Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Who'll win the NL MVP?
From: f67700241@violet.ccit.arizona.edu (Greg Franklin)
Date: 26 Aug 92 15:38:18 MST
Distribution: na,local
Organization: University of Arizona
Nntp-Posting-User: f67700241

Dave Kirsch writes:
> Greg Franklin 'Carrying Stat-Drunk Computer Nerd (FCSDCN)') writes:

Hey, I carry a PowerBook!  It lacks speed, but it's got lotsa Power(tm). :-)

>>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).

I'm interested in seeing this too.  Gawd, imagine what would happen if
rumored Riddoch successor Dick Williams managed Sheffield!  Ack!
 
>>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!!! 

Yep, I saw it.  For some reason I think the voters will say "Ya know it's
a shame we haven't given that McGriff guy any MVP votes.  Maybe he's better
than we thought."  With Will Clark's off-year, it's obvious who the
voters who love power-hitting 1Bmen will choose.  I think he'll get more
votes than Pendleton.

>>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.

Yep, I realize his OBP and SLG is way down.  But MVPs are not voted that
way, otherwise Big Frank would be a 16-time AL MVP.  Besides, Terry now has
2 good years to recommend him; Sheffield has only one.

(Incidentally, owning FT in a straight roto league, I can tell you one
thing; it will be very difficult for a player like him to ever lead the
league in RBIs.  He'll still create more runs than anybody's seen in a while,
but I think the comparative lack of RBIs will handicap his quest for an MVP.)
 
>>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?

The bad team.  Some voters might even take the poor performance of Philly
pitching and say "see he's not a good defensive catcher."  They'll always
find something.  The words "Darren Daulton, MVP candidate" do not exactly
flow trippingly off the tongue.
 
>>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?  

Only thing I can see is that a number of netters think he's a hot dog.  But
then, they're not in a position to vote on MVP.  Again, his raw Triple Crown
numbers are not at the top of any list, and he doesn't have a superstation
proclaiming how great he is, so chances are he'll be overlooked this year.
-- 
Greg "Mockingbird" Franklin      Interviewer: "Sir, how do you spell relief?"
f67700241@ccit.arizona.edu               Dan: "R-O-L-A-I-D-S-E."