Tagged: jason bay

The Real All-Star Lineups

American League


C Joe Mauer          Joe Mauer
1B Mark Teixeira          Justin Morneau
2B Dustin Pedroia          Aaron Hill
3B Evan Longoria          Evan Longoria
SS Derek Jeter          Jason Bartlett
LF Jason Bay          Jason Bay
CF Josh Hamilton          Torii Hunter
RF Ichiro Suzuki          Ichiro Suzuki

National League

C Yadier Molina           Pablo Sandoval
1B Albert Pujols          Albert Pujols
2B Chase Utley          Orlando Hudson
3B David Wright           Ryan Zimmerman
SS Hanley Ramirez          Hanley Ramirez
LF Ryan Braun          Adam Dunn
CF Carlos Beltran          Hunter Pence
RF Raul Ibañez          Justin Upton

Percentage of agreement: 31.25%
Fan balloting is messed up.

Early NL MVP Candidates: Edition 2

(Yes, I know I did not do an edition one, but we’ll just pretend I did)

1. Albert Pujols, 1B, Cardinals
https://i0.wp.com/www.chrisoleary.com/projects/Baseball/Hitting/Images/Hitters/AlbertPujols/AlbertPujols_003.jpg
Who Else?  Pujols has already one a pair of Cy Young, he has 349 homeruns at age 29, he’s the greatest hitter ever etc.  I’ll go ahead and outline Pujols accomplishments for 2009 anyway.  As we approach the all-star break, Pujols leads the NL in, homeruns (30), runs (61), rbi’s (77), on-base percentage (.453), slugging percentage (.743), total bases (197), and on-base+slugging percentage (1.197).  Pujols is not far behind David Wright in batting average.  MVP in pocket?  Triple Crown?

2. Raul Ibanez, LF, Phillies
http://stepupyagame.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/4d564620-cdc9-40b1-9a4f-e5187eea7fed.jpg
The Phillies were ridiculed for signing Ibanez to replace Pat Burrell, creating a L-L-L, 3-4-5 part of their lineup.  Don’t look now, but Ibanez is third to Pujols in HR’s (22), second in .SLG (.656), third in .OPS (1.027), and total bases (164), fourth in RBI (59), and sixth in runs (15).  Ibanez has never come close to winning an MVP award, and won’t this year because of Pujols, but he is one of the top three hitters in the NL.

3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Padres
http://theghostofmoonlightgraham.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/gonzalez_adrian_2.jpg
The only good offensive player in the San Diego lineup, Gonzalez is second in homeruns (24), leads in walks (63), is fifth in OPS (1.002), ninth in total bases (154), and ranks in top ten in many other categories.  If only A-Gone had some offensive help, (like people getting on base in front of him), he’d rack up extraordinary numbers.

  • Joke Of The Day: Jeff Francoeur’s ultimate sandwich!

https://i0.wp.com/blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/files/2009/05/0829_large.jpg
It starts with French bread, because he’s frenchy, then swiss cheese because its full of holes, just like his swing, don;t forget the bacon, sausage, ham, because somehow, he’s the meat of the Braves’ order.  No vegetables, because if he ate his, he wouldn’t be flirting with the Mendoza line.

  • Welcome to the Golden Sombrero Club Jason Bay

https://i0.wp.com/baseballcanadiana.mlblogs.com/Jason%20Bay.jpg
0-5   5 strikeouts




What’s A DH?/AL .OPS Teams

  • What was a DH?

Originally, a DH was just an opportunity to put an extra hitter in the lineup, an attempt to pull the AL out of a era of great pitchers.  The popular notion was that fans preferred high-scoring games over low scoring games, and that having higher-scoring games would entice more fans to attend games.  In short, it was just another way to make money.


  • What is a DH?

The DH spot is now a spot to stick overweight multimillionaires who have no idea how to play the field, (see Ortiz, David) .  These players earn a comfy salary for tearing the cover off the ball every 2-3 innings, (or not tearing the cover off the ball, see Ortiz, David), while their teammates stand out in the field for 9 innings doing most of the work.  The DH has done what is was supposed to have done!!!  Now get rid of it!!!!!!

Note: The DH rule was originally supposed to be a three-year trial run, running from 1973-1975.
The AL All-.OPS, Not-so All-.OPS Teams

The Best of the Best .OPS Team (AL)
C Victor Martinez, Indians, .970
1B Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox, 1.073
2B Ian Kinsler, Rangers, .847
3B Evan Longoria, Rays, .971
SS Derek Jeter, Yankees, .841
LF Jason Bay, Red Sox, .998
CF Torii Hunter, Angels, 1.013
RF Ben Zobrist, Rays, 1.091
DH Jason Kubel, Twins, .922
The Worst of the Worst .OPS Team (AL)
C Dioner Navarro, Rays, .541
1B Chris Davis, Rangers, .697
2B Chris Getz, White Sox, .610
3B Josh Fields, White Sox, .625
SS Orlando Cabrera, A’s, .576
LF David DeJesus, Royals, .670
CF B.J. Upton, Rays, .620
RF Magglio Ordoñez, Tigers, .701
DH David Ortiz, Red Sox, .637

Early AL MVP Candidates

1. Jason Bay, LF, Red Sox

3bayAP__1223087995_8200.jpg

Bay has cooled off somewhat as of late, but still is one of the top hitters in the AL.  He’s among the league leaders in .OBP, Total Bases, .SLG, .OPS, Homeruns, Runs, RBI, and Walks.  Bay is a pure hitter, he supports his team in every category, but generally doesn’t stick out in one particular category.  Bay is similar to Baltimore’s Nick Markakis, in many aspects, as a decent power hitter, with a high .OBP, and who leads, (or previously led, in the case of Bay), an underrated team.  However Bay is a better power hitter than Markakis, and now plays for a big market team.  If Bay sticks out in so called “important categories”, such as homers, and RBI’s, he will enthrall voters, if he doesn’t…, then, well he won’t…
2. Justin Morneau, 1B, Twins

Morneau.jpg

Morneau was somewhat of a suprise MVP winner in 2006, beating out Derek Jeter, and David Ortiz in a close vote.  Morneau then came in second in 2008 to Dustin Pedroia, even though he had a sub-par season.  Morneau is the kind of gritty ballplayer that is always on the field, and is a perennial MVP candidate.  Morneau is at the top of his league in Total Bases, and .SLG, and also is near the top in .OBP, RBI’s, Homeruns, every major hitting category.  This could be the year that he reaches 40 homeruns.  If he keeps this up, he wins the MVP.
3. Evan Longoria, 3B, Rays

fantasy_a_longoria_300(1).jpg

A No. 3 draft pick, and a top prospect, Longoria burst onto the scene in 2008, making the All-Star Game, and winning the rookie of the year.  Longoria leads the AL in doubles, and RBI’s, and is among the leaders in .SLG, Hits, Runs, Total Bases, .OPS, and Homeruns.  I see this MVP race coming down to the underrated Morneau, and Longoria.  The one concern that I see about Longoria, is that he is striking out more than he did last year, almost once a game. He’ll get some bonus publicity if he leads the Rays back for The Miracle Rays 2.
4. Why I am not including Kevin Youkilis

youks-756596.jpg

Youkilis is an on-base +slugging monster, who pounds the ball, but hadn’t discovered power until last season.  While he definetly be in the top 5 on my ballot, his power numbers sadly won’t appeal to the actual voters.