From: kirsch@epx.cis.umn.edu (Dave Kirsch)
Subject: Re: Who'll win the NL MVP?
Organization: Paul Spoljaric mean-and-nasty club
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 20:41:41 GMT

In article <1992Aug24.172947.1@violet.ccit.arizona.edu> f67700241@violet.ccit.arizona.edu (Greg Franklin 'Carrying Stat-Drunk Computer Nerd (FCSDCN)') writes:
>OK, enough with the Great Cito Flame War.  Let's get down to a more
>interesting subject: Who will be the National League MVP?
>
>As I see it, there are only 3 serious contenders the voters will
>consider.   I rank in them in order of likelihood to win:

  I beg to differ, but you'll probably wind up being right if the mediots
keep gushing over Terry Pendleton and ignoring Daulton/Bonds. 

>1) Gary Sheffield.  Has come out of nowhere to have a near triple-crown
>season.  Don't know if his defense is up to Pendletonian standards, but
>his great batting eye has certainly made up for any defensive lapses.  Has
>shown an improved attitude.

  Great year. Still not sure if he'll keep this up next year, but he's a
heckuva player when he's right (I want to see how he responds to tough times
in San Diego). 

>2) Fred McGriff.  Is having the best season of his career....and the
>seasons he had before weren't too shabby.  Everyone says he is on a HOF
>path, and an MVP this season would give him a leg up on his quest.

  Geez, this is getting to be too easy. Talk about being reliable; every
year, just pencil the Crime Dog in for a .400 OBP, somewhere above a .500 SLG
(~.560+ so far) with ~35 dingers. He's so damned consistent and so damned
good. Did anyone see what he did the other night? Hits the ball by accident 
on a check swing, and it goes for a one-bouncer off the wall in LF! On a
check swing!!! 

>3) Terry Pendleton.  A lot of people (including me) thought he'd fade
>back to reality in 1992, but it turns out he's exceeding his HR and RBI
>totals of a year ago.  The Braves are winning even more now
>than they were in 1991, and being the only good power hitter in the
>offense, he's sure to receive the bulk of the credit (along with the
>starting pitching) for Atlanta's domination.  He's an outstanding
>defender.

  Feh. Blech. Lundy. If you're gonna talk about third basemen, Pendleton
would have to consider himself lucky to hold Sheffield's jock (would make a 
great shot for Sportscenter, doncha think?) He's giving away almost 200
points of OPS (~60 points OBP, ~130 points SLG) and plays in an offensive
paradise. He'd have to have Kelly Gruber and Robin Ventura flanking him to be
*close* to making that up defensively. 

>Daulton plays for too sad a team to get much consideration.  

  So? Holy mother of God, without him the Phillies would be utterly atrocious.
(Hollins and Kruk have helped too.) He's a catcher with a ~.930 OPS, roughly
the equivalent of what Cal Ripken was to SS in the AL last year. Let's see, 
lots of power (22 HR in ~370 AB, ~.540 SLG), plenty of walks (close to 70)
and a good BA (~.290) and OBP (~.390). What else is there? 

>Bonds is
>not at the top of the stat boards anymore, besides, he won an MVP already.

  Yep, a 1.000 OPS is irrelevant if you've already got the goods in your
trophy case. IMHO, Bonds should have won the MVP last year and the race
should be between him and Daulton this year, maybe including Sheffield if he 
keeps this up. The guy has put together three utterly amazing years; I hope 
he breaks the bank wherever he goes. He's certainly worth it. Hits like
McGriff, plays gold glove defense and uses his speed wisely to boot. What's 
not to like?  
 
>Anyone else I missed?

  Probably, but those are the obvious ones. 

  All IMHO of course. Oh, in Lundy's opinion too .. I have to speak on his
behalf since he's living out of an inflatable raft down in Florida right now
and his portable unix box is on the blink. 

-- 
Dave Hung Like a Jim Acker Slider Kirsch            kirsch@epx.cis.umn.edu 
"Blue Jays - break my heart again in '92"                Jeff Kent for ROY
"I believe virtually everything I read, and I think that is what makes me
   MORE of a selective human" - Joe Average, baseball fan and media puppet