Does Bautista stand a chance at the AL MVP?

That's a really good comparison. Anderson's numbers numbers were good for 3rd in the league in slugging and and 2nd in home runs, but nowhere near the top 10 in any of the other categories.

Bautista is 1st in home runs, 3rd in slugging and 2nd in RBIs, but a .382 on-base percentage just doesn't quite say "best hitter in the league." And throw in the fact that he's pretty poor defensively.

 

Cabrera is poor defensively, too, though he hasn't been asked to play multiple positions this year.

For Bautista, you left out fourth in runs scored. Of course, a big part of that is driving himself in, but that is a by-product of having 12 more home runs than anybody else.

And that .382 on-base percentage? It is good for ninth in the AL, tied with Cano. Despite the low average, Bautista is fourth in the AL in OPS (.998), ahead of Cano (sixth) and Mauer (9th). Hamilton is first, followed by Cabrera and Konerko.

Comparing finishes from one year to the next is a terrible idea. Too many variables. Anderson competed against a completely different field in '96 than the one Bautista is being measured against now.

 

Someone steroid test that man!

 

Damn it! Beat me to it.

 

Bautista is having a hell of a season, no doubt. But I'd be surprised if were close in the MVP voting because (1) his team hasn't really been in contention all season, (2) doesn't get much exposure in some US markets (although playing in the AL east helps).

 

Really? The guy finished in the top five in the NL in range factor among 3B in 2007 and 2008, finished fifth in the AL in assists by a LF last year and is second in assists by a RF this year. Now I know smarty pants such as you assume a guy gets a lot of assists b/c people run on him, but Bautista plays a lot of positions b/c he's good at them, not b/c the Jays are trying to hide him somewhere.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bautijo02.shtml

And that .382 OBP? It places him, literally, a hair behind Cano for 10th in the league. Bautista also ranks 2nd in the league in walks. Walks are still important, right, Ricky?

As for Brady, he ranked among the AL's top 10 in 20 categories in 1996, some of which I admittedly am too stupid and unintelligent to understand. Bautista ranks in the top 10 in 23.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/anderbr01.shtml

Shouldn't you be back at the fryer by now, Ricky?

 

Range Factor is the worst imaginable defensive stat you could reference, short of fielding percentage.

And while I am, as usual, not surprised that you find reading difficult, 11th in the league in OBP is pretty good. It's just not "best hitter in the league" levels of good. Because, you know, 10 guys are better than him at it.

 

Really, Ricky? Then why don't you show me a stat that details how Bautista is "pretty poor defensively." I'll then forward it to outofplace, who will help decipher it for me. Otherwise I will continue to believe you are ignorant and uninformed about this. Like most other things, actually.

And, really, anytime you want to get into an intelligence pissing contest, let me know. I'll wipe the floor with you, much like you wipe the floor at the end of your shift at McDonald's.

I said no toppings on the burger, Ricky. Take it back and make me another one.

 

Except that he isn't 11th. According to cbs.sportsline.com, he is ninth, ahead of Cano. Apparently, baseballreference.com has him 10th. Obviously, we have some time left to split those hairs. If you are going to quote stats, get them right.

 

I suspect I have seen Bautista play more than anyone on this board this season and I have never felt he was "pretty poor defensively". He is a more than adequate right fielder and third baseman (can also play first in a pinch too) and while I don't think he'll be the MVP, he deserves to be in the mix.

 

I've seen every Jays game this season, and I've been to a few live ones as well. I totally agree with you, he has one of the strongest arms out in the outfield. I don't believe he'll win it either, but he should be in the top five.

 

Baseball Projection.com's Fielding Runs (used by Baseball Reference) has him at -17 runs this season.

Ultimate Zone Rating has him at -3.7 runs in the outfield (+5.1 for his arm and -8.8 for getting to balls in his zone, incidentally) and -2.9 runs at 3B for the year.