Post Season Awards

by shooty babitt on Oct 2, 2007 12:09 PM CDT Comment 32 comments

I'm afraid the Brewers not only lost their chance at the playoffs this past weekend, but also the MVP and ROY for Prince and Ryan. In fact, last night probably closed the deal--Holliday keeps the BA lead, grabs the RBI title, and comes up with a bloody chin on the season's final wild-card clinching play. If Prince had a shot for the MVP at the beginning of last night's game, I'm pretty sure it slipped away when Holliday's hand (almost) scraped homeplate. A writer over at The Hardball Times has developed an interesting calculator. His calculator puts Prince behind Holliday, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard, although he thinks Prince will probably place third. I'm not weighing in on the debate over which individual and team stats should count toward MVP voting. I'm simply stating that the individual stats, team performance, and "intangibles" that voters count, all shifted in favor of Holliday last night. To be honest, although I wanted Prince to win, I think you can make a solid argument for Holliday.

On the other hand, I have no doubt that Ryan Braun was the rookie of the year in the National League. He set the all-time record for rookie slugging percentage. Although he end up 10 PAs short of qualifying for rate stats, if you added 10 hitless ABs to his total, he would still hold the rooking slugging record. Tulowitzki had been closing the gap over the past couple of weeks. I think last night's 4-hit game, along with Braun's defensive struggles, get Tulowitzki the award.

Oh well, if we get out and vote, maybe Jeff Suppan will grab the Clemente award.

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The one upside

I like to think both Braun and Fielder will be trying to compete for the MVP award next year.

by drezdn on Oct 2, 2007 12:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think it's safe to conclude

at this point that Fielder internalizes slights and uses them to push himself to improve his performance. Exibit A: Dad. Exhibit B: Joe Kapps.

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Oct 2, 2007 1:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think it was

Matt Capps?
"yeah motherf*er, yeah"
Gotta love it.

by newguy on Oct 2, 2007 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry about that.

I was at work and probably shouldn't have been posting at all, let alone googling the incident to confirm the pitchers name.

Anyhoo, think there's any chance Fielder will remember what happened with Cards when next spring rolls around?

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Oct 2, 2007 8:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I forget where

Somewhere (maybe here) I read that Michael Jordan was asked how he stayed dominant for so long, especially as he got older. His response was to internalize every slight, even the slightest slight.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Oct 2, 2007 5:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The way some of the voting press

on the national scene was predicting that the Brewers would miss the playoffs a month ago, it seemed pretty obvious to me that those same people would look for reasons to voter for players other than Braun or Fielder. I think Braun's fate was sealed with that multiple error game last week when the Brewers were still alive, but I don't doubt that you're correct that Holliday stole votes from Fielder with last night's performance and that dive for the plate that convinced the Ump he was safe even though he never appeared to touch the plate on the replay.

MVP candidates don't get to put an exclamation points like that on their season all that often. The only other one I can think of off hand was when Yount went yard twice and hit a triple against the Orioles on the last day of the season in '82 to win the old AL East (don't crucify me for mentioning 1982, it honestly was the nearest comparison I could come up with off the top of my head.)

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Oct 2, 2007 1:13 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Coors Field

Let's hope that voters account for Coors Field in their voting. Tulowitzki is outstanding defensively, but not too spectacular offensively except at Coors.

by keephopealive on Oct 2, 2007 2:13 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Holiday too...

he is not near the player he is on the road that he is at home...

.376 .435 .722 at home
.301 .374 .485 on road

I think that the brewers should still win both awards...but then again, i may be partial.

All Hail the Hebrew Hammer!!!

by grobbins on Oct 2, 2007 2:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Coors Factor

The THT column gives Holliday a substantial "Coors penalty," but still calculates him as the MVP winner.

Don't try to do too much with it. Just take the ball the other way.

by shooty babitt on Oct 2, 2007 4:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

im just still not sure

that his calculation accounts for 250 points in slugging....

All Hail the Hebrew Hammer!!!

by grobbins on Oct 2, 2007 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

probably not...

but a lot of players hit better at home just because they...well, hit better at home. There have been Brewers like that lately (Overbay comes to mind) despite the fact that Miller Park is basically neutral.

I guess I'd rather have somebody who's even home and away, but given that Coors isn't nearly as extreme as it used to be, you can't discount numbers like that just because he didn't do the same on the road. Runs are runs, and home wins count the same as road wins.

Weird, but not weird.

by Jeff Sackmann on Oct 2, 2007 4:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

no mvp for the prince

holiday had it even before last night. other than hr's and slugging %, he did not have a great season. holiday's was better.

ryan i still think will get roy award. i think his offensive stats overwhelm his defensive failures. and the voters will see the coors factor in tulowitzki's offensive stats - or not many writers will remember how to spell his name ane write in the easier "braun" instead.

by richars freimark on Oct 2, 2007 2:35 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Gosh, you're right.

If you want to make the argument that Holliday had the better season, that's cool with me. There's certainly room to make that argument. But saying "other than HR's and slugging%, he (Fielder) did not have a great season" is pretty ridiculous, since eliminating the top two production categories of virtually any player would minimize their value to the point where they "did not have a great season."

For instance, if you take Holliday's numbers and throw out BA and RBI, Fielder would exceed his totals in several other categories and be comparable in the remainder, which, by your logic, would mean you should give the MVP to Fielder.

But hey, I like the logic. We finished 2 games back of the Cubs. If it weren't for three losses, we had the better season. Think they'll let us into the playoffs if we call and tell them?

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Oct 2, 2007 8:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

contrarian awards

I just finished my THT column for tomorrow, in which I go over the guys who deserve the awards (or way more votes than they'll get, anyway) but have no chance in hell of getting them.

in mere hours, you'll find out who I think ought to challenge braun, but almost certainly won't!

Weird, but not weird.

by Jeff Sackmann on Oct 2, 2007 2:39 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm guessing Tony Pena

Don't try to do too much with it. Just take the ball the other way.

by shooty babitt on Oct 2, 2007 3:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

were he in the NL...

...that'd be a good guess.

As it turned out, I REALLY liked the contrarian choice I dug up for NL ROY. Good case, and I don't think he's being talked about at all.

Weird, but not weird.

by Jeff Sackmann on Oct 2, 2007 4:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

There are 3 of them.

Sr., who couldn't hit. Jr., who can't hit. And the unrelated guy in the Arizona bullpen who can get people out.

Don't try to do too much with it. Just take the ball the other way.

by shooty babitt on Oct 2, 2007 4:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

ah

I forgot about the AZ reliever. He should get some votes.

I tend to assume that everybody's talking about the KC shortstop. i wrote something mean about him in April and got a surprising amount of hate mail about it.

Weird, but not weird.

by Jeff Sackmann on Oct 2, 2007 4:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kyle Kendrick?

He's got pretty numbers for the casual voter (10-4, 3.87 ERA) on a playoff team

Daily Ryan Braun leaderboard watch and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Oct 2, 2007 4:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

getting warmer :)

Weird, but not weird.

by Jeff Sackmann on Oct 2, 2007 5:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yovani gallardo!

"If there is a more reactionary blog with idiotic commentary out there I'd be surprised." -On Bleed Cubbie Blue

by Michael M on Oct 2, 2007 5:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm

If we're looking at rookie starters on playoff teams, maybe Micah Owings? Otherwise I'm not sure.

Daily Ryan Braun leaderboard watch and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Oct 2, 2007 5:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

nice.

Weird, but not weird.

by Jeff Sackmann on Oct 2, 2007 5:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, it makes sense

He tied a major league record, becoming only the fourth rookie pitcher to hit four home runs in a season. Jim Rooker (1969), Clint Hartung (1947) and G. H. Ruth (1915) also did it though I'm sure you mentioned that in your article. :)

Daily Ryan Braun leaderboard watch and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Oct 2, 2007 6:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Didn't mention it :)

but his VORP, pitching + hitting, is about the same as Pence or Tulowitzki. Well below Braun's, but VORP doesn't include defense.

Weird, but not weird.

by Jeff Sackmann on Oct 2, 2007 6:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

A hint

His name rhymes with Moltin' Moe Dillon.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Oct 2, 2007 5:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Or...

Faux Villain.

Which sounds kind of like a band name.

Weird, but not weird.

by Jeff Sackmann on Oct 2, 2007 5:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If we're talking band names

I have to go with Get Down Syndrome.

Daily Ryan Braun leaderboard watch and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Oct 2, 2007 6:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's awesome.

Weird, but not weird.

by Jeff Sackmann on Oct 2, 2007 6:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

What's with all the Hollidayphiles?!

This is a Brewers blog! I will back Fielder until the end for being one of the only consistent players on an erratic Brewers team. Maybe we didn't make the playoffs, but with the way we played in the second half the only reason we were even close was because of Fielder (and Braun).

However, I will say that Holliday had a very good season and if Fielder doesn't get it then Holliday deserves it the second most. Rollins had flashy numbers but in the end he was playing next to Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, not exactly carrying a team.

As for ROY, any mention of anybody but Braun getting it is absurd. He dominated everybody else offensively and the only way Tulowitzki should have a chance would be if he played defense like Ozzie Smith or something, which he doesn't. He's an excellent fielder, but not an absolutely amazing one. (And he's not a real rookie, I'm protesting the MLB's lame definition!)

by stevie ray Braun on Oct 2, 2007 7:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Quibble!

Actually it's not MLB's definition, it's the BBWAA's.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Oct 2, 2007 7:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmmm

Your post lends itself to a front page poll question.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Oct 3, 2007 1:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

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