TBird41
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"Roy! I Love All 7'2" of you Roy!"
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Post by TBird41 on Sept 11, 2008 15:15:21 GMT -5
On an unrelated note, the Anaheim/LA Angels became the first team to clinch a playoff birth. Not surprisingly, they have a former Gator on their roster -- sidearming rookie reliever Darren O' Day. Otherwise known as "D" -- "O" -- "D!" And just like everything else associated with Florida, he's awful.
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vcjack
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by vcjack on Sept 11, 2008 15:34:48 GMT -5
The White Sox should make sure to include Matt Guerrier, Dennys Reyes and Jesse Crain when they're divvying up playoff bonuses. They should also thank Gardenhire for refusing to use his best relief pitcher for more than one inning at a time. The Twins had enough sense to put a mole inside the whitesox organization. The plan was perfect, the mole has a mvp caliber season and then he ruins it at the worst possible moment! That's KGB quality sabatoge
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hoyarooter
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Post by hoyarooter on Sept 11, 2008 19:58:57 GMT -5
On an unrelated note, the Anaheim/LA Angels became the first team to clinch a playoff birth. Not surprisingly, they have a former Gator on their roster -- sidearming rookie reliever Darren O' Day. Otherwise known as "D" -- "O" -- "D!" Thanks so much for this useless information.
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vcjack
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by vcjack on Sept 11, 2008 21:17:49 GMT -5
man this 8th inning is fun, never before have I seen such an inspired effort from a team in a pennant race
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Post by sleepyjackson21 on Sept 12, 2008 11:45:32 GMT -5
No matter what happens I still gotta give the White Sox thumbs up on a quality season. The Sox have had soooo many injuries to key players and are still somehow in first place. Jenks in July, Linebrink in August, Quentin in Sept, Konerko in Sept, Crede basically the entire year, Contreras. Good job Ozzie and crew.
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TBird41
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
"Roy! I Love All 7'2" of you Roy!"
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Post by TBird41 on Sept 19, 2008 9:41:52 GMT -5
After getting swept by the Indians, I have to say I'd given up on the Twins. Now? Well, crazier things have happened then a team blowing a 1.5 game lead with 9/10 games left, including an away series against the 2nd place team.
That being said, I fully expect the Twins to lose three straight to Tampa.
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hoyarooter
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Post by hoyarooter on Sept 19, 2008 12:35:51 GMT -5
After getting swept by the Indians, I have to say I'd given up on the Twins. Now? Well, crazier things have happened then a team blowing a 1.5 game lead with 9/10 games left, including an away series against the 2nd place team. That being said, I fully expect the Twins to lose three straight to Tampa. And the White Sox could lose three straight to Kansas City. I know it's not likely, but there's no way this thing is wrapped up yet. The Twins have killed the White Sox in Minnie this year, and then they get to finish at home with the Royals (I call rigged schedule - how did the Twins get two series at home with the Royals in the last three weeks of the season?). I will only be comfortable if the Sox take a 3 1/2 game lead into Minnesota, and that's not going to happen. Besides, I don't want to lose my nickel. ;D
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TBird41
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"Roy! I Love All 7'2" of you Roy!"
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Post by TBird41 on Sept 19, 2008 12:51:37 GMT -5
After getting swept by the Indians, I have to say I'd given up on the Twins. Now? Well, crazier things have happened then a team blowing a 1.5 game lead with 9/10 games left, including an away series against the 2nd place team. That being said, I fully expect the Twins to lose three straight to Tampa. And the White Sox could lose three straight to Kansas City. I know it's not likely, but there's no way this thing is wrapped up yet. The Twins have killed the White Sox in Minnie this year, and then they get to finish at home with the Royals (I call rigged schedule - how did the Twins get two series at home with the Royals in the last three weeks of the season?). I will only be comfortable if the Sox take a 3 1/2 game lead into Minnesota, and that's not going to happen. Besides, I don't want to lose my nickel. ;D Me neither. Can't say I saw the winner getting a nickel and a playoff berth when we made that bet though. I figured the winner would be the fan whose team finished third. ;D
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hoyarooter
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Post by hoyarooter on Sept 19, 2008 22:16:01 GMT -5
Yep, I think you, I and the rest of the baseball world all thought that.
Back to 2 1/2. That helps.
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TBird41
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Post by TBird41 on Sept 22, 2008 9:20:52 GMT -5
An interesting breakdown of the AL MVP race: talkintwinsbb.wordpress.com/2008/09/21/more-al-mvp-talk/I think it would have been Quentin's if he hadn't broken his wrist. Now? Well, if Morneau or Mauer have a ridiculous series to lead the Twins over the White Sox, it goes to them. If that doesn't happen, I'm not sure. Also, any writer who votes for K-Rod should be taken out back and shot.
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vcjack
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Post by vcjack on Sept 22, 2008 10:16:34 GMT -5
"I think it would have been Quentin's if he hadn't broken his wrist"
Funny, so do I
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SFHoya99
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Post by SFHoya99 on Sept 22, 2008 10:20:52 GMT -5
Morneau shouldn't have won his first MVP -- this would be his second completely undeserved MVP if he won.
Pedroia has probably been the best American League player on a playoff team.
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Bando
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I've got some regrets!
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Post by Bando on Sept 22, 2008 11:04:47 GMT -5
Dear Mets,
Please, please, not again.
Sincerely, Bando
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TBird41
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Post by TBird41 on Sept 22, 2008 16:20:51 GMT -5
Morneau shouldn't have won his first MVP -- this would be his second completely undeserved MVP if he won. Pedroia has probably been the best American League player on a playoff team. Morneau's first MVP was clearly due to the fact that his leadership and intangibles were so far ahead of everyone else's that it more than made up for the fact that he had a VORP 20+ points lower than Jeter's. ;D Also, this year a Morneau MVP would be a lot less egregious, especially if he has a big final week of the season--he's a lot higher in all of the advanced categories than he was in 2006 and he leads a few, including Runs Created, Win Shares and Clutch. He's also second in Win Probability Added. If you're going to rank players solely by VORP, then the MVP is Sizemore or A-Rod. But if you're going to factor in playing for a competitive team (and not breaking your hand punching a bat like a moron) and the other advanced stats, including those that measure how clutch a player was this year, then Morneau is one of four players who are worth considering, with Pedroia, Youkilis and Mauer as the other two.
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SFHoya99
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Post by SFHoya99 on Sept 22, 2008 17:37:00 GMT -5
Win Probability Added is fundamentally flawed. I'm still undecided about if I really consider clutch play in MVP voting -- though in the past I generally have -- but the methodology there is still context dependent. In other words, the leaders in WPA are both good/clutch and have a lot of clutch opportunities. It's a counting stat, and so is subject to the same issues as RBI (though it is better than RBI).
I'm somewhat of a Win Shares fan over time, but over a single season, there's a huge amount of variance due to the differences between wins and losses and runs scored and against and component stats. Maybe Morneau deserves those, maybe he doesn't.
He wouldn't be the worst MVP ever, but he wouldn't be anywhere near my pick. Remember that WS isn't really adjusted for position -- there's more value in an up the middle player.
Pujols needs to win it in the NL. Phillies and Mets fans need to be quiet.
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hoyarooter
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Post by hoyarooter on Sept 22, 2008 20:59:22 GMT -5
Pujols needs to help the Cardinals win 3 of the next 4 from the Diamondbacks to be MVP. I have spoken.
As for Morneau, this is purely subjective, but it just seems like the guy is phenomenal in the late innings when a game is on the line. I would have no problem with him winning this year (although, of course, I hope that he and the Twins don't).
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SFHoya99
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Post by SFHoya99 on Sept 22, 2008 21:19:12 GMT -5
I know you're joking, rooter, but seriously, Pujols has had an amazing season that no one is talking about because the Cards aren't very good.
He's not going to hit 40 HRs for the second year in a row, but this might actually be his best year.
Hanley wouldn't be a bad pick, either. But a random Met or Phillie would.
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njhoya06
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Post by njhoya06 on Sept 22, 2008 21:48:57 GMT -5
2.5 up with five to play. Hamels going tomorrow. Mets choking like the dogs they are. Nice.
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HoyaFanNY
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Post by HoyaFanNY on Sept 23, 2008 6:03:17 GMT -5
ryan howard is the mvp, plain and simple. i don't care about BA and all that crap. he drives in a ton of runs and hits homers when it matters, unlike some other players we all know.
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njhoya06
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Post by njhoya06 on Sept 23, 2008 8:19:47 GMT -5
I think Pujols is the MVP. Ryan plays defense like he's handicapped, and he was ice cold until the middle of May.
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