i don't think anyone ever accused miguel cabrera of being a gold glover
one of these players is active
the other is retired, but there is an ILB thread bearing his name
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 25 September 2018 15:48 (five years ago) link
holy shit, willie mcgee, '85! is there anything he can't do
― Karl Malone, Tuesday, 25 September 2018 16:18 (five years ago) link
^^^
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 25 September 2018 16:21 (five years ago) link
the other is joe mauer, 2009
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 25 September 2018 16:23 (five years ago) link
i just checked the 2001 bWAR leaders re MVP; Jason Giambi wuz robbed
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 25 September 2018 16:47 (five years ago) link
(also Bret Boone higher than Ichiro w/ Seattle)
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 25 September 2018 16:49 (five years ago) link
tru
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 25 September 2018 16:53 (five years ago) link
still can't quite believe it wasn't obvious that Gooden was the MVP of '85
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 25 September 2018 16:54 (five years ago) link
i only guessed miggy because a) i wasn't watching when he was young and who knows, and b) they've given some fairly dubious gold gloves before no?
― vote no on ilxit (Will M.), Tuesday, 25 September 2018 17:33 (five years ago) link
James went on a big tirade in the '86 Abstract about McGee, but that was in defense of Dale Murphy, not Gooden. Strange, because the following year, he wrote a long piece analyzing the MVP cases for Clemens and Mattingly (base on their '86 seasons). Can't remember what he concluded, but he clearly was open to a pitcher winning (as he was in '78, when he wrote a similar piece analyzing Rice vs. Guidry).
WAR has McGee considerably higher than Murphy in '85. I'd have to go back and check, but I think I encountered resistance here a few years ago when I first suggested Verlander as an obvious MVP candidate in 2011 (Bautista seemed to be the preferred choice).
― clemenza, Tuesday, 25 September 2018 19:14 (five years ago) link
2011 AL MVP
The resistance shows up more in the vote totals (10-3 for Bautista) than the comments. There's one I could quote, though. But I won't.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 25 September 2018 19:22 (five years ago) link
if vlad jr. homers in the majors before june 1, he will become the youngest toronto blue jay to do so. who currently holds that record?
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 17:37 (five years ago) link
Good one. No idea...Danny Ainge?
― clemenza, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 18:30 (five years ago) link
indeed! nice
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 18:40 (five years ago) link
Total guess, based on the fact that he played for the Jays before he played in the NBA, so I figured he must have been young. I'm very impressed with myself.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 20:48 (five years ago) link
for no particular reason, here are the top 50 defensive single seasons (since integration) by fangraphs' DEF metric
Season Name Team Def1975 Mark Belanger Orioles 43.71999 Rey Ordonez Mets 41.11989 Ozzie Smith Cardinals 40.21999 Andruw Jones Braves 38.51998 Andruw Jones Braves 37.41968 Brooks Robinson Orioles 36.91964 Ron Hansen White Sox 36.71960 Luis Aparicio White Sox 36.21987 Ozzie Guillen White Sox 361967 Brooks Robinson Orioles 35.91983 Gary Carter Expos 35.61979 Buddy Bell Rangers 35.61968 Mark Belanger Orioles 35.51992 Devon White Blue Jays 35.11973 Mark Belanger Orioles 351998 Robin Ventura White Sox 34.41970 Aurelio Rodriguez - - - 34.11971 Graig Nettles Indians 33.91961 Clete Boyer Yankees 33.81963 Ron Hansen White Sox 33.71996 Ken Griffey Jr. Mariners 33.52009 Franklin Gutierrez Mariners 33.42001 Rey Sanchez - - - 33.41976 Mark Belanger Orioles 33.11973 Bobby Grich Orioles 32.91996 Ivan Rodriguez Rangers 32.71959 Ernie Banks Cubs 32.41992 Darrin Jackson Padres 32.21984 Cal Ripken Orioles 31.91991 Cal Ripken Orioles 31.81962 Clete Boyer Yankees 31.82006 Adam Everett Astros 31.71967 Hal Lanier Giants 31.11999 Pokey Reese Reds 311976 Graig Nettles Yankees 30.91990 Cal Ripken Orioles 30.71964 Bobby Knoop Angels 30.71966 Ed Brinkman Senators 30.51995 John Valentin Red Sox 30.41974 Mark Belanger Orioles 30.41988 Ozzie Guillen White Sox 30.41965 Gene Alley Pirates 30.32007 Omar Vizquel Giants 30.21989 Barry Bonds Pirates 30.11956 Jim Piersall Red Sox 30.11969 Ed Brinkman Senators 301984 Kirby Puckett Twins 301989 Cal Ripken Orioles 29.81995 Cal Ripken Orioles 29.71954 Chico Carrasquel White Sox 29.61986 Jody Davis Cubs 29.61980 Ozzie Smith Padres 29.61970 Ed Brinkman Senators 29.6
― Karl Malone, Sunday, 2 December 2018 23:25 (five years ago) link
probably this is not obscure trivia, but i didn't realize until this morning that in 1981 the Reds and Cardinals had the best two records in the National League, and neither team made the playoffs.
― Karl Malone, Friday, 28 December 2018 17:00 (five years ago) link
Not only that, but the NL team with the 3rd best record (Los Dodgers) won the World Series, with a killer team:
Opening Day Lineup
Davey Lopes Second basemanKen Landreaux Center fielderDusty Baker Left fielderSteve Garvey First basemanRon Cey Third basemanPedro Guerrero Right fielderMike Scioscia CatcherBill Russell ShortstopFernando Valenzuela Starting pitcher
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 28 December 2018 17:11 (five years ago) link
most of the lower minor leagues play half-seasons like this, which sort of makes sense because there's so much roster turnover but also makes no sense at all because any decent players from the first-half champs will have been promoted and minor league playoffs are entirely pointless anyway
― mookieproof, Friday, 28 December 2018 20:41 (five years ago) link
Yup, minor league allstars are the kings of cockblock.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 28 December 2018 21:25 (five years ago) link
I don't agree that they're pointless. Obviously, a team can be upended at any time by call-ups, but it's otherwise like any other competitive team sport - you try to win, try to beat your rivals, etc. I don't believe it's pointless to the players or to the fans of teams.
― timellison, Friday, 28 December 2018 22:38 (five years ago) link
Due to a strike in mid-season, the season was divided into a first half and a second half. The division winner of the first half (denoted E1, W1) played the division winner of the second half (denoted E2, W2).
wow, I never knew about this! crazy
― reggae mike love (polyphonic), Friday, 28 December 2018 23:01 (five years ago) link
The Reds/Cardinals story was one of the many subplots in the split-season book I just finished. I knew about that, but what I'd forgotten was that baseball had boxed itself into a situation where, for the first time ever, it was theoretically possible that certain teams might benefit towards the end by throwing a game--either in picking their opponent for the extra playoff round, or even in determining whether or not they made the playoffs. Herzog and LaRussa were both asked by reporters if they would intentionally lose game if doing so would ensure a playoff spot, and both, without hesitation, said they would. Which of course sent Bowie Kuhn around the bend.
They scrambled around and came up with some fix that sort of worked.
― clemenza, Saturday, 29 December 2018 00:15 (five years ago) link
when MLB rosters expand on sept 1, most teams (well, not the mets or white sox or blue jays) call up their best triple-a and double-a players. so everyone else slides up a level to fill the vacuum, and suddenly you have minor league playoff teams whose rosters barely resemble what they were two weeks previously, let alone months earlier.
not to mention the things like josh donaldson 'rehabbing' for double-a akron in their playoffs, and the fact that school's back in and no one comes to the games -- triple-a columbus has actually let people in free for playoff games the last few years just so they might buy food.
winning is better and more fun than losing, sure, and players are obviously competitive. but team records and titles in the minors have no correlation to major league success. the point of playing in the minors is not to help the class a team win, it's to move up and help the big league team win get fucking paid
― mookieproof, Saturday, 29 December 2018 00:51 (five years ago) link
Your argument was that they are "entirely pointless," though, and I think they're clearly not, nor should they be. I understand that AAA playoff rosters can be affected even more by call-ups than a team normally is. But is there not a core of a team that generally remains? In any case, I am sure there's fun in the competition regardless and I am sure that the players enjoy that aspect of it, as do fans. There seems to be an element to your argument that minor league baseball in general is irrelevant, that the games are not "the point" of the whole enterprise, but I see no reason to put that negative slant on the whole thing and if I lived in a town with a minor league team it would be a lot more fun to root for them than not to bother.
― timellison, Saturday, 29 December 2018 01:38 (five years ago) link
Actually, I do live in a town with a minor league (AHL) hockey team. Players get called up and it affects things. There are pretty big rivalries between some of the teams in their division.
― timellison, Saturday, 29 December 2018 01:45 (five years ago) link
There seems to be an element to your argument that minor league baseball in general is irrelevant
feeling very seen lol
if fans derive pleasure from their local minor league teams winning, then that is wonderful; perhaps i am too cynical
― mookieproof, Saturday, 29 December 2018 02:08 (five years ago) link
Actually, I do live in a town with a minor league (AHL) hockey team.
The Gulls??!?!?!?! I recall sitting in the stands next to Kim Alexis, who at my 17 year old self, had never seen such a beautiful woman in such close proximity. She was very kind to us nerds!
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Saturday, 29 December 2018 05:32 (five years ago) link
Yes! Their biggest rival is Ontario.
― timellison, Saturday, 29 December 2018 06:09 (five years ago) link
By bWAR, Paul Goldschmidt has been seven times as valuable as any other #246 draft pick in baseball history. Oh, hang on. My mistake. He has been seven times as valuable as EVERY other #246 draft pick in baseball history, COMBINED. https://t.co/5vwR9t7ikt— AZ SnakePit (@AZSnakepit) January 2, 2019
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 2 January 2019 20:29 (five years ago) link
I remember we talked a bit about that two years ago, and karl malone linked to this SI piece:
http://www.si.com/mlb/strike-zone/2014/06/09/mike-piazza-keith-hernandez-albert-pujols-late-round-draft-picks
― clemenza, Wednesday, 2 January 2019 20:50 (five years ago) link
Goldschmidt's "DROP," by the way, has moved to 1964.9, which would put him 5th on the SI list, just shy of Kenny Rogers at 4th. If he puts up 4.0 WAR this year, he'd move up to 3rd. Catching Pizza for first (another 35 WAR) highly unlikely.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 2 January 2019 21:03 (five years ago) link