MLB Discussion

[MadMan]

Hey guys, Miguel Cabrera might actually win the triple crown.

He's been great for my fantasy team, although said team is unfortunately playing for third place after losing in the playoffs last week.

And Mike Trout has a 10.3 WAR. 14 other position players have done that. All but one are in Hall of Fame (Barry Bonds)

I'm not sure who should be MVP: him, or Cabera.

And Melky Cabrera is going to win a batting title in a season where he was suspended in hilarious fashion for PEDs.

Delicious irony, although not so sweet for my Yahoo fantasy squad.

And the Factory of Sadness known as the Pittsburgh Pirates, after giving their fans hope and joy for 4 months, were found out to still be terrible.

I should feel sorry for them, but I'm a Cubs fan and thus used to misery. However the Cubs have at least had winning seasons and won the division since 1993. Ouch.

[Robby P]

Trout has to be MVP. He's hit nearly as well as Cabrera but more importantly he plays a mean center field and Miggy is a butcher at third. That said, I'm assuming all previous triple crown winners have won MVP.

[shaun]

Trout has to be MVP. He's hit nearly as well as Cabrera but more importantly he plays a mean center field and Miggy is a butcher at third. That said, I'm assuming all previous triple crown winners have won MVP.

Nah. Ted Williams didn't win the MVP in either of his triple crown seasons, being beaten both times by Yankees (Joe Gordon and Joe DiMaggio). Williams was far and away better than either of them statistically, but the Yankees won the pennant both those years.

http://baseballjunkies.blogspot.com/...loses-mvp.html

[Ezee E]

Strangely, neither the Tigers or Angels may make te playoffs.

[Gizmo]

Reds are first team clinched in the playoffs! Hoping for Cards loss tomorrow and Reds win to clinch Central while I'm at the game tomorrow night! Either way it'll be exciting to be at games with a winning team and having fun enjoying meaningless games in September. Not used to them being meaningless in this way!

[Robby P]

Not surprised Williams didn't win MVP in his triple crown seasons given how much the writers hated his guts. At least the feeling was mutual.

[shaun]

Reds are first team clinched in the playoffs! Hoping for Cards loss tomorrow and Reds win to clinch Central while I'm at the game tomorrow night! Either way it'll be exciting to be at games with a winning team and having fun enjoying meaningless games in September. Not used to them being meaningless in this way!

Let's hope Dusty hasn't completely Dusty'd up Chapman's arm. The bullpen goes from dominant to pretty good when he's not pitching.

[Robby P]

Great to see the Giants clinch their second division title in three years. Even sweeter to have it come at the expense of the Dodgers. Yankees of the West, indeed.

[Watashi]

Maybe I don't understand, but how did the Braves clinch a playoff spot if they are still 4 games up in the Wild Card.

[shaun]

Ridiculous.

@espnsportsinfo
ELIAS confirms Greinke is 1st starter SINCE 1900 to record 13+ strikeouts in 5 or fewer IP. Wow.

[soitgoes...]

Maybe I don't understand, but how did the Braves clinch a playoff spot if they are still 4 games up in the Wild Card.

They're 9 1/2 games up over the Dodgers.

[Watashi]

They're 9 1/2 games up over the Dodgers.

I guess ESPN's format is just strange. At first glance, it looks like Atlanta and St. Louis are tied at top for the WC.

[shaun]

Homer Bailey throws the first Reds no-hitter since Tom Browning in '88. Pretty badass from a guy that's probably not in the postseason rotation.

[ThePlashyBubbler]

Bummer, almost went to that game here in Pittsburgh!

[Robby P]

I don't see why he wouldn't make it. He's been their third best pitcher this year.

[shaun]

I don't envision Dusty Baker using advanced stats. He'll likely go with Arroyo because of Postseason Experience.

[Ezee E]

Reds are still taking the National League.

[Gizmo]

Bummer, almost went to that game here in Pittsburgh!

Me too. I had it planned for months as a stopping point on our way back to MD from Cincy. But money was tight and the wife vetoed the stop since the game was unimportant no need to waste money on tickets and hotel. I'm pretty upset right now.

[MadMan]

Reds are still taking the National League.

Probably, although I feel the Braves are a sleeper pick and the Nationals have plenty of talent.

Homer Bailey throws the first Reds no-hitter since Tom Browning in '88. Pretty badass from a guy that's probably not in the postseason rotation.

He's a really solid pitcher, and he just threw a no-hitter. And people wonder why I was so frustrated with Dusty Baker during his time in Chicago.

[shaun]

I'm sure the Orioles are thrilled with this.

@Buster_ESPN
By comparison, the Yankees -- starting CC, Tex, A-Rod, Jeter, others -- have $148.4 million in salaries in their lineup tonight. BOS: $12.5m

There are five individual Yankees playing tonight who make more than the entire Boston starting lineup combined.

[Robby P]

Love that San Francisco can crush LA's season tonight. Sweet, sweet revenge.

[shaun]

I feel the argument over the AL MVP is going to be fantastic. Trout beats him in most advanced stats, and plays on a marginally better team at a more valuable position defensively.

Miggy is in all likelihood going to win the triple crown for the first since Yaztremski and carried his team to the playoffs.

[Ezee E]

Miguel's Triple Crown is an amazing feat. He wins it for me.

[ThePlashyBubbler]

Cabrera/Verlander '12

[MadMan]

Trout gets my vote for MVP, but I have no problem with Cabrera winning it. And can people just stop using WAR to argue for Trout? No one outside of baseball stat nerds gives a shit. Just say that you think that Trout is the better of the two, and have faith in your opinion instead of feeling the need to throw out some number to back yourself up.