OK my fellow juggalos. I turned in my IIWPM. It’s like voting in a California election. It changes absolutely no outcomes either way but it gives me the right to bitch.

Legend

GrandpaBaseball

1 month ago

From the redundant news files, the Halos did finish first in at least one stat, most strikeouts in a season. We really can cause air circulation in the stadium one hot days with the bat. At least it’s dry heat. 😁

Legend

GrandpaBaseball

1 month ago

The CYA’s were decided in August, and the only real race is who will be the AL’s MVP. But it could be a certain Yankee because of East Coast bias.

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

1 month ago

Reply to GrandpaBaseball

Aaron Judge was the best player in baseball by a long shot. Nothing to do with bias, it isn’t even close. You could entertain an argument that you thought Cal Raleigh was more valuable to his team than Judge was to his, but Judge was a far superior player.

Trusted Member

Biggiswrth

1 month ago

Reply to Roy Hobbs

Stats wise yes Judge was by far the best. Crazy how that avg. was the best in the league and how far we have come from the Gwynn, Carew days where .330-.360 was possible.

Raleigh get’s it for me though as he had the BEST PRODUCTION EVER as a catcher. All while being involved in every pitch and playing defence far superior to Judge.

Most Valuable was Raleigh

Last edited 1 month ago by Biggiswrth

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

1 month ago

Reply to Biggiswrth

Judge’s slash line of 331/457/688 in a year when offense was so depressed was a remarkable achievement. He was 2.5 Wins and 100 points of OPS higher than his next closest competitors. He was in a class by himself.

If Trout put up that slash line we would be very upset if he did not win the MVP, but I Completely understand your thinking and it gets back to the how do we define the MVP discussion. I don’t believe there is an argument, using metrics, for saying that Raleigh was a far superior defensive player to Judge unless it’s just because one was a catcher and one was a right fielder.

Legend

Fansince1971

1 month ago

Reply to Roy Hobbs

Both are deserving for sure. It’s possible to nitpick pointing out the short right porch at Yankee stadium. How many HR would Raleigh have hit if he played 81 games in Yankee stadium?!

But I think either player is worthy but Judge will likely win it because Yankees.

Legend

GrandpaBaseball

1 month ago

Reply to Roy Hobbs

Ray, I do not have an argument to say that Judge does not deserve to be MVP. He had a great season and by almost all metrics he was unsurpassed. He went to the playoffs with a very good team, and he was their leader. While not many players in history can say they had equal or even a better season, what he did has been done many times in the history of the game.

Whether or not there was the Manfred Ball used, Raleigh had the greatest offensive season by any catcher ever, period. 60 HR season by any player is over the top, by a catcher even greater an achievement because usually catchers do not play 159 games as Raleigh played. Like Judge Cal led his team to the playoffs, he helped the M’s pitching staff to improve and wins more games than the prior season. Not Dickey, Berra, Bench, Freehan, Simmons, Fisk or any other Catcher in history did what he did. Catcher do not get to 10,000 career ABs, nor last long enough to get to 500 HRs or 3,000 hits, their bodies are too beat up to last that long, but appreciate that a once in a life time event has been accomplished and should be rewarded the highest esteemed award that that a player at the end of a season can be awarded and that being awarded the MVP of the American League for 2025.

It certainly will not be the end of the world if Judge does win of course, as he too is another great player of the game, but a once in a lifetime season by a catcher is even more special.

Super Member

BannedInLA

1 month ago

Reply to Roy Hobbs

I definitely concur and for anyone on the fence, ask yourself this one basic question: Which player would you select #1 to start your team (Excluding age considerations),

Judge is putting up poor man’s Ted Williams numbers. Incredible stuff.

Legend

GrandpaBaseball

1 month ago

Trade with the WS to return Quero and send him and O’Hoppe to Arizona right after January first to learn how to hit and play defense. Or teach O’Hoppe to play LF that way Quero could catch a little more.

Gawd it is hard to be a fan of a messed-up team that just does not improve.

Minasian was heard singing “Just one more year” to Phil Collins One More Night. 😮

Trusted Member

milehigh

1 month ago

Reply to GrandpaBaseball

Would be curious to remove framing from defense stats for catchers and see the results. ABS coming next year and framing will be of little use. Possibly ABS has dramatic effect as strike zone will shrink.

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

1 month ago

Reply to GrandpaBaseball

O’Hoppe’s value as a hitter is as a catcher, or DH if his hitting improves. Otherwise, he doesn’t belong on the field. How about we stop acquiring players that need fixing and start acquiring players who already know how to play. Let’s stop being the island of misfit toys.

Legend

Fansince1971

1 month ago

Reply to Roy Hobbs

Have to have something to trade to acquire anything other than misfit toys. The Angels have been unwilling to trade the players that could have returned the kind of players you want (see failure to trade Ohtani).

Super Member

Roy Hobbs

1 month ago

Reply to Fansince1971

Agreed

Legend

GrandpaBaseball

1 month ago

Reply to Roy Hobbs

Two problems with acquiring players who already know how to play. First is I’m questioning how many of today’s players know how to play. Second is the Halos don’t have many, if any players who know how to play.

Since analytics came into play, knowing how to play the game properly seems to have flown the coop. Strike outs are accepted because one excuse is that a player then won’t groundout into a double play. smfh. Launch angle has destroyed players trying for a HR. MPH should be saved for cars and aircraft, not hitting a baseball. Looking objectively at today’s game you will notice very little contact made by many teams. Analytics says it takes 3 or four singles to produce a run as opposed to one HR. With single comes the dreaded DP, CS, missed bag going for third on a following single (Bag being second base.) The runner being hit by a hit or slipping and falling. Not taught any more is hitting the other way, hitting for the power gaps. To many missed opportunities now days.

Who are you going to trade with say a value of 15 to 20 and receive value in return?