Running 2017 MLB regular season thread

Anyone surprised a 16-inning game was one of Ragu's favorites?

 

So what?

 

Nats get Madson and Doolittle for Blake Treinen and prospects Jesus Luzardo and Sheldon Neuse.

Sounds OK, but I hope they're not done adding.

 

And the annual parting of the Oakland Athletics has begun. What a joke.

 

Agreed. That helps, but it probably isn't enough to fix that bullpen.

 

I'll bet that as a Yankees fan, you know a lot of Ruth stories. I think back to books and magazine pieces I read about him when I was young, and I wonder much was real and how much was exaggerated or even fiction. He was always larger than life to me, and fun to read about, but I had a soft spot for Maris because Oct. 1 was a big day for both of us.

 

There are other Sox fans and media who are convinced the White Sox are going to flip Avisail Garcia for a big return. I guess people think other teams are run by idiots.

 

It will be an interesting couple days in Chicago. The Cubs are coming off of a much-needed sweep of the Orioles on the road this weekend. Arrieta was good and Quintana was lights out. Bryant could be a dark horse MVP candidate if he heats up like I think he might. They've got Lester going tonight and Lackey going tomorrow. Maybe for the last time?

Meanwhile, Clayton Kershaw comes to the South Side tomorrow night. I told Whitman Jr. we were going to the game, and thought he'd be excited. Instead, he frowned and said, "But they'll get shut out!"

He'll thank me in 20 years.

 

.277, 19 HRs, 40 RBIs, 60 runs, .936 OPS

.322, 19 HRs, 63 RBIs, 53 runs, .952 OPS

.348, 16 HRs, 71 RBIs, 61 runs, .995 OPS

.327, 22 HRs, 69 RBIs, 76 runs, 1.038 OPS


One of those is Kris Bryant; the other three are Zimmerman, Murphy and Harper.


Bryant's got quite a bit of heating up to do - and the other three better fall off - if he's going to be MVP.

 

First, I don't care about RBIs or Rs and I don't think voters do, either.

I don't think he's as far off as people might think he is. (Look at the OPSs you shared. Harper is quite a ways ahead of him, but the other two are in range.) There's a misconception that Bryant is having an off season, mainly because the Cubs are down and because his batting average has been mired in .260s land a lot of the year. He's basically having the same year as last year - wOBA .396 last year and .395 this year. His OBP is over .400.

There are a lot of great candidates in the N.L. this year. Let's not forget about Kershaw, for example. I would obviously put Bryant as a dark horse at this point. He wasn't even an All-Star. But you know how narrative can drive these things. (I know that statement somewhat contradicts what I said about RBIs and Rs.) If the Cubs become the Cubs again, and he's in the middle of that ... I can see it, can't you?

 

If you're hitting .277, you better have a crap ton of homers and those other stats you don't care about, or you're not going to be the MVP.

 

You are responding to an imaginary post.