2012 MLB Regular Season Running Thread

OK, so I've just now gotten around to pulling my pants back up. Man, that was a wild celebration last night.

Gio calling Mark Lerner "the pimp with the limp" and generally being the coolest guy on the planet.

Harper and LaRoche's son celebrating with apple cider.

Someone putting a paper bag on some kid's head and Werth throwing an empty Miller Lite can at him.

Morse spraying the fans with champagne and beer, then throwing cans of beer into the crowd for them to enjoy.

NL East champs. Pretty damn cool.

 

Congratulations, Nationals fans. On behalf of neutral National League fans, I hope you make the Series.

 

re: the 'great/historic' discussion on cabrera: i find this kid's season to be far greater and certainly more 'historic' than cabrera's, who is w/o question on of the greatest right-handed hitters i've seen over my 45 years of fandom. cabrera is freakin' AWESOME. but trout's season is much more mind-boggling to me -- the freak is a 20-year-old newbie, for cryin' out loud!! (okay, he's now 21 and one month)...

this excitement over the triple crown is largely a romaticized notion old-time baseball folks (like moi)have long cherished, which i understand, but it's also a somewhat arbitrary creation, given that none of cabrera's numbers in the three categories are in any way out-of-the norm for annual league leaders. but trout's figures are jaw-dropping. and i've also come to accept -- and agree -- to the modern-day thinking that BA and RBI are overrated and/or deceiving figures us 'simpletons' should largely ignore.

and as for the mvp discussion, trout gets my vote, even with the angels falling just short of the playoffs while cabrera's team is a division winner. again, this strikes me as an arbitrary distinction, given that the angels have a better record. why should trout fall short of mvp consideration because the angels are a better division?

again, i love-love-LOVE cabrera as an offensive force. heck, what's not to love? trout's season is better, by a smidge, imho, and i'm FAR from any sort of sabermetrics freak/geek. heck, i dont ever know what WAR or any other of these modern acronisms stand for; i fall much more into the grumpy old man category with this stuff.

 

Shock, this is one of those situations where the voters can do no wrong nor no right. Whoever they pick will be one of the most deserving winners in recent memory, yet they will be forced to screw the other deserving winner. Wonder if they'll try to fix a Hernandez-Stargell type tie?

 

Strasburg better be careful he doesn't strain his elbow on that giant champagne bottle.

 

If I had a say in the matter, Trout's defense would put him over the top.

Cabrera is obviously an incredible offensive force, but he's an absolute butcher in the field. I'm quite certain his nonexistent range at third has cost the Tigers several runs this season, while Trout has saved God-knows-how-many with his glove.

And that doesn't even take into account Trout's baserunning prowess. The kid might wind up with 50 steals and always, always takes the extra base.

When you look at the whole picture, to me it really isn't even that close ... Triple Crown or no.

 

And Brandon McCarthy celebrates in style!

 

Is that Moddy in the top photo? Unprofessional, dude. You're supposed to be objective!

 

So a guy who wins the first triple crown in 45 years shouldn't win the MVP because he's a shitty outfielder?

Uh, no.

 

I agree. If you win the Triple Crown, you deserve to be the MVP. Period.