It's finally next year....BASEBALL IS BACK!

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Agreed about Hafner - he's the classic example: his rate stats (which are way more important to, y'know, SCORING RUNS) are off the freaking charts, making him easily the best hitter in the AL. However, no one cares (at least, none of the asshole writers who vote) because other guys have better counting stats . . . like RBIs are 100% the hitter? C'mon.

A-Rod definitely deserved it last year - Simmons is awesome, but he's a classic Masshole in his Red Sox columns. They're filled with so many mistakes (starting with whining about the perfectly sane decisions to let Pedro and Damon walk, and ending with his manlove for Orlando Cabrera) that sometimes it's hard for me to read - I want to scream "YOU MAKE NO F-ING SENSE, I KNOW YOU HAVE BOTH A B-PRO AND SOSH ACCOUNT - USE THEM, YOU RETARD."

Definitely, and I've actually emailed Simmons a couple of times. He probably didn't read the emails, but I had to take issue with some of his points.

Hopefully people will start to notice just how good Hafner is; kind of like a Frank Thomas in his heyday, you think? I know PECOTA has some interesting comparables for him, like McCovey, McGriff and Pops Stargell.

Also, as a huge fan of Jeter, I really wish he'd avoided the whole cologne thing. Those ads are awful.

[Thrillhouse]

Jermaine Dye should get some consideration this year as well for MVP. He has had an amazing year.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

Hopefully people will start to notice just how good Hafner is; kind of like a Frank Thomas in his heyday, you think?

It's probably similar, where people don't realize that hitting .300, walking 100 times, and smashing 40 doubles is actually better than hitting 50 home runs (and since he'll probably hit 45-50 HRs this year too, I mean . . . SICK) . . . Thomas eventually got his recognition, but only after years - plus his counting stats are nuts too. Part of it might be because Frank played in the field, too - but seriously, he barely played in the field . . . Hafner is a total freak, though, and in that regard they're totally similar.

Originally Posted by Thrillhouse

Jermaine Dye should get some consideration this year as well for MVP. He has had an amazing year.

S, I'm not sure if you read about this, but there's a new rule that no former Royal can win any award, ever again. Sorry.

(Know who leads the planet in SLG? Yep, Dye - he's definitely having a great season, way under the radar)

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

It's probably similar, where people don't realize that hitting .300, walking 100 times, and smashing 40 doubles is actually better than hitting 50 home runs (and since he'll probably hit 45-50 HRs this year too, I mean . . . SICK) . . . Thomas eventually got his recognition, but only after years - plus his counting stats are nuts too. Part of it might be because Frank played in the field, too - but seriously, he barely played in the field . . . Hafner is a total freak, though, and in that regard they're totally similar.

Thomas was probably the worst defensive first baseman for a while in the 90's, and probably one of the worst defensive regulars, period. However, I think his lack of recognition goes back to the counting stats you were talking about; you always heard more about Juan Gone during that time period because of the home runs and RBIs (even though he didn't do anything else).

I think Hafner could end up like a Manny case - one day someone will figure out how good he is, and you'll have 1000 columnists taking the credit for "discovering" his talent.

ETA: I think I found the next topic for my blog. Thank you, Mr. Hafner.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

Thomas was probably the worst defensive first baseman for a while in the 90's, and probably one of the worst defensive regulars, period.

Word - Big Hurt's Rate2s in the 90s:

94
99 (56 games, clearly an abberation)
91
91
93
89
93
91
85(!)
92

FRAA:
-3
-1
-16
-14
-7
-10
-10
-9
-2
-4

Because 10 runs ~= 1 win . . . that means all those White Sox teams lost about one game per YEAR because of Big Frank's D - that's insane. Totally insane. Luckily, he was having overall WARPs of 8-10(!!!) in that time, clearly a Hall of Fame peak . . . but yeah, SHITTY fielding. While Hafner definitely sucks, he's never had a RATE2 below 94 (just for completeness).

-RC
--Is a nerd.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

-RC
--Is a nerd.

Yes, but guess who checked out his rates prior to posting before that?

This guy.

Also, I got excited about having a new blog topic. Weird.

KSigKid
- Also a nerd

[The1calledTKE]

How did Mike Lowell get left off for comeback player of the year? I would have picked him before Schilling.

[Thrillhouse]

Went to Detroit to take in all four vs the white sox. Sooner or later, folks will have to start recognizing how good Dye has been this year in terms of the MVP race.