Over the last decade Baseball fans have been spoiled by outstanding MVP performances and those who come in second. This years AL MVP is different however. Mike Trout has put up unreal numbers in 2012 and 2013 he's automatically going to win this year because Miguel Cabrera isn't having a ridiculous year. But I don't think that means Mike Trout is an MVP this year. I'll explain why and who should win it over him.
Let me start by saying I don't believe pitchers should win MVP in the American League. It's not because pitchers are less valuable than position players. It's because Pedro Martinez did not win it in 1999 or 2000. Why should I penalize others for Pedro not winning MVP? In 1999 Pedro had one of the top ten pitching seasons in the Modern Era, but he came in 2nd to Rangers Catcher Ivan Rodriguez. Then in 2000 he had the greatest pitching season of all time and only came in 5th in the voting's. So I think if you don't top Pedro's numbers as a pitcher, then you should never win MVP. I still believe Justin Verlander winning it was ridiculous.
With that out of the way, let me start with the three candidates that place ahead of Mike Trout in the MVP race. 3rd Place should go to Astros All-Star, Jose Altuve. The 5'5" Second Baseman is putting up ridiculous numbers, that can only be compare to Craig Biggio in Astros history. While Biggio took more walks and hit for more power, Altuve is making up for it by leading baseball in hits, batting average and the AL in stolen bases. Altuve has a .55 point higher in batting average, 44 more hits, 38 more steals, 4 more doubles and a higher on base percentage than Mike Trout. Trout is more powerful and has players around him to hit him home so his runs, RBI and home runs are higher, but that makes them pretty even.
In 2nd Place for MVP is the Rookie for the White Sox, Jose Abreu. The Cuban defector is probably the best right handed hitter in the American League this year. He is 4th in batting average, 3rd in home runs, 2nd in RBIs by 1 to Mike Trout, 5th in OBP, 1st in Slugging with a ridiculous .600 and tied for 1st in OPS. Mike Trout only beats him in one category, RBIs. The reason it's more impressive for Abreu is he has no supporting cast around him. He literally drives in everyone. Mike Trout has Albert Pujols driving others in and other decent players around him. But it's the significant differences in batting average, slugging and OPS that puts him ahead of Trout as well.
And the AL MVP should be Victor Martinez. Martinez is the only player putting up ridiculous numbers. He's a switch hitter who is 2nd in batting average and 1st in OBP. He's hit a career high 30 home runs and he's tied with Jose Abreu in OPS. The most staggering stat is his walks to strikeouts rate. He has 61 walks and only 39 strikeouts. That's unreal in this era. Victor Martinez is an MVP.
As for Mike Trout, my problem is his .284 batting average, .368 OBP, 13 steals and the fact that only Chris Davis has struck out more than him. Mike Trout has 159 strikeouts, that's 4 more that Chris Carter who led baseball last year. Mike Trout is the best player in baseball right now, but he is not the 2014 MVP.
This is a blog dedicated to my favorite baseball and basketball teams. I'll talk about offseasons, trades and how to perfect a team. I'll talk about legends and rising stars. Everything baseball and basketball.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Saturday, September 6, 2014
The All-Time Major League Baseball Teams: Quick Notes
I apologize for my inconsistent posting, but once the playoffs start I will be posting at least once a week. I'm also pausing so I can use this season's stats. For example, Giancarlo Stanton was a bench player for the Marlins, but after this season will be a starter.
Again, I'm sorry for the wait but it's almost done.
Again, I'm sorry for the wait but it's almost done.
The All-Time Major League Baseball Teams: Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks are the NL West Expansion team from 1998. They almost immediately made a splash in baseball. Their second season as a team they won 100 games. They had put together a great team that year, with a pitching staff anchored with Randy Johnson. They lost to the Mets in the first round of the playoffs that year. Then 2001 rolled around and even though they didn't win 100 games, they beat the Yankees in the World Series. Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling won the Co-World Series MVP. They came back in 2002 with more regular season wins than the year prior, but didn't make it to the Fall Classic. After that they were never quite as good. Partially due to the loss of Curt Schilling, then Randy Johnson.
Now let's get on with their All-Time Team.
Leading off and playing Center Field, Eric Byrnes. The now MLB analyst was a typical utility outfielder, until he got to play everyday. Then he put up great offensive line highlighted by 50 stolen bases and a dirt dog attitude.
Batting second the Right Fielder, Justin Upton. The former first overall pick was a high risk/medium reward player for the D-Backs. While he never quite lived up to expectation, he was better than people give him credit for. He had the athleticism and power for Right Field. He showed his talent in 2011 finishing 4th in MVP. The Diamondbacks have since ship him to the Braves, where he is putting up plus numbers.
Batting third and playing Second Base, Jay Bell. Jay Bell was part of the combination of himself and Matt Williams that led the team to a 100 win season. He crushed nearly 40 Home Runs and thanks to Matt Williams, he scored over 130 runs.
Batting cleanup and playing Left Field, Luis Gonzalez. The only player to have his number retired by the Diamondbacks, led them to a game 7 victory over the New York Yankees in the World Series. His 2001 season was also probably the best season in Franchise history, when he blasted over 50 Home Runs and drove in over 140 RBIs. He is however criticized for PED use.
Batting fifth and playing First Base, Paul Goldschmidt. Goldie broke out in 2013 and immediately gave himself a spot on the All-Time Team. He led the National League in Home Runs, RBI, Slugging, OPS and Total Bases. He had my pick for MVP, but Andrew McCutchen snatched it up.
Batting sixth and playing Third Base, Matt Williams. Williams had one of his better seasons with the Diamondbacks in 1999, driving in a career high 142 RBI. While he wasn't the type of guy to take a walk, he made contact more often than not.
Batting seventh the Designated Hitter, Mark Reynolds. Mark Reynolds is known for two things, Striking Out and hitting Home Runs. He crushed 44 Home Runs, but also stole 24 bases, which I never would have guess from him. This was a plus season for him in every category and good enough to make the All-Time Team.
Batting eighth and catching, Miguel Montero. The best catcher in Franchise history is still active. While he's had a down season in 2013, he had back to back seasons that I had trouble choosing from. I eventually went with the season where he hit more extra base hits.
And batting ninth the Shortstop, Stephen Drew. Drew can and did hit anywhere the Diamondbacks put him. One of the leagues most consistent Triples hitters in the National League, Drew used his intelligence to make him an above average base threat. He was finally traded after an injury to his ankle and had a bounce back season for the Red Sox. He's batting ninth so he can Triple men home and then get hit in by the lead off man.
Now for the pitching staff that makes them an above average team. Sorry Mariners fans, but Randy Johnson is on the Diamondbacks.
Now don't let the Rays bullpen cloud your view, the Diamondbacks bullpen is a plus too.
The Diamondback bench is a plus defensive bench with Gold Glove caliber defenders.
Their starting line-up would look like this.
Next up, the Florida/Miami Marlins.
Now let's get on with their All-Time Team.
Leading off and playing Center Field, Eric Byrnes. The now MLB analyst was a typical utility outfielder, until he got to play everyday. Then he put up great offensive line highlighted by 50 stolen bases and a dirt dog attitude.
Batting second the Right Fielder, Justin Upton. The former first overall pick was a high risk/medium reward player for the D-Backs. While he never quite lived up to expectation, he was better than people give him credit for. He had the athleticism and power for Right Field. He showed his talent in 2011 finishing 4th in MVP. The Diamondbacks have since ship him to the Braves, where he is putting up plus numbers.
Batting third and playing Second Base, Jay Bell. Jay Bell was part of the combination of himself and Matt Williams that led the team to a 100 win season. He crushed nearly 40 Home Runs and thanks to Matt Williams, he scored over 130 runs.
Batting cleanup and playing Left Field, Luis Gonzalez. The only player to have his number retired by the Diamondbacks, led them to a game 7 victory over the New York Yankees in the World Series. His 2001 season was also probably the best season in Franchise history, when he blasted over 50 Home Runs and drove in over 140 RBIs. He is however criticized for PED use.
Batting fifth and playing First Base, Paul Goldschmidt. Goldie broke out in 2013 and immediately gave himself a spot on the All-Time Team. He led the National League in Home Runs, RBI, Slugging, OPS and Total Bases. He had my pick for MVP, but Andrew McCutchen snatched it up.
Batting sixth and playing Third Base, Matt Williams. Williams had one of his better seasons with the Diamondbacks in 1999, driving in a career high 142 RBI. While he wasn't the type of guy to take a walk, he made contact more often than not.
Batting seventh the Designated Hitter, Mark Reynolds. Mark Reynolds is known for two things, Striking Out and hitting Home Runs. He crushed 44 Home Runs, but also stole 24 bases, which I never would have guess from him. This was a plus season for him in every category and good enough to make the All-Time Team.
Batting eighth and catching, Miguel Montero. The best catcher in Franchise history is still active. While he's had a down season in 2013, he had back to back seasons that I had trouble choosing from. I eventually went with the season where he hit more extra base hits.
And batting ninth the Shortstop, Stephen Drew. Drew can and did hit anywhere the Diamondbacks put him. One of the leagues most consistent Triples hitters in the National League, Drew used his intelligence to make him an above average base threat. He was finally traded after an injury to his ankle and had a bounce back season for the Red Sox. He's batting ninth so he can Triple men home and then get hit in by the lead off man.
Now for the pitching staff that makes them an above average team. Sorry Mariners fans, but Randy Johnson is on the Diamondbacks.
- Randy Johnson* 2.32/35/35/334/71/260/8/4/24-5/1.03 (195)
- Curt Schilling 2.98/35/35/293/39/256/6/1/22-6/1.07 (157)
- Brandon Webb 3.01/34/34/194/72/236/4/3/18-10/1.18 (158)
- Dan Haren 3.14/33/33/223/38/229/3/1/14-10/1.00 (142)
- Ian Kennedy 2.88/33/33/198/55/222/1/1/21-4/1.08 (137)
Now don't let the Rays bullpen cloud your view, the Diamondbacks bullpen is a plus too.
- Byung-Hyum Kim 2.04/72/0/92/26/84/66/36/8-3/1.07
- Jose Valverde 2.15/54/0/71/26/50/33/10/2-1/0.99
- Greg Swindell* 2.51/63/0/51/21/64/15/1/4-0/1.16
- Brad Zieglar 2.22/78/0/44/22/73/33/13/8-1/1.13
- Omar Daal* 2.88/33/23/132/51/162/0/0/8-12/1.21
- Miguel Batista 3.54/36/29/142/60/193/0/0/10-9/1.32
The Diamondback bench is a plus defensive bench with Gold Glove caliber defenders.
- Orlando Hudson .287/87/166/34/9/15/67/9/.354
- Damien Miller .271/45/103/19/0/13/47/0/.337
- Chad Tracy .308/73/155/34/4/27/72/3/.359
- Chris Young .257/94/150/33/0/27/91/28/.341
- Kelly Johnson .284/93/166/36/5/26/71/13/.370
Their starting line-up would look like this.
- Eric Byrnes .286/103/179/30/8/21/83/50/.353
- Justin Upton .289/105/171/39/5/31/88/21/.369
- Jay Bell .289/132/170/32/6/38/112/7/.374
- Luis Gonzalez .325/128/198/36/7/57/142/1/.429
- Paul Goldschmidt .302/103/182/36/3/36/125/15/.401
- Matt Williams .303/98/190/37/2/35/142/2/.344
- Mark Reynolds .260/98/150/30/1/44/102/24/.349
- Miguel Montero .282/65/139/36/1/18/86/1/.351
- Stephen Drew .291/91/178/44/11/21/67/3/.333
Next up, the Florida/Miami Marlins.
Friday, May 2, 2014
The All-Time Major League Baseball Teams: Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays were the AL East's expansion team in 1998. During their existence as the Devil Rays they were the punching bag for the rest of the AL East. When the changed their name from the Devil Rays to the Rays and with all their draft picks finally made it to the Majors, they became relevant. There were however players that put up above average seasons as Devil Rays too.
We will start with the line up.
Leading off and playing Left Field, Carl Crawford. Crawford was the face of the franchise when the Rays were good and when they were bad. A gold glover in Left Field and one of the best base stealers in baseball. He wasn't just a base stealer. He used his speed, as well as gap power, to be a leader in triples and doubles.
Batting second and playing Shortstop, Jason Bartlett. Out of all the players that have played Shortstop for the Rays, Bartlett had the best single season. A high batting average and the ability to take the walk made him a key piece for the Rays.
Batting third, the Designated Hitter, Aubrey Huff. Before he won a title with the Giants, Huff was playing Right Field, First Base and DHing for the Rays. Huff put up a couple under the radar great seasons. Bordering 200 hits and hitting over 40 doubles. He didn't drawn too many walks, but he didn't need to when he got 200 hits.
Batting cleanup and playing Third Base, Evan Longoria. The current face of the franchise and on field leader, has been a force since his rookie year. A Gold Glove defender and offensive force, Longoria does just about everything the Rays need him to do.
Batting fifth and playing First Base, Carlos Pena. After bouncing around for while, Pena found a home in Tampa. He proceeded to reward the Rays with an MVP caliber season and Gold Glove Defense. He put up monster home run seasons for the Rays, becoming the franchise leader in Home Runs. Evan Longoria has since broken that record.
Batting sixth and playing Right Field, Ben Zobrist. The switch hitting, utility man has been a main piece for Rays for many years. Zobrist can play almost any position and play it well. He can hit doubles, home runs and steal bases. His On-Base Percentage is the strength that I like the most.
Batting seventh and playing Second Base, Jorge Cantu. Cantu never had a chance to play on the American League Champion Rays, but he did put up some great seasons for the Devil Rays. Hitting almost 30 home runs and driving in over 100 RBI, he had another under the radar season for the Devil Rays.
Batting eighth and Catching, John Flaherty. The Rays have never had a great offensive catcher, but John Flaherty was the closest to a plus offensive season. He was a plus fielder however and important to their pitching staff.
Batting ninth and playing Center Field, B.J. Upton. The older Upton brother debuted and looked like he would be 30-30 hitter every season. Things don't always work out that way. He did however put up plus home runs for the Center Field position. He was a plus defender and stole plenty of bases. He's batting ninth so Crawford can drive him in.
The Rays have built their teams around pitching and have had some great pitchers come and go.
The Rotation looks like this.
Their bullpen however, may be the best.
The Bench is solid bench and probably one they would use now.
Their starting line-up would look like this.
Next team will be the Arizona Diamondbacks.
We will start with the line up.
Leading off and playing Left Field, Carl Crawford. Crawford was the face of the franchise when the Rays were good and when they were bad. A gold glover in Left Field and one of the best base stealers in baseball. He wasn't just a base stealer. He used his speed, as well as gap power, to be a leader in triples and doubles.
Batting second and playing Shortstop, Jason Bartlett. Out of all the players that have played Shortstop for the Rays, Bartlett had the best single season. A high batting average and the ability to take the walk made him a key piece for the Rays.
Batting third, the Designated Hitter, Aubrey Huff. Before he won a title with the Giants, Huff was playing Right Field, First Base and DHing for the Rays. Huff put up a couple under the radar great seasons. Bordering 200 hits and hitting over 40 doubles. He didn't drawn too many walks, but he didn't need to when he got 200 hits.
Batting cleanup and playing Third Base, Evan Longoria. The current face of the franchise and on field leader, has been a force since his rookie year. A Gold Glove defender and offensive force, Longoria does just about everything the Rays need him to do.
Batting fifth and playing First Base, Carlos Pena. After bouncing around for while, Pena found a home in Tampa. He proceeded to reward the Rays with an MVP caliber season and Gold Glove Defense. He put up monster home run seasons for the Rays, becoming the franchise leader in Home Runs. Evan Longoria has since broken that record.
Batting sixth and playing Right Field, Ben Zobrist. The switch hitting, utility man has been a main piece for Rays for many years. Zobrist can play almost any position and play it well. He can hit doubles, home runs and steal bases. His On-Base Percentage is the strength that I like the most.
Batting seventh and playing Second Base, Jorge Cantu. Cantu never had a chance to play on the American League Champion Rays, but he did put up some great seasons for the Devil Rays. Hitting almost 30 home runs and driving in over 100 RBI, he had another under the radar season for the Devil Rays.
Batting eighth and Catching, John Flaherty. The Rays have never had a great offensive catcher, but John Flaherty was the closest to a plus offensive season. He was a plus fielder however and important to their pitching staff.
Batting ninth and playing Center Field, B.J. Upton. The older Upton brother debuted and looked like he would be 30-30 hitter every season. Things don't always work out that way. He did however put up plus home runs for the Center Field position. He was a plus defender and stole plenty of bases. He's batting ninth so Crawford can drive him in.
The Rays have built their teams around pitching and have had some great pitchers come and go.
The Rotation looks like this.
- David Price* 2.56/31/31/205/59/211/2/1/20-5/1.10 (150 ERA+)
- James Shields 2.82/33/33/225/65/249/11/4/16-12/1.04 (134 ERA+)
- Scott Kazmir* 3.48/34/34/239/89/206/0/0/13-9/1.37 (130 ERA+)
- Rolando Arrojo 3.56/32/32/152/65/202/2/2/14-12/1.28 (133 ERA+)
- Jeremy Hellickson 2.95/29/29/117/72/189/2/1/13-10/1.15 (128 ERA+)
Their bullpen however, may be the best.
- Fernando Rodney 0.60/76/0/76/15/74/65/48/2-2/0.77
- Joaquin Benoit 1.34/63/0/75/11/60/16/1/1-1/0.68
- Jake McGee* 1.95/69/0/73/11/55/13/0/5-2/0.79
- Grant Belfour 1.54/51/0/81/24/58/12/4/6-2/0.89
- Alex Cobb 2.76/22/22/134/45/143/0/0/11-3/1.15
- Matt Garza 3.70/30/30/128/59/184/0/0/11-9/1.24
The Bench is solid bench and probably one they would use now.
- Julio Lugo .295/89/182/36/6/06/57/39/.362
- Dioner Navarro .295/43/126/27/0/07/54/0/.349
- Ty Wiggington .275/55/122/25/1/24/79/4/.330
- Randy Winn .298/87/181/39/9/14/75/27/.360
- Delmon Young .288/65/186/38/0/13/93/10/.316
Their starting line-up would look like this.
- Carl Crawford .301/101/194/33/15/15/81/48/.331
- Jason Bartlett .320/90/160/29/7/14/66/30/.389
- Aubrey Huff .311/91/198/47/3/34/107/2/.364
- Evan Longoria .281/100/164/44/0/33/113/9/.364
- Carlos Pena .282/99/138/29/1/46/121/1/.411
- Ben Zobrist .297/91/149/28/7/27/91/17/.405
- Jorge Cantu .286/73/171/40/1/28/117/1/.311
- John Flaherty .278/53/124/19/0/14/71/0/.310
- B.J. Upton .300/86/142/25/1/24/82/22/.386
Next team will be the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
The All-Time Major League Baseball Teams: Rules
The All Time Greats meeting the MVPs of Today. We all want to know who would play with the Babe if the Yankees put together an All-Time Team. I know I wanted to. As a Red Sox fan I also wanted to see if the All-Time Red Sox could beat the All-Time Yankees. So I looked through the history of the two franchises and put starting line-ups and a rotation together. When I was done, I realized Jimmie Foxx's best season didn't come with the Red Sox, it came with the Athletics. So I decided why not do the thirty franchises. It was a difficult processes, but a fun one. But I had to give myself a set of rules to go by for teams, position players, starting pitchers, bullpen and bench. Here are the rules I used.
General Rules
General Rules
- The teams had to be from the National or American Leagues. No Federal, Presidential or Negro League teams.
- A player can only play on one All-Time team.
- Players do not need to have played more than a year with a certain team.
- The Player has to have played at least one year in the Modern Era (1901).
- The best season of the player will be used as their stats. Awards won't determine the seasons.
- If a player plays half a season on one team and half on another, the better half will determine what team the players is on.
- The Designated Hitter will be used on every team.
- While I hate steroid use in sports, I will be using player seasons that could be considered tainted.
- Teams will have 25 total players. 9 batters, 5 starting pitchers, 5 bench players, 4 relief pitchers and 2 back up starters/long relievers.
- No Strike seasons.
- The player needs to play a large portion of the season. Either 135 Games, 500 At-Bats or 550 Plate appearances. If they don't they can still make the team, but come off the bench.
- The player needs to put up amazing numbers. Categories with the most importance: Batting Average, Runs, Hits, Doubles, Home Runs, RBIs, Stolen Bases and On-Base Percentage. Combinations of these will determine if you're a starter.
- Being a Franchise Player doesn't mean you make the team.
- Gold Gloves will make a difference in whether the player starts or is benched.
- To be in the rotation you need to make either 28 starts or pitch 180 innings while making mostly starts.
- Adjusted ERA+ will determine whether a player starts or is in the bullpen.
- A pitcher with more walks than strikeouts won't make a team.
- Wins do not play into which season is the best.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Best Hitter in the World!
There is a big debate over the best player in Major League Baseball right now, Miguel Cabrera or Mike Trout. Now Chris Davis has thrown his hat into their circle as well. However, I don't want to talk about who is the best player, I want to talk about who is the best hitter. I'm going to break down five MLB players and two international players to determine who the best hitter is. I used basic projections on the two international players because they don't get as many at-bats as Major League players. I will place each player in order from seven to one. I will show the potential numbers each player could post. However I will not be using Slugging or OPS because of the large difference between MLB and International numbers.
Number Seven Adrian Beltre. Adrian Beltre and the upcoming number six both have the same problem. That is health. Beltre was healthy this year and put up big numbers for the Rangers. His only real flaw that separates him from the other six is that he doesn't walk. He has the lowest on-base percentage out of all the hitters.
Number Six Jose Bautista. Bautista has been plagued by injuries the past two seasons. The argument could be made that he would have led in Home Runs both of those years as well. When healthy and confident he can hit above .300 and draw a lot of walks. If he does regain his form in 2014 he could easily move into the MVP conversation.
Number Five Wladimir Balentien. The new Home Run King in Japan has had two of the three things you need to play in the big leagues, power and potential. He just never had opportunity. He got that in Japan. His first two seasons their were above average. He hit a lot of home runs and his batting average was okay. But he exploded for 60 home runs and .330 batting average. If he can replicate those numbers look for him to be back in the Show.
Number Four Chris Davis. I personally want to put him number two, but he's still evolving. Davis defines power hitter with home runs and doubles to all fields. I marvel at how easy his swing is and that the ball goes as far as it does. One reason I can't rank him higher is because he slumped. His walk rate should go up, but his strikeouts will remain high. It's an easy price to pay.
Number Three Mike Trout. I bet you're surprised to see him at three. I can't say anything bad about Mike Trout. He lived up to all the hype and then some. A unique blend of speed and power that is only going to get better. His on-base percentage skyrocketed this year, but his other stats dipped. That was mainly due to no hitting around him.
Number Two Jose Dariel Abreu. The new Cuban defector is my number two. He has been dubbed Best Hitter in the World by baseball expects around the world. Massive power and a good eye for both walks and contact. People still aren't sure if he actually can produce at the big league level. They weren't sure about Darvish either though. Abreu will produce, maybe not at first or even during his first year, but he will be at the top shortly.
And Number One Miguel Cabrera. There really is no debate. He has an easy swing, he can hit to all fields with significant power, he makes contact and draws walks. If he hadn't hurt himself in September he would have put up even crazier numbers. Miguel Cabrera is the best hitter right now.
Here are what the stats could look like. BA/Runs/Hits/2B/3B/HR/RBI/SB/OBP
My honorable mentions go to: David Ortiz, Robinson Cano, Edwin Encarnacion, Andrew McCutchen, Paul Goldschmidt Giancarlo Stanton, Matt Kemp and Albert Pujols.
Number Seven Adrian Beltre. Adrian Beltre and the upcoming number six both have the same problem. That is health. Beltre was healthy this year and put up big numbers for the Rangers. His only real flaw that separates him from the other six is that he doesn't walk. He has the lowest on-base percentage out of all the hitters.
Number Six Jose Bautista. Bautista has been plagued by injuries the past two seasons. The argument could be made that he would have led in Home Runs both of those years as well. When healthy and confident he can hit above .300 and draw a lot of walks. If he does regain his form in 2014 he could easily move into the MVP conversation.
Number Five Wladimir Balentien. The new Home Run King in Japan has had two of the three things you need to play in the big leagues, power and potential. He just never had opportunity. He got that in Japan. His first two seasons their were above average. He hit a lot of home runs and his batting average was okay. But he exploded for 60 home runs and .330 batting average. If he can replicate those numbers look for him to be back in the Show.
Number Four Chris Davis. I personally want to put him number two, but he's still evolving. Davis defines power hitter with home runs and doubles to all fields. I marvel at how easy his swing is and that the ball goes as far as it does. One reason I can't rank him higher is because he slumped. His walk rate should go up, but his strikeouts will remain high. It's an easy price to pay.
Number Three Mike Trout. I bet you're surprised to see him at three. I can't say anything bad about Mike Trout. He lived up to all the hype and then some. A unique blend of speed and power that is only going to get better. His on-base percentage skyrocketed this year, but his other stats dipped. That was mainly due to no hitting around him.
Number Two Jose Dariel Abreu. The new Cuban defector is my number two. He has been dubbed Best Hitter in the World by baseball expects around the world. Massive power and a good eye for both walks and contact. People still aren't sure if he actually can produce at the big league level. They weren't sure about Darvish either though. Abreu will produce, maybe not at first or even during his first year, but he will be at the top shortly.
And Number One Miguel Cabrera. There really is no debate. He has an easy swing, he can hit to all fields with significant power, he makes contact and draws walks. If he hadn't hurt himself in September he would have put up even crazier numbers. Miguel Cabrera is the best hitter right now.
Here are what the stats could look like. BA/Runs/Hits/2B/3B/HR/RBI/SB/OBP
- Miguel Cabrera .360/127/230/35/1/52/165/3/.458
- Jose D. Abreu .344/128/206/37/0/64/162/2/.479
- Mike Trout .324/145/204/37/10/32/99/45/.432
- Chris Davis .315/122/189/46/1/65/163/4/.392
- Wladimir Balentian .330/118/181/21/0/70/164/0/.455
- Jose Bautista .300/113/175/31/2/48/127/9/.419
- Adrian Beltre .310/102/196/43/2/40/121/2/.365
My honorable mentions go to: David Ortiz, Robinson Cano, Edwin Encarnacion, Andrew McCutchen, Paul Goldschmidt Giancarlo Stanton, Matt Kemp and Albert Pujols.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
My Hall of Fame Ballot
With the upcoming Hall of Fame Induction, I'll show you my who I'd vote for.
First Edgar Martinez. Edgar is the 2nd Greatest DH to ever play the game. People complain that he he didn't field so he shouldn't get in, well closers pitch a single inning and are expected to get in. Edgar is only behind David Ortiz in the DH category. His clutch play in the 1995 playoffs against the Yankees has to play into it. And his lifetime on-base percentage.
Second Craig Biggio. Biggio has the instant entry 3000 hits. He also has almost 700 doubles. Multiple Gold Gloves and played many positions. He was durable and reliable. Not as clutch as Edgar, but a definate Hall of Famer.
Third, Jeff Bagwell. Bagwell fell short of the 500 home run mark, but had a lifetime on-base percentage of over 400. He had Gold Gloves and a Rookie of the Year award. I believe he was an all natural player like Edgar Martinez. I don't believe he was a PED guy.
Fourth Larry Walker. Here's another man suspected of PED use. Well then the rest of the Rockies were on them too. Oh wait, it's the stadium that caused those home runs. If you deny him entrance because of the ballpark, you have to do it for guys like Todd Helton.
Fifth, Mike Piazza. Never proven to have taken PEDs, people still suspect him. But that all it is, suspection. He was by far the greatest offensive catcher of all time. Never the best defender, that didn't stop the Mets or the Dodgers from winning. He also had the greatest single season for a catcher, where he had 200 hits, 40 home runs and a .360 batting average.
Sixth Fred McGriff. The Crime Dog also missed the 500 home run make. That doesn't mean anything. He was reliable, durable and powerful. He wasn't the guy to crush 500 foot home runs, but that's because he wasn't on PEDs. He was a clean player and unleashed great offence.
Seventh Tim Raines. One of the greatest lead-off hitters ever. Only behind Ricky Henderson and Lou Brock as lead off men. He has 800 stolen bases and was a 7x All-Star.
Eigth, Lee Smith. Once the all time saves leader until Rivera and Hoffman. Lee Smith not only had good stuff, he was an imposing pressence on the mound. He's third all time in saves and has a career ERA of 3.03.
Ninth, Steve Finley. He didn't reach the 3000 hit club, but he had 2500. He also had 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases. A 5x Gold Golver and a consistant performer. His OPS is lacking, but he still gets my vote.
Finally, Roger Clemens. The only man on my Ballot connected to PEDs. His trainer testified that he started doing PEDs when he joined the Blue Jays. Okay, then as a Red Sox he's still a Hall of Famer. He had 192 wins with the Red Sox, tied with Cy Young for the franchise record. He also had 3 Cy Young awards an MVP and 2500 strikeouts. Those numbers should normally put you in the Hall of Fame. But even if we believe he used PEDs it was never proven. His case is similar to Barry Bonds. Bonds was fantastic before he started using PEDs. But Bonds used PEDs to break records and be the best, if Clemens did PED he did it so he could keep playing. He loved the game and still does. He's a humbled family man now. A man who cried when honored by the Red Sox as their second greatest pitcher all time. If we ignored the fact he's connected to PEDs he is one of the top ten pitchers all time. That's I pick Roger.
Now I mentioned Barry Bonds. Like I said, Bonds did PEDs to be the best. Like McGuire, like Sosa and like Consaco. But I have more respect for McGuire and Sosa. They may have been on PEDs but they saved baseball with the home run race. McGuire went on to admit his use and his regret of using PEDs even though it will cost him entrance into the Hall of Fame. That means alot in my book.
So tell me your picks for Hall of Fame.
First Edgar Martinez. Edgar is the 2nd Greatest DH to ever play the game. People complain that he he didn't field so he shouldn't get in, well closers pitch a single inning and are expected to get in. Edgar is only behind David Ortiz in the DH category. His clutch play in the 1995 playoffs against the Yankees has to play into it. And his lifetime on-base percentage.
Second Craig Biggio. Biggio has the instant entry 3000 hits. He also has almost 700 doubles. Multiple Gold Gloves and played many positions. He was durable and reliable. Not as clutch as Edgar, but a definate Hall of Famer.
Third, Jeff Bagwell. Bagwell fell short of the 500 home run mark, but had a lifetime on-base percentage of over 400. He had Gold Gloves and a Rookie of the Year award. I believe he was an all natural player like Edgar Martinez. I don't believe he was a PED guy.
Fourth Larry Walker. Here's another man suspected of PED use. Well then the rest of the Rockies were on them too. Oh wait, it's the stadium that caused those home runs. If you deny him entrance because of the ballpark, you have to do it for guys like Todd Helton.
Fifth, Mike Piazza. Never proven to have taken PEDs, people still suspect him. But that all it is, suspection. He was by far the greatest offensive catcher of all time. Never the best defender, that didn't stop the Mets or the Dodgers from winning. He also had the greatest single season for a catcher, where he had 200 hits, 40 home runs and a .360 batting average.
Sixth Fred McGriff. The Crime Dog also missed the 500 home run make. That doesn't mean anything. He was reliable, durable and powerful. He wasn't the guy to crush 500 foot home runs, but that's because he wasn't on PEDs. He was a clean player and unleashed great offence.
Seventh Tim Raines. One of the greatest lead-off hitters ever. Only behind Ricky Henderson and Lou Brock as lead off men. He has 800 stolen bases and was a 7x All-Star.
Eigth, Lee Smith. Once the all time saves leader until Rivera and Hoffman. Lee Smith not only had good stuff, he was an imposing pressence on the mound. He's third all time in saves and has a career ERA of 3.03.
Ninth, Steve Finley. He didn't reach the 3000 hit club, but he had 2500. He also had 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases. A 5x Gold Golver and a consistant performer. His OPS is lacking, but he still gets my vote.
Finally, Roger Clemens. The only man on my Ballot connected to PEDs. His trainer testified that he started doing PEDs when he joined the Blue Jays. Okay, then as a Red Sox he's still a Hall of Famer. He had 192 wins with the Red Sox, tied with Cy Young for the franchise record. He also had 3 Cy Young awards an MVP and 2500 strikeouts. Those numbers should normally put you in the Hall of Fame. But even if we believe he used PEDs it was never proven. His case is similar to Barry Bonds. Bonds was fantastic before he started using PEDs. But Bonds used PEDs to break records and be the best, if Clemens did PED he did it so he could keep playing. He loved the game and still does. He's a humbled family man now. A man who cried when honored by the Red Sox as their second greatest pitcher all time. If we ignored the fact he's connected to PEDs he is one of the top ten pitchers all time. That's I pick Roger.
Now I mentioned Barry Bonds. Like I said, Bonds did PEDs to be the best. Like McGuire, like Sosa and like Consaco. But I have more respect for McGuire and Sosa. They may have been on PEDs but they saved baseball with the home run race. McGuire went on to admit his use and his regret of using PEDs even though it will cost him entrance into the Hall of Fame. That means alot in my book.
So tell me your picks for Hall of Fame.
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