MLB 2017: Jim Rice Tells CC Sabathia to Mix in a Salad

[DMC]

The anniversary should also be used to highlight the recreational drug problem in MLB considering Fernandez had cocaine in his system.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

1 hour ago, Myshkin said:

Today is the one year anniversary of Jose Fernandez' death, and there are a lot of tribute pieces floating around. Those tribute pieces generally focus on how young he was, how talented he was, how caring he was. And they all gloss over the fact that on the night of his death Fernandez got drunk and high and killed two people. It's time to stop making him out to be a hero. If he'd survived he'd be in prison right now, and nobody would be trying to deify him. His death does not absolve him.

While I generally agree with this, I do think Fernandez's death was unique. He meant so much to the Cuban community in Miami in a way that has few comparison points. I understand why they still mourn him while also recognizing that he was a flawed individual who accidentally killed two innocent people.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

2 hours ago, dmc515 said:

Also love Judge/Sanchez/Didi/Bird hitting a combined 7 for 15 with 4 HRs, a double, and a walk.

Looks like we're dancing in a week's time. 

[DMC]

1 minute ago, Tywin et al. said:

Looks like we're dancing in a week's time. 

Indeed.  It's on, one last time.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

11 minutes ago, dmc515 said:

Indeed.  It's on, one last time.

 

[Myshkin]

7 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

While I generally agree with this, I do think Fernandez's death was unique. He meant so much to the Cuban community in Miami in a way that has few comparison points. I understand why they still mourn him while also recognizing that he was a flawed individual who accidentally killed two innocent people.

I'm perfectly fine with mourning his loss, and I'm also perfectly fine with enumerated and celebrating his good qualities. What I'm not at all okay with is whitewashing away the fact that his reckless decisions got two people killed. All these articles reference a "tragic accident" or a "youthful mistake", and then just leave it at that, no further explanation. These articles should, but don't, make it clear that the "youthful mistake" that precipitated this "tragic accident" was Fernandez' decision to get drunk, snort some coke, then pilot his boat at dangerous speeds, in dangerous waters, in the middle of the night, with passengers aboard. This wasn't a "tragic accident" in the same way that the car crashes that killed Yordano Ventura and Oscar Taveras were tragic accidents; this was a series of terrible and irresponsible decisions that resulted in three deaths.

[DMC]

It's time to realize that, statistically, Aaron Judge is the MVP of the AL.  The narrative for Altuve is probably too much to overcome, and Judge was actually hurt by the NY media by his slump being put in focus, but please look up non-1B/DH's with his OPS.  They win the MVP.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

32 minutes ago, dmc515 said:

It's time to realize that, statistically, Aaron Judge is the MVP of the AL.  The narrative for Altuve is probably too much to overcome, and Judge was actually hurt by the NY media by his slump being put in focus, but please look up non-1B/DH's with his OPS.  They win the MVP.

Eh, I don't see how you don't give it to Altuve. Those numbers from a 2nd baseman are unprecedented. Plus Judge has RoY wrapped up. I would be really surprised if Judge pulled the MVP.

[DMC]

8 minutes ago, Manhole Eunuchsbane said:

Eh, I don't see how you don't give it to Altuve. Those numbers from a 2nd baseman are unprecedented. Plus Judge has RoY wrapped up. I would be really surprised if Judge pulled the MVP.

Like I intimated, I don't think Judge will get MVP either - but he should.  Altuve has great numbers as a 2nd baseman, sure, but Judge has been one of the best RF's defensively as well.  When one considers how much better he's been than Altuve offensively, is there really that much difference between 2B and RF in terms of offensive value?  Again, usually it's hard to ignore an outfielder that has ~ a 1.050 OPS, especially one that provides elite-level defense and is still an above average baserunner.  Also of note, Judge has overtaken Altuve in WAR on Fangraphs at least, which takes position into account.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

2 minutes ago, dmc515 said:

Like I intimated, I don't think Judge will get MVP either - but he should.  Altuve has great numbers as a 2nd baseman, sure, but Judge has been one of the best RF's defensively as well.  When one considers how much better he's been than Altuve offensively, is there really that much difference between 2B and RF in terms of offensive value?  Again, usually it's hard to ignore an outfielder that has ~ a 1.050 OPS, especially one that provides elite-level defense and is still an above average baserunner.  Also of note, Judge has overtaken Altuve in WAR on Fangraphs at least, which takes position into account.

I have to admit I'm not really a big fan of Advanced Stats, so I can't really speak to that with any sort of nuance. That's not to say that I don't think they're meaningful, I just don't really grasp their worth at a glance. I'd just say from a traditionalists sort of standpoint, when you get that sort of offensive output from 2nd base, it stands out. Moreso than RF, methinks. Again, I would concede that this is probably an old school sort of point of view.   

[DMC]

1 minute ago, Manhole Eunuchsbane said:

I have to admit I'm not really a big fan of Advanced Stats, so I can't really speak to that with any sort of nuance.

Well, the point is even among the advanced stats - namely WAR - Judge is winning right now.  Regardless, I'm not a huge fan of all the metrics either, but OPS is simple enough, and not an advanced stat.  That's what I rely on, and it says Judge is significantly better than Altuve.  Defensively, the eye test tells me they're both very good at their position, so it boils down to how much you value 2B over RF in relation to Judge's offensive superiority.

[.H.]

But isn't "Most Valuable" not simply who is having the best year?

My hunch is that even if Altuve wasn't having a great year, the Astros would still be very good.  If Judge wasn't having the year he is having, I'm pretty sure the Yankees would be close to being in the dumpster.  So, Judge is more valuable in the sense that he made a iffy team a playoff team.  I don't know that people actually vote with that kind of rationale any more though (or even if they ever did).

[Myshkin]

I think it's hard to ignore the slump. And boy was it a slump. Consistency is part of what makes a player valuable. That's not to say I think Judge doesn't deserve the MVP; it just means that I think the real question is weather or not his numbers will be enough to overcome his inconsistency issues in the minds of voters.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

5 minutes ago, Myshkin said:

I think it's hard to ignore the slump. And boy was it a slump. Consistency is part of what makes a player valuable. That's not to say I think Judge doesn't deserve the MVP; it just means that I think the real question is weather or not his numbers will be enough to overcome his inconsistency issues in the minds of voters.

So I guess you're trying to say

*puts on sunglasses*

Judge not lest ye be Judge?

YEEEEEEAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

[Myshkin]

25 minutes ago, Manhole Eunuchsbane said:

So I guess you're trying to say

*puts on sunglasses*

Judge not lest ye be Judge?

YEEEEEEAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Boom! I'm writing that one down for future use in an Eck Files episode.

[DMC]

Bird with his third straight game with a HR.  Since coming back from the "back spasms" a couple weeks ago he has 6 HRs and 3 doubles in 38 ABs.  Slash line during that time:  .263/.349/.816 for a 1.165 OPS.  And Hicks has looked pretty damn good too in his 3 games back.  Hard to not like where the Yanks are at going into the postseason.  Just really gotta hope beating the Twins, which they've done with ease for about 15 years now, isn't a trap game.

[DireWolfSpirit]

 

[James Arryn]

On 2017-09-27 at 9:20 PM, Myshkin said:

I think it's hard to ignore the slump. And boy was it a slump. Consistency is part of what makes a player valuable. That's not to say I think Judge doesn't deserve the MVP; it just means that I think the real question is weather or not his numbers will be enough to overcome his inconsistency issues in the minds of voters.

Eh, I think baseball seasons are long enough to account for all manner of routes to the final numbers. Didn't DiMaggio get the MVP for his 56-game season?

 

[Ramsay B.]

5 hours ago, dmc515 said:

Bird with his third straight game with a HR.  Since coming back from the "back spasms" a couple weeks ago he has 6 HRs and 3 doubles in 38 ABs.  Slash line during that time:  .263/.349/.816 for a 1.165 OPS.  And Hicks has looked pretty damn good too in his 3 games back.  Hard to not like where the Yanks are at going into the postseason.  Just really gotta hope beating the Twins, which they've done with ease for about 15 years now, isn't a trap game.

Bird is gonna have to get big these last few games to get to .200, but I am just happy to see him utilizing that short porch of late. Absolute perfect Yankee stadium swing. 

Glad they're not getting cute and just pitching Severino for that game. Why fuck around? Twins can't pitch but they do have some bats. Sano has an outside shot of playing too I read.

Gray killed me in my fantasy championship yesterday. He hit the fucking wall in the 5th and really looked shitty all game. Bastard.

[DMC]

 

3 hours ago, Ramsay B. said:

Gray killed me in my fantasy championship yesterday. He hit the fucking wall in the 5th and really looked shitty all game. Bastard.

Yeah he clearly didn't have it from the get-go last night.  I wanted Girardi to pull him earlier in the 5th, but I don't think he has the same type of fantasy that the Sawks will lose enough to have made catching them a possibility.