lot, and even people here realize that while they would love to see Ortiz win it, they think A-Rod deserves it more.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

somehow i find "people in boston beleive a-rod deserves the mvp over ortiz" a little hard to believe, but i'll take your word for it.

 

[phanan]

I'd find it hard to believe too, but sure enough, on WEEI this morning they were going over it and the consensus was that A-Rod would get it, not only because he plays in the field everyday, but that he has had a good glove this year also.

Ortiz is still the best in the clutch, though. I think we'll keep him...

 

[randhail]

Ortiz is still the best in the clutch, though. I think we'll keep him...

Plus Ortiz doesn't wear purple lipstick like that other guy does.

 

[I'm Ready]

alright the offense is coming alive suddenly

but maybe its the kansas city royals pitching collapsing

either way 9-4 sox

 

[U2ME3]

indians now 5 back of sox.

 

[Hewson]

either way 9-4 sox

Looked like 10-9 Royals to me when I opened my paper.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Plus Ortiz doesn't wear purple lipstick like that other guy does.

i thought i had discovered the secret to the purple lips the other day... putting zinc on your lips to block against the sun turns them the exact same color as the infamous a-rod lips...

... but then i remembered that the damn post-season games where he's got the purple lips are at night... thus not needing sunblock.

the mystery continues...

 

[phanan]

That was the strangest thing last night, seeing a guy get hurt rounding second base after a home run was hit. I've never seen someone having to pitch run during a home run.

 

[MrBrau1]

KC beats Pale Hose again. Could thay actually drop the division? They've got a 4 1/2 game lead, and 6 left w/ Cleveland.

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

yes, they can drop the division.
can anyone say "complete collapse?"

 

[popacrobat]

woody paige can

 

[zonelistener]

she is going to KILL ME

yes, they can drop the division.
can anyone say "complete collapse?"

There there. Even if they fall behind Cleveland, they would only be behind the Yankees by two games for the Wild Card!

 

[randhail]

Re: she is going to KILL ME

There there. Even if they fall behind Cleveland, they would only be behind the Yankees by two games for the Wild Card!

two games is a lot with only two and a half weeks left in the season.

 

[zoney!]

uh, it was SARCASM.

Congrats to the Redbirds for putting together another outstanding regular season. Good luck in October (and I get to see them saturday!).

 

[Chizip]

another case for Pujols as MVP by Jim Henzler, a senior research analyst for stats inc...

It seems as though Andruw Jones’ MVP candidacy is gaining momentum, as several prominent observers evidently have become infatuated with his home runs and RBI. But what I can’t understand is why those analysts seem to be putting so much more value on the RBI than the actual run scored.

Sure, Jones has 16 more RBI than Albert Pujols (125-109), but Pujols has scored 26 more runs (117-91). And only 41 of those 91 runs that Jones has scored resulted from something other than his own home run, while 78 of Pujols’ 117 have. Put another way, Jones has wound up crossing the plate just 20.7 percent of the time he’s reached base (excluding home runs), the third lowest rate in the National League, while Pujols has done so 30.8 percent of the time, ranking 11th best.

And Jones has been abysmal when batting with runners in scoring position, when he’s posted a .224 batting average, more than 100 points lower than Pujols’ .328 mark. So why does Jones have so many RBI? Because his teammates have given him so many opportunities to drive them in. No on in the majors has batted with as many runners in scoring position:

RISP For PA, 2005

Andruw Jones, Atl 246

Alex Rodriguez, NYY 236

Pat Burrell, Phi 236

Carlos Lee, Mil 224

Hideki Matsui, NYY 223

Manny Ramirez, Bos 220

David Ortiz, Bos 217

Adrian Beltre, Sea 215

Miguel Cabrera, Fla 215

For the sake of comparison, Pujols has had 200 runners in scoring position for his plate appearances.

One other note regarding Jones’ defense, for which he’s earned well-deserved respect in years past. But his range, measured by putouts per nine innings, has declined in every season but one since 1999, when he recorded 3.07 putouts per nine innings. It’s down to 2.35 in 2005, which ranks in the bottom third of National League center fielders. I’m not going to try to claim he’s no longer a valuable outfielder, but I do think it’s clear he’s no longer the exceptional defender he once was. I hope MVP voters will consider his true defensive value, and not his reputation. Heck, Albert has even shown more flash as a base runner this season, with 15 stolen bases compared to Jones’ three.

There have been worse players to win the MVP award than Jones, should he be so honored this season. I just hope the voters make a measured choice, and aren’t simply mesmerized by a couple of gaudy totals, one of which was accumulated with significant help from his teammates. A little perspective might be helpful.

One of the points made by Henzler -- though he didn't put it in the words I am about to use, and I will expand on his observation -- is that Pujols isn't just an RBI guy. Albert does have a terrific RBI total. But unlike A. Jones, Pujols IS ALSO A TABLE SETTER. Albert gets on base with such frequency, he creates runs that way... much more than Jones. so you get the best of both from Albert -- gets on base to set up runs, and drives teammates in when they get on base.

AP's OBP is an NL best .432
Jones OBP is. 357.

Again, unfortunately, this is apparently too deep for many baseball writers to understand.

 

[Hewson]

another case for Pujols as MVP by Jim Henzler, a senior research analyst for stats inc...



One of the points made by Henzler -- though he didn't put it in the words I am about to use, and I will expand on his observation -- is that Pujols isn't just an RBI guy. Albert does have a terrific RBI total. But unlike A. Jones, Pujols IS ALSO A TABLE SETTER. Albert gets on base with such frequency, he creates runs that way... much more than Jones. so you get the best of both from Albert -- gets on base to set up runs, and drives teammates in when they get on base.

And I'll twist that scenario a different way wwhile watching Jones take home MVP hardware...
Jones has only scored 41 times not on his own home run while Pujols has scored 78 times in that scenario because Jones has much less help in the Braves' lineup than Pujols does in ST Louis', therefore Jones is much more valuable to his team because 7 of the other 8 guys are actually AA caliber players, where Pujols plays in a stacked lineup which includes the likes of Jime Edmondsand his 27 HRs (Whats the Braves second highest HR output?) and Hall of Fame candidate Larry Walker amongst others.

 

[Chizip]

And I'll twist that scenario a different way wwhile watching Jones take home MVP hardware...
Jones has only scored 41 times not on his own home run while Pujols has scored 78 times in that scenario because Jones has much less help in the Braves' lineup than Pujols does in ST Louis', therefore Jones is much more valuable to his team because 7 of the other 8 guys are actually AA caliber players, where Pujols plays in a stacked lineup which includes the likes of Jime Edmondsand his 27 HRs (Whats the Braves second highest HR output?) and Hall of Fame candidate Larry Walker amongst others.

stacked lineup?

Edmonds is the biggest threat behind Pujols and is having an off year batting .258

Yadier freaking Molina has been Pujol's protection in many games down the stretch.

Their third-leading RBI man this year is leadoff hitter David Eckstein, and they stand an excellent chance of becoming the first team since the 1969 "Amazin' Mets" to win 100 games with only two players amassing more than 65 RBIs.

Yes, that's quite a "stacked" lineup when you only have 2 players over 65 RBI's and the third leading RBI guy is your leadoff hitter.

 

[Hewson]

What do the Braves have in comparison?
Thats what you seem to ignore.
The Cards' lineup is stacked in comparison to Atlanta's.

Jones for MVP.
No doubt about it.

Plus Pujols' totals won't go any higher, LaRussa will rest the entire team for the next 2 weeks so they can be rusty and get swept out of the playoffs yet again.

 

[Chizip]

Ever hear of Furcal, Chipper Jones, Marcus Giles, Jeff Francoeur?

that's more protection than pujols has gotten this year


did you not see Jones' .224 average with RISP? i dont see how you can give an MVP award to someone who bats that terribly with runners in scoring position.

 

[Imarocker]

Ramblings

lets see MVP...I like A Jones in the NL by a shade over Pujos & Lee
AL--NO WAY a DH gets the award, you got to play the field full time so its A ROD
playoffs--hopefully the A's win 3 of 4, Yanks sweep, Indians sweep, red sux out of playoffs after the weekend (worst fielding, & bullpen in the league)
cy young--got to go with 20 game winners with all respect to the Rocket, any run support this year & he'd be the winner. Carpenter in the NL over Willis
AL--no clear favorite Garlands' faded down the stretch, no body else really jumps out..maybe Colon, Buehrle, Rivera the stopper??

one note: since the AL has some DUMBASS rule that they don't count AB's from the NL, Placido Polnaco who has the HIGHEST AVG in the AL, 3rd overall in MLB can't be awarded the batting title. Since there is interleague play its time to change the rule....

Playoff predictions to come....stay tuned

 

[U2@NYC]

Yankees 1.5 games behind the Red Sox.

Come on, guys, one last push! Go NY!

 

[Imarocker]

Yankees 1.5 games behind the Red Sox.

Come on, guys, one last push! Go NY!

by monday they'll be looking up at the YANKS & CLEV

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

by monday they'll be looking up at the YANKS & CLEV

you mean the yankees and the white sox... who are on the verge of blowing a 15 game lead to the indians.

 

[Hewson]

Re: Ramblings

lets see MVP...I like A Jones in the NL by a shade over Pujos & Lee
AL--NO WAY a DH gets the award, you got to play the field full time so its A ROD

So what about when rel;evers like Dennis Eckersley and Willi Hernandez won the MVP? They don't even bat!! How can they possibly be most valuable without toching a bat?

There is no reason a DH can't win the award, right now its a 2 horse race with ARod and Ortiz, ARod playing the field is an advantage, but it currently is evened out by Ortiz' propensity for dramatic game winning hits (As a Yankee fan you should remember that well from extra inning games 4 and 5 of the ALCS).
The AL MVP will be decided over the next 17 days.

one note: since the AL has some DUMBASS rule that they don't count AB's from the NL, Placido Polnaco who has the HIGHEST AVG in the AL, 3rd overall in MLB can't be awarded the batting title. Since there is interleague play its time to change the rule....

By your logic, a late september call up who gets 10 Ab, and 4 singles would thus be eligible for tha batting title and be the first player to officially hit .400 since Ted "Don't freeze my head" Williams.
Cliff Politte is batting 1.000, he should win the title before Polanco, right.
Polanco switched leagues, doesn't have enough AB to qualify for the title, end of story.

 

[Hewson]

by monday they'll be looking up at the YANKS & CLEV

Have no fear, the up and down Yanks are on an upswing, therefore have one more brutal stretch of like 3 wins in 11 games left in them.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Nelson De la Rosa can be the ring bearer.

"Congrats to Met Pedro Martinez. He just proposed to ESPN Deportes correspondent Carolina Cruz"

I love Google..very pretty