gammons: AL MVP comes from oakland

nice link, but

how did you even post this teeny, tiny diary?

"We've added a little more bling to it, so to speak," Macha said.

by eshock on Apr 1, 2006 10:20 PM PST reply actions

Wow!

Gammons has some cojones!

by OaktownRajah on Apr 1, 2006 10:51 PM PST reply actions

i cant tell which one takes more balls...

picking eric chavez for MVP or bobby crosby

by Suck My Moneyballs on Apr 1, 2006 11:23 PM PST reply actions

That is because

MVP's put their teams on their backs. Crosby did this last year when he was healthy, Chavez did not down the stretch when the team needed him most.

by CyberFT on Apr 2, 2006 1:28 AM PST reply actions

that's really deep

crosby and his 9hr and 38rbi put the team on his back.

the likelihood is that neither crosby or chavez will be a legitimate MVP candidate next year, although crosby is even less likely to be one than chavez.
these ESPN people are idiots. the a's are good, so let's pick one of them for MVP. problem is, the a's are good because of their depth and their pitching. no way crosby or chavez has the type of year that ortiz, arod, hafner, or teixeira will have, but the a's don't need them to.
but any joe sixpack can pick arod for MVP. so if you're an "expert" you pick crosby or sizemore.

what are these supposed experts smoking?

two pick crosby, two pick chavez. other brilliant picks include two for sizemore, and one each for jeter and griffey!

even some of these cy young picks are pretty retarded as well:
three pick beckett, plus one each for freddy garcia, billy wagner and smoltz.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/preview06/news/story?page=06expertpicks

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Apr 2, 2006 1:47 AM PST up reply actions

I dont think it's so ridiculous

It's not fair at all to look at Crosby's full season numbers and say those are not MVP type numbers. He was injured for much of the season and his numbers took an obvious hit. But I remember when he came back at the end of May and the A's when on an amazing run after that and he really helped carry the offense for a good stretch and if he can do that again this year he could be an MVP.

Green eyes come from yellow flecks of fatty pigment on a dark background. Some men think a green-eyed woman is exotic. The truth is she's got fat eyes.

by Furious George on Apr 2, 2006 3:55 AM PST up reply actions

MVP crosby

first, some good old fashioned correlation does not necessarily equal causation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logical_fallacy/Correlation_implies_causation

nearly every sports writer who has written a story on the a's in the last six months needs to go there as well. someone should keep track of all the articles that use the "x record with crosby, y record without crosby" line.

next, and more importantly, check out the following diaries by apricot:
http://www.athleticsnation.com/story/2005/9/6/0826/02647

note crosby is sixth from the bottom in the april through 8/31 list, and second to last (ahead of only ryan glynn!) in the 7/1 to 8/31 list.

the discussion, with apricot's responses to oaktoon's ramblings, is worth reading as well.
best line: "the A's have gone on a crazy winning streak since my daughter was born... I bet she has something to do with it too."

then check out this diary:
http://www.athleticsnation.com/story/2005/9/17/43715/2203

note as of 9/17, crosby doesn't even make the list of A's best winexp players to date. crosby played in 7 games after that diary was written and was 4 for 25 with 4r 0hr 0rbi 2bb 5k.

a related diary focused on pitching for those who may find this stuff interesting:
http://www.athleticsnation.com/story/2005/10/16/17229/607

so i ask you: is crosby, who only managed to play 84 games last year because of multiple injuries, and whose two mlb seasons have been
.239avg, .319obp, .426slg, 64rbi, hr every 25 abs
.276avg, .346obp, .456slg, 38 rbi, hr every 37 abs
a better bet to win the MVP than arod, ortiz, hafner, vlad, teixeira, konerko, or (gasp) even eric chavez?

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Apr 2, 2006 7:26 AM PST up reply actions

Beckett? Cripes...

The guy beat the Yankees to clinch the Series. He's never pitched a full season and he's moving from one of the best pitcher parks in MLB to Boston.

Sounds like a shoo-in for a Cy Young award!

Why yes. I am a ray of warm and fuzzy sunshine.

by grover on Apr 2, 2006 8:31 AM PST up reply actions

CMon..Cy Young is so based on wins...

If Beckett pitches like he can, he will get a ton of wins playing for Boston. I dont think he is a crazy CY pick at all.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Apr 2, 2006 12:00 PM PDT up reply actions

That's Right....

Pedro and Clemens before him were certainly hurt bad by Fenway....

oaktoon

by oaktoon on Apr 2, 2006 12:50 PM PDT up reply actions

Just think how ridiculous

there numbers would have looked if they had gotten to pitch in Florida for all their home starts! Last year Beckett's ERA was nearly 2 runs better at home than on the road. His BAA showed a .205/.261 home/road split. In 2004 his ERA was 3/4 of a run better at home than on the road. His BAA splits were .213/.265. In 2003 his ERA was nearly a full run better at home than on the road. His BAA splits were .233/.265.

It just might be that Beckett's overall numbers have been helped by his choice of home park. Just throwing that out there for consideration.

And at least Pedro and Clemens have managed 30 GS and 200 IP in a season. You can't say the same about Beckett even if you added the postseason to his 2003 performance.

Why yes. I am a ray of warm and fuzzy sunshine.

by grover on Apr 2, 2006 1:29 PM PDT up reply actions

Don't think it's ridiculous, either

The main thing you need to be considered for this award is to be on a winning team, and Crosby and Chavez are likely to fit that bill. MVPs have substantially lesser numbers than their competition all the time. If either Chavy or Crosby hit over .300 with 30+ and 100+, and the A's dominate, they'd vault to the top of the list of potential candidates.

"All the years I lived in the Bay Area, just hearing Bill's voice alone, that was the signal that baseball was here again."--Ken Korach.

by jeepers on Apr 2, 2006 9:32 AM PST up reply actions

Yeah but

There's no indication either can do that. Unless they have a huge fluke season, nothing in either's track record suggests they can go .300/30.

Crosby winning the MVP is a ridiculous notion. He's got a decent chance to hit .280/.360/.470 ish with possibly 20 homers (if ALL breaks right) and potentially Gold Glove defense, but that's still not MVP.

Chavez might hit .280/.350/.500 with 30+ homers if ALL breaks right, as well (along with the Gold Glove defense, of course) and that's still not MVP either.

The fact of the matter is that there's no MVP caliber hitter on the A's, plain and simple. Thankfully, they don't need one to win the World Series.

A full season of Harden, however, could be CY worthy.

by walk off bunt on Apr 2, 2006 1:02 PM PDT up reply actions

Crosby's too young to say that

I have every expectation that by the time he's done, he will have had a .300/30/100 season. Whether or not it's this year, I don't know.

30/100 should be a given for Chavy. Whether or not he can hit .300 with much better protection than he's had in a lineup for years is also an open question, IMHO.

"All the years I lived in the Bay Area, just hearing Bill's voice alone, that was the signal that baseball was here again."--Ken Korach.

by jeepers on Apr 2, 2006 1:33 PM PDT up reply actions

Oh well yeah

Crosby may very well do that over the course of his career, I just HIGHLY doubt it'll be this year.

As for Chavez, .300/30 should be easily within his reach, but one would tend to think he should've already done it by now.

by walk off bunt on Apr 2, 2006 2:38 PM PDT up reply actions

I bet he was just bored.

A-Rod, Manny, Vlad. A-Rod, Manny, Vlad. A-Rod, Manny, Vlad. YAWN. Bobby! Why not?!

by matthias on Apr 2, 2006 8:11 AM PST reply actions

it is a little strange

to publicly declare that a player who potentially might be able to carry his club but who has never done so (in his first season because he was a rookie and in his second because of injuries) will win over a young vet who has already done so.

And anyway, this deserves a JINX

by OaklandSi on Apr 2, 2006 8:31 AM PST reply actions

Ichiro will win the MVP this year because

he will be the first since Teddy Ballgame to hit .400 and he'll swipe 40-50 bags to boot. The M's will still finish third, but mark my words, Ichiro WILL hit .400 and be the MVP this year. You can all laugh now, but talk to me in October. Don't see any real MVP canadite types on the A's. They're just a damn fine TEAM!

Lou Brock was a great base stealer, but today, I am the greatest! - Rickey Henderson

by haren4prez on Apr 2, 2006 11:36 AM PDT reply actions

Since he added power to his game..no way

He opened up his swing a bit and hit more HR last year. He isnt going to raise his average 100 points from last year.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Apr 2, 2006 12:01 PM PDT up reply actions

If I had a dollar

For every baseball prediction involving the phrase "X player/team WILL do (fill in any sort of accomplishment here) this year, mark my words," Bill Gates would be a very jealous man of me.

by walk off bunt on Apr 2, 2006 1:04 PM PDT up reply actions

Err

For every baseball prediction along those lines that went wrong, I should clarify.

by walk off bunt on Apr 2, 2006 1:05 PM PDT reply actions

Cupcake for MVP!!!!

Why not? Makes about as much sense.....

"HOLY TOLEDO!" Bill King

by 510inDenver on Apr 2, 2006 2:23 PM PDT reply actions

Scutaro for Cy Young!

by Nico on Apr 2, 2006 10:50 PM PDT up reply actions

Yankees up 15-1

Macha does the unthinkable to protect the Bullpen, and gives the Ball to Scooter, (who it is not widely known, posted a 1.2 ERA In the Venezuelan Coca League), Scooter pitches 3 shutout innings, striking out 5. Macha is so blown away, he moves Zito to bat 7th and play shortstop, after Zito got 2 RBI's & a double on Macha's Playstation2.

"HOLY TOLEDO!" Bill King

by 510inDenver on Apr 3, 2006 10:41 PM PDT up reply actions