Realistically, Manny has no shot because he only played in 53 games. However, Pujols is sitting at home while Manny and the Dodgers are on the verge of moving on to the NLCS after dispatching the best team in the NL. Before Manny, they were in second place in the weakest division. I don't think any player had had a bigger impact on a team this year than Manny in L.A.
I do feel badly for the Cubs. I've been to Wrigley many times and love how the fans are and how they support their team. I guess it just goes to show you that the season means nothing in October.
Nor does any player in profesional sports need a serious CHECK UP from the NECK UP more than Manny... But yeah, I have viewed first hand exactly what he has done. If that trade went down 2 weeks before All-Star game, it is an ENTIRELY different story Just for the record, how many HR's did Manny have for the season?
True Pujols is at home right now but how is it Albert's fault? He put up huge numbers all year and with a bum elbow. The Cardinals have a better record than LA, it just happens that they are in the NL Central instead of the NL West, if LA was in the Central they'd be in 5th place. So I think it has more to do with the NL West being weak.
Agreed that Manny is a nutjob. I don't know if I am willing to give him 4 years and 80 million yet, but his play in the field of play is AMAZING. L.A. hasn't had a legit power hitter since Mike Piazza/Eric Karros (Shawn Green and Adrian Beltre don't count seeing as how I am convinced they were juiced). And I don't think Manny will get serious consideration for MVP. I just think he should based on how he played. And Manny had 37 homers on the season. 20 with Boston, 17 with L.A. 121 RBI's (53 with L.A.) and a .332 batting average (.396 with L.A.)
Albert will win it for sure. Don't get me wrong. However, the argument for the MVP inevitably turns to how the TEAM did overall. It has always been interesting to me. The award is N.L./A.L. MVP, not the team's MVP. To me, that means the FACE of the N.L./A.L. The one guy that when you say N.L./A.L., that is who you think of. Admittedly, I do not think of Manny when in that context. However, if you subscribe to the theory that the MVP belongs to whoever did the most to help their team and make the players around them better, I undeniably think of Manny in L.A. So, it is more of a fundamental way you view the MVP race really...
How the team did shouldn't have any impact on MVP and it only does when the writer's who vote for the award want to give it to a guy on a playoff team. Arod won the award in '03 on a last place team but he was clearly the best player in the AL that year and deserved it. What Manny has done in LA is truly stunning and a bit sad. The guy has all the talent in the world to be this good all the time but he's only doing this because he wants a big contract and so he can say he never dogged it in Boston. If LA signs him, or any team, the guy will be unreal in April and May and then you'll start to see him slowly dog it. Again I'm not knocking the guy, he helped my team win 2 WS titles and was a pleasure to watch hit everyday.
Oh I disagree. I dont think anyone can touch Pujols. He won the batting hitting a ridiculous 360 with 1 arm most of the year. In a year where Howard hit 250 and had an OPS almost 200 points lower how the heck can Howard win the MVP? He shouldnt even be top 3 in the voting. He had 1 great month. My hatred for the Phillies aside, hes not even the best player on his own team.
Agreed Boik too many people get carried away with what a player did in September and doesn't look at the other 5 months.
After some of the stories that have come out since his departure, how can you not knock the guy? Forgetting which knee was hurt, refusing to get on a team bus... the guy is a bum. And this comes from a fan who used to defend him before all of the stories about his final half season with us become public. He's an unbelievable hitter, truly a pleasure to watch in the batters box, but he's a bum and his true colors will begin to show once he gets that new contract.
I agree 100%. We are the beneficiaries of a fired up Manny right now. I think Manny would be smart to sign one year contracts from here on out. I know it will never happen, but if he is motivated by money and contract years, he could potentially shatter all kinds of records constantly playing in a contract year from here on forward.
When do they vote? I think because a lot of voters look at who is in the playoffs and what players did down the stretch, that Howard will win it. Now i agree with 200 strikeouts and only a .250 average he shouldn't(And I'm a Phils fan). However, I can see just as many voters that shy away because of his average; voting for him because of his huge RBI total. I forget who said it but i agree with Manny was the most valuable to his team...too bad he didn't play enough games in the NL. Maybe if he reached 80 games
When I said I wasn't knocking the guy I meant that I wasn't knocking him for not being the MVP this year or trying to take away how good he's been for LA. He deserves to be knocked for the way he treated the Sox team and FO this year. He was an absolute first class jerk.
im leaving the rays game now. actually im sitting on the side of the road in my truck. traffic is jammed up and im just about out of gas, so I pulled it over. hopefully ill be out of here in another hour.
The votes are supposed to be in on the last day of the regular season or before the first playoff game, I forget which one it is. It isnt announced til after the season. I think Manny would have run a close second to Pujols in the balloting had he had enough AB's...you have to figure he wouldnt have stayed at 396 and wouldnt have kept up the rbi pace (53 in less then 200 ab's is kinda ridiculous). As it is it should run: Pujols, Berkman, Braun in my opinion.
The Baseball season is way to long to end like this, they need to change it to best of 7 for all rounds, im sorry, but its a huge disadvantage to the best teams imo...
Playing devil's advocate here but if a team can't win a best of 5 series how would they win a best of 7? I agree that sometimes the better team loses (especially if it goes to 5 games) in these shorter series but for example a team like the Cubs this year, never looked like they had a chance after Loney's grand slam.
Agreed. What changes if the LAD-CHI series goes to 7 games? Chi still starts the same pitchers and L.A> is up 3 games to none right now. In the history of the playoffs, only one team has come back from a 3-0 deficit (the Red Sox) and they have to have everything go right for them to do it. This isn't new or a surprise. The Cubs knew the format and planned accordingly. Give th eDodgers credit for gameplanning perfectly and getting the clutch hits when they needed them.
Philly has two very good starters in Hamels and Myers and their line up is very good against right handed pitching. I think it will be a good series and probably go at least 6 games. I don't think either team will roll over the other one.
They have been saying that have bigger plans then just winning the division. As a Phils fan I am very scared of the Dodgers.
There is a major dynamic difference in a 5 game against a 7 game series. Also in a 7 game series the 4th starting pitcher comes into play. The quality of the 4th starter is often the difference between a good team and an outstanding team. Another major dynamic between a 5 game and a 7 game series is the sense of desperation if the 1st game is lost. In a 7 game series that does not happen until the 2nd loss.
Most teams do use the 4th starter in the best of 5 series unless they play in the longer series (which the Sox/Angels are right now hence no need with the 4th starter). But I agree with everything else you wrote. I think the problem with having it be a 7 game series is these games will keep being pushed back further into November. I guess a way to deal with that is a shorter season (which the MLB will never do) or start the season the last week of March and have all of the east coast teams play on the west coast or in domes to open up the season.
Poor Cubs. That was the worst hack job ive seen in awhile, terrible. They didnt even show up. And enjoy Alfonso Soriano and his flaws for the next 5 years. Guy is the ultimate tease.
It amazes me that none of these teams throw up and in at Manny to try and take him off his game and push him off the plate. Especially considering Manny doesn't work the inner half of the plate like he use to.
I said back in June I thought it would be Boston and the Phillies at another site and was ripped for picking the Phillies. Looking good right now.