MLB Fantasy Discussion aka "Votto is the Only Red Worth Taking"

[Valisk]

And then of course he mocked Cruz's response, like any good Yankee fan would

And then they mocked us from their couch.

[Headspace]

And then they mocked us from their couch.

Then you got torture'd.

[Cephius]

And then they mocked us from their couch.

In their world series champion pajamas!

[Aksannyi]

Ahh, okay then. I mean it's hilarious regardless of whether you know the backstory. The whole gif is just comedy gold, the fat guy who looks like Horatio Sanz, the dbag ball juggler, and the guy saying, "FUCK YOU." One of those great Moments in Baseball Fan History.

[Headspace]

It is an amazing gif.

Wish it was longer

[Trichocyst]

I was babysitting, watching the MLB Network, and I saw a top ten list of today's best second basemen. Not only was I disgusted that Chase Utley was not firmly planted at #1, but they talked about his defense like he's some sort of liability.

[Cephius]

Clearly it's because every so often he'll fling a double play ball into the 10th row

[archibaldcrane]

I was babysitting, watching the MLB Network, and I saw a top ten list of today's best second basemen. Not only was I disgusted that Chase Utley was not firmly planted at #1, but they talked about his defense like he's some sort of liability.

Was Rickie Weeks on the list? (I have no idea how he's regarded nowadays)

[Trichocyst]

Yeah, he was 6th or 7th.

[Moss]

Where was Prado?

[Trichocyst]

He wasn't.

10. Neil Walker
9.
8. Brian Roberts
7. Ian Kinsler
6. Rickie Weeks
5. Brandon Phillips
4. Dan Uggla
3. Dustin Pedroia
2. Chase Utley
1. Robinson Cano

I forget #9, might of been Aaron Hill. I'm sure of the rest of the names, but not 100% sure of all the rankings 10-6.

[Moss]

He is at least better than Hill and Walker, they must not have considered him since he has been a utility guy.

[Trichocyst]

He didn't even make the "just missed the cut" discussion.

[Moss]

Like I said, he wasn't considered. They probably just looked at each team's roster for the starting 2B and compared. For the Braves, it was obviously Uggla.

[Trichocyst]

Until they move him to the outfield.

[Gregorio]

I was babysitting, watching the MLB Network, and I saw a top ten list of today's best second basemen. Not only was I disgusted that Chase Utley was not firmly planted at #1, but they talked about his defense like he's some sort of liability.

I got into this discussion with a few Yankees fan friends of mine (unfortunately most of my friends are die-hard blind/idiot Yankee fans). I threw this on his Facebook wall:

http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/201...-robinson-cano

Very good read, but quickly summerized: "Robinson Cano is a very good player. Chase Utley is a very good player*. If you want the second-baseman who will put the ball in play more and make flashier looking plays with the glove**, then you take Cano. If you want the second-baseman who will make fewer outs and save more runs defensively, then you take Utley***.

* Can't talk about Chase Utley being awesome without linking to this. (Youtube for the video - totally worth it.)

** Maybe - I have no idea why one would think Cano is the better fielder.

*** Bonus stat: Cano's career high in fWAR was 6.4 in 2010. That would rank as Utley 6th best season, though there is the AL/NL disparity thing in play."

Naturally he didn't respond, and when I asked him if he read it he said he didn't care and he's seen Cano and Utley play a lot and he can tell Cano is a better player overall. Butthead.

Also I just got done plastering the Facebook wall of my other idiot Yankee fan friend with a bunch of articles and stats explaining why Jeter didn't deserve his gold glove. He spent the past 2 days telling me Jeter is the best SS in baseball because he only committed 6 errors and got a gold glove and that he's a much better player than Rollins.

[Aksannyi]

Those are the kind of Yankee fans I deal with on a regular basis.

[Weeks]

Also I just got done plastering the Facebook wall of my other idiot Yankee fan friend with a bunch of articles and stats explaining why Jeter didn't deserve his gold glove. He spent the past 2 days telling me Jeter is the best SS in baseball because he only committed 6 errors and got a gold glove and that he's a much better player than Rollins.

You realize that Jimmy Rollins pretty much sucks, right?

[Gregorio]

You realize that Jimmy Rollins pretty much sucks, right?

Rollins spent a lot of time on the DL last year...but when he's healthy he's still one of the best defensive shortstops in baseball. And compared to Jeter's last few years offensively aside from batting average, he's not much better. Jeter has a higher BA, but when it comes to the stats that actually come down to if a team wins or loses, they're still about equal in RBIs, runs scored, HRs, etc.

2010 Rollins had a 6.9 UZR (6th best in baseball)
2009 4.6 UZR (11th...not such a good year)
2008: 12.9 UZR (2nd best in baseball)

[Cephius]

I got into this discussion with a few Yankees fan friends of mine (unfortunately most of my friends are die-hard blind/idiot Yankee fans). I threw this on his Facebook wall:

http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/201...-robinson-cano

Very good read, but quickly summerized: "Robinson Cano is a very good player. Chase Utley is a very good player*. If you want the second-baseman who will put the ball in play more and make flashier looking plays with the glove**, then you take Cano. If you want the second-baseman who will make fewer outs and save more runs defensively, then you take Utley***.

* Can't talk about Chase Utley being awesome without linking to this. (Youtube for the video - totally worth it.)

** Maybe - I have no idea why one would think Cano is the better fielder.

*** Bonus stat: Cano's career high in fWAR was 6.4 in 2010. That would rank as Utley 6th best season, though there is the AL/NL disparity thing in play."

Naturally he didn't respond, and when I asked him if he read it he said he didn't care and he's seen Cano and Utley play a lot and he can tell Cano is a better player overall. Butthead.

Also I just got done plastering the Facebook wall of my other idiot Yankee fan friend with a bunch of articles and stats explaining why Jeter didn't deserve his gold glove. He spent the past 2 days telling me Jeter is the best SS in baseball because he only committed 6 errors and got a gold glove and that he's a much better player than Rollins.

Offensively I think they're pretty much even, though any comparison is flawed right now because in 2010 Utley was hurt and Cano was having his breakout year. Defensively, Cano's range noticeably improved last year, to the point where he was covering his position and making throws from Jeter's side of second base. I'm not sure I'd call Cano's plays "flashier", all that does it make the author sound biased towards Utley considering most people describe Cano's defense as being so smooth it almost makes him look lazy. And really, he should throw out his comments about fielding percentage, plays made, and career UZR because using those same stats I can tell you that Jeter is the best defensive shortstop.

The biggest difference is Utley is starting to exit his prime years while Cano is just stepping into them. Right now Utley is the better hitter but I think Cano has the higher ceiling with his ability to be a more disciplined hitter. There is also this:

http://www.fangraphs.com/graphs/1679..._1_14_2011.png