Ladies and gentleman, I give you your MVP runnerup: Adrian Beltre

If the Yanks win the division despite all those pitching injuries, I think Sheff will win (although Rivera probably deserved equal credit. In a way, they're the Bonds-Schmidt combo of the AL, or at least, that is how they will be perceived).

Last year Manny was also better when he played (he was injured for several weeks last season). But he's got this Albert Belle-esque rep as a "difficult" personality and a selfish player, which the voters hate. Whereas Ortiz has the opposite rep. I think Manny would need vastly superior numbers than any of his competitors to make up that difference in the voters' eyes, and that's just not true this season.

Albert Pujols 2
Adrian Beltre 3
Jim Edmonds 4
Todd Helton 5
Lance Berkman 6
Bobby Abreu 7
Scott Rolen 8
Mark Loretta 9
J.D. Drew 10

(therefore: NOT a dopey question dave r!)

((helton?))

[and i don't care what you say, rolen should totally have been #4 dude, you've been rash]

Beltre ($11.4M)
.244/.279/.361

Boone ($9M)
.234/.299/.378

Sexson ($6M)
.244/.353/.507

Beltre

Sexson

I was looking at Beltre's comps on Baseball Reference. As you probably know, there are always three lists: one based on who you'd match up with if your career were to end today, one that compares your numbers to other careers up to your current age (the most useful), and a third list that tracks season by season. Beltre's seasonal comps:

Age 20 -- Manny Machado (952)
Age 21 -- Ron Santo (954)
Age 22 -- Ron Santo (947)
Age 23 -- Ron Santo (976)
Age 24 -- Ron Santo (945)
Age 25 -- Ron Santo (965)
Age 26 -- Ron Santo (946)
Age 27 -- Ron Santo (930)
Age 28 -- Ron Santo (933)
Age 29 -- Ron Santo (918)
Age 30 -- Ruben Sierra (916)
Age 31 -- Ron Santo (909)
Age 32 -- Ron Santo (918)
Age 33 -- Ron Santo (921)
Age 34 -- Ron Santo (884)

That's pretty remarkable. No surprise that Beltre and Santo match up well over their careers, but I doubt that there have ever been two players in the entire history of baseball more in lockstep on a seasonal basis.

Example: even when you look at Ruth, where you're obviously drawing from an extremely limited group of similar players, you get a list that's Williams from age 26-33, a few years of Foxx after that, a few years of Bonds at the end, and Chuck Klein and Manny Ramirez and Will Clark (!--age 23) mixed in.

that's pretty fucking cool clemenza.

en fuego

35, 2519 hits, 387 HR. 3000 hits should be easy--the rest of this year, two more seasons and a bit. 500 HR will be tougher, but he has a pretty good chance to be the fifth 3000/500 guy (assuming A-Rod doesn't find a way to get those last 61 hits). Pujols and Cabrera would be next in line, although I wouldn't be surprised to see one of those guys break down physically first.

Nobody cares, I realize, but I'd love to see Beltre win the batting title. If his HOF chances are as close as most people think (again, I see him close to a cinch at this point), a batting title will definitely help. He's about five points behind right now.

Garrett Richards came into the Angels’ clubhouse proudly holding a piece of paper Saturday afternoon. Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre had sent him an invoice for $300 after Richards broke three of his bats Friday night.

It was a real invoice, like Beltre went to an office-supply store and bought a pack of them or something. “Cash only, no checks,” he wrote above his signature.

http://www.ocregister.com/angels/richards-659454-angels-came.html

beltre's got a BBR WAR right now of 5.4, thanks for a productive second half. pretty amazing player.

*thanks to

Another great game today. I've been tracking him the last while too. Since July 31: .326/.379/.539, 10 HR, 52 RBI.

http://deadspin.com/adrian-beltre-wont-stand-for-elvis-andruss-lollygagging-1772008206

<3 <3

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--h3L2PQFH--/c_fit,f_auto,fl_progressive,q_80,w_320/873553504808362020.gif

the Rangers have bigger problems, eg Ian Desmond is their reg LF

Just moved past Chipper Jones and into the Top 50 on Baseball Reference's WAR list (85.3); real longshot to hit 100, but at 37 and signed through 2018, who knows.

I know it was ultimately that the McCourts were a mess, but letting Beltre walk was pretty dumb by the Dodgers.

https://twitter.com/EdwardEgrosFox4/status/763524922098409472

clearer video

https://www.facebook.com/FOXSportsSouthwest/videos/vb.53293384623/10153940073424624/?type=2&theater#

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CpltKYQWAAA2g9p.jpg:small

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CplSYgwVYAQtO5W.jpg:medium
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CplS7-3VUAE-GWO.jpg:medium
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CplS8s6UEAEyFe-.jpg:medium
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CplS9VUUAAA_axq.jpg:medium

it seems like just yesterday this guy was a one-season wonder rather than a hopeful HoFer. what a strange career

he'll hit 3000 hits next year too if he plays most of the season

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v1055336083/oaktex-beltre-grabs-broom-works-on-the-infield

<3 <3 <3

i think my two favorite players of all time are Ichiro and Beltre

http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2016/8/30/12709174/adrian-beltre-helmet-backward-pat-venditte-switch-pitcher

dude has been playing out of his mind lately, just hit his 30th HR.

I check his career box once a week. He may catch Donaldson and/or Machado in the MVP vote this year, and he'll soon pass 90 career WAR on Baseball Reference (decent shot to be the 22nd position player to reach 100 before he's finished...the equivalent of three more pretty good seasons, not easy). He's moved into the Top 25 career in AB, doubles, and total bases.

he's def going to make it to 3000 hits next year. wonder if he can make it to 500 HRs.