What, exactly, is so funny?Does thirteen wins not lead the league?
Do the Mets not lead the standings by a mile and a half?
Is there not a relatively weak field this season in the National League?
So what's the problem?
Oh yeah...that small detail regarding the man whom the award was named for rolling over in his grave if Steve Trachsel were to win his award.
Steve Trachsel's propensity for turning blowouts into games of interest, and attempting to use every inch of his run support like a drunken frat boy at Pamplona might make him the only pitcher to lead his league in victories to be discussed in terms of not getting a postseason start. Now don't get me wrong, an 11-1 stretch will earn Trachsel (or on nights like tonight, Whacked-sel) at least one postseason start...but there's only so many times you can run from those bulls before they gore you.And that's why, in this season of no N.L. pitcher grabbing the bull by the horns (not to be confused with the dead horse I'm beating with the bull references), the Cy Young award should be split amongst the members of the Mets mighty bull pen (OK, I couldn't avoid that one). After all, who is most responsible for Steve Trachsel gaining a share of the win lead in the N.L. other than the 'pen?
No sooner do those words come out of my keyboard than I look at Rob Neyer's Cy Young predictor...and look who's number one!You still may not completely trust Billy Wagner, ladies and gentlemen. But every so often, we need a reminder to take a breath, smell the flowers, taste the coffee, and consider the alternatives...because we know them well:
"We've been defending Benitez about all the one-run leads (he has blown). But if I have to take him out with a four-run lead, I should be worried there." -Felipe Alou, Giants managerWhoa dude!
"Asked what he needed to see from Benitez, who has blown eight of 23 save chances, Alou answered bluntly: 'I don't know. Get people out.'"Ask an obvious question, get an obvious answer, yes?
But let's not let our hatred of Armando Benitez blur the smaller picture, kids:
- The Mets, one night after their best 24 hours of the season, did not let up.
- Jose Reyes is a monster.
- Chris Woodward's swing has been dusted off with some regular work and is now showing his value.
- Shawn Green lands at JFK at about...now.
- And Mike McGann is a bitter Yankee-establishment hack who has admitted to being the spawn of Satan.
Life's still good.
12 comments:
Inexplicably, Steve Trachsel is not even in the Top Ten in the Cy Young Predictor! How many more ugly wins does he need to break through the yolk and get his just due?!
I like Neyer; I think he approaches analysis correctly.
That said, whatever the gobbledeegook is that goes into this metric . . . if it sees Wags as more valuable than Webb (who's thrown 3 times more innings), it's a bad system.
Mets players always seem to get hosed on MVP votes. This year reminds of 1986, when Hernandez and Carter split votes and Mike Schmidt won it, even though the Phillies never even sniffed contention. Same thing happened in 1988 - McReynolds and Strawberry took votes away from each other and Kirk Gibson won it. But at least the Dodgers were a division winner that year. Unfortunately, with Beltran, Reyes and Wright as worthy Met candidates, chances are Pujols or Howard will take it.
Re: Mike McGann - those 1977 Yankees were a bunch of choir boys, right? Billy Martin, Reggie Jackson, Mickey Rivers - all model members of society, liked by all. And that YES network? Real objective, quality programming, 24/7.
Pujols deserves it. Why shouldn't he "take it"?
Pujols indeed deserves it. Beltran also, arguably, deserves it. I'm just saying that the chances of Beltran winning it are diminished, perhaps unfairly, due to the presence of other Met candidates.
Probably.
I was worried about Mets splitting the votes...but with Wright's slump, and Reyes not being a pure power hitter, I think Beltran is the clear Met candidate for MVP at this point in terms of numbers, and should have a legitimate shot to win the award if the Cardinals slide out of the playoffs.
hotfoot fan, you think it depends on the size of the lead? Because that's what it seems like.
I'm not so sure MD. I think Reyes will get some votes. Opposing teams' best chance of beating the Mets is by keeping Reyes off the bases. I'd love to get some stats re: Mets record in games where Reyes does not get on base.
Also, even with his recent slump, Wright will still get MVP votes - take a look as his stats when batting with runners on (.335, 67 RBI), RISP (.368, 67 RBI), RISP w 2 outs (.348, 29 RBI). See http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7382/situational;_ylt=Amggp5wnoMrtjz3Xn3kbdOuFCLcF
Unser, you're right...they'll definitely get some votes. And the beauty of the Mets is that they have guys up and down the lineup who are valuable. I personally think the reason Beltran and Wright are having such good seasons is Delgado hitting between them.
Reyes is just so unique that he's bound to get votes. And Reyes could win an MVP someday with the numbers he has...but only if he hits in the .350's...that's how a guy like Willie McGee won the MVP in '85.
I just think that with Wright's recent and prolonged slump has given a guy like Beltran the edge...it's not like Straw and MacReynolds where they had seasons that were too similar in '88. Beltran's edge isn't huge, but it's clear, so I don't think there's going to be as much split votes as there were in '88.
But I think it's moot because if the Cards make the playoffs, Pujols has won it. Plain and simple. And that's fine as long as the Mets get the hardware that matters.
Amen to the important hardware.
Amen to that amen.
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