2011 MLB Offseason Discussion - Rangers choking edition

[Viq]

The award for overselling goes to...

Tim Wakefield’s agent issued what amounted to a challenge to the Red Sox yesterday. Barry Meister said if the Sox don’t bring the 45-year-old knuckleballer back, “he’s going to win 15 games somewhere else.’’

[archibaldcrane]

And your AL MVP is...

Justin Verlander. First pitcher to win MVP since Eckersly in '92.

[Conrad]

There are some fucking AWFUL MVP ballots though. One Dallas blogger:

1. Michael Young
2. Justin Verlander
3. Miguel Cabrera
4. Curtis Granderson
5. Jacoby Ellsbury
6. Adrian Gonzalez
7. Jose Bautista
8. Robinson Cano
9. James Shields
10. Adrian Beltre

[Cail]

young #1? really?

[Demosthenes11]

the fuck

[Weeks]

Surely you've heard of the "9th best player on the best team" argument.

[Akiyama]

Congrats to Verlander. dude truly deserved it considering how he carried that Tiger team.

[Orph]

All awards ballots should be reveled after the award is announced so we can truly see what reporters morons

[Man0warr]

There are some fucking AWFUL MVP ballots though. One Dallas blogger:

Guess it depends on how you define MVP. Best player in the league or the most valuable player to their team. Young played 4 different positions this year at different times and was the only constant while other hitters were in and out of the lineup with injuries.

He's probably 5 or 6 on my list, but he definitely deserved some votes.

[Cail]

Rangers signed joe nathan and say feliz will start

[archibaldcrane]

If Verlander wins over Ellsbury because the Sox didn't make the playoffs, but Braun loses to fucking Matt Kemp, I'm going to lose my shit.

[Viq]

Pretty sure Verlander won over Ellsbury because he was the best player in the league. Just sayin'

Edit: I suppose I should fulfill the expected Sox fan role. Go take a look again at Pedro Martinez' numbers from 1999, smack in the middle of the steroid era. Verlander didn't touch those numbers. Despite how god damn unbelievable Pedro's 1999 stats are, somehow Pudge Fucking Rodriguez won the MVP in 1999. I'll be bitter about that one forever, probably.

[Soa]

I'm one of those assholes that doesn't think pitchers should be considered for MVP, so yeah that pretty much sums up my feelings on the issue.

[archibaldcrane]

Pretty sure Verlander won over Ellsbury because he was the best player in the league. Just sayin'

By WAR? No, he wasn't even the best pitcher, CC was. By SIERA, xFIP, FIP, K/9? He wasn't even top-5 in a single one of those.

But he may well have been the best player on a playoff team, so I get why he won.

If the Red Sox don't implode in the last month and make the playoffs, Ellsbury wins easily, he wasn't far behind Verlander and making the playoffs is huge in voters' minds.

[Conrad]

Pretty sure Verlander won over Ellsbury because he was the best player in the league. Just sayin'

Edit: I suppose I should fulfill the expected Sox fan role. Go take a look again at Pedro Martinez' numbers from 1999, smack in the middle of the steroid era. Verlander didn't touch those numbers. Despite how god damn unbelievable Pedro's 1999 stats are, somehow Pudge Fucking Rodriguez won the MVP in 1999. I'll be bitter about that one forever, probably.

You're right though, there's no fucking reason Pedro shouldn't have won MVP that year and Verlander does.

[Conrad]

Guess it depends on how you define MVP. Best player in the league or the most valuable player to their team. Young played 4 different positions this year at different times and was the only constant while other hitters were in and out of the lineup with injuries.

He's probably 5 or 6 on my list, but he definitely deserved some votes.

Based on this logic Wilson Valdez should win MVP because he was consistent all year and played 2B, SS, 3B, and P

[Valisk]

Based on this logic Wilson Valdez should win MVP because he was consistent all year and played 2B, SS, 3B, and P

ITP: REEDING IZ PHUNDEMINTOL

[Conrad]

lol, and the rangers homers come out of the woodwork to defend the ballot

[Headspace]

Based on this logic Wilson Valdez should win MVP because he was consistent all year and played 2B, SS, 3B, and P

Fuck Wilson Valdez

[Valisk]

lol, and the rangers homers come out of the woodwork to defend the ballot

Woodwork? Do you read this thread on a regular basis? And please point out where I was defending the ballot. I didn't even address the ballot... Just your inability to read and comprehend. Bad analogy was bad.