Ryan Braun - NL MVP

Hyperbole at its finest.

 

Apologism at its finest.

Matt Kemp got played 11 more games, got on base at a higher percentage, hit more home runs and stole more bases. And he did all this while playing solid defense at a premium position while Braun played mediocre defense at a hitters' position.

This wasn't close to anyone with a modicum of understanding of baseball.

 

No, clutch doesn't mean what you just said. Clutch means it's the 8th or 9th inning and we need a hit to win or stay in this game, it's September and we're playing for a championship. Clutch means there are 2 outs and guys on you need to get some runs. It's a bit more "valuable" of an at-bat than one from a guy whose team was realistically eliminated in July.

The Brewers do not win the division, they do not make the playoffs, without Ryan Braun. They do not even get close. A great majority of the time he came up to the plate in desperate situations, he came through. He had a phenomenal season.

You guys are acting like they gave Craig fucking Counsell the MVP for Christ's sake.

 

Braun also got to pad his stats while hitting in the closet called Miller Park. Kemp played in a much tougher hitter's park.

 

Not close is not close. Ryan Braun had a year that would probably be MVP-worthy in a lot of seasons. But it was not close to as good as Matt Kemp's year.

And the Brewers would have a fighting chance at making the playoffs without Braun. They were seven games clear of the last team out. It'd be close.

 

So by this standard, a player should now be discredited because he had competent teammates instead of Rod Barajas, Casey Blake and Aaron Miles?

 

The Brewers spent Aug. 17th on at least five games ahead of their closest NL Central contender. So many must-win, pressure-packed games when playing from that far ahead.

 

A bit more pressure than being 10 games out since the middle of the summer.

 

Here are their numbers, courtesy Baseball Reference, next to each other. Notice that Braun held an advantage only in OBP (.011) and OPS (.008) ... and batting average (.008) [amended]. Message from BBWAA: "Team matters":

Rank Tm Vote Pts 1st Place Share WAR G AB R H HR RBI SB BB BA OBP SLG OPS

1 Ryan Braun MIL 388.0 20.0 87% 7.7 150 563 109 187 33 111 33 58 .332 .397 .597 .994

2 Matt Kemp LAD 332.0 10.0 74% 10.0 161 602 115 195 39 126 40 74 .324 .399 .586 .986

For the record, BR has Miller Park with a 105 one-year and 103 multi-year batting factor, Dodger Stadium with a 98 one-year and 97 multi-year batting factor.

 

St. Louis was 10 games out in August. That did not preclude them from coming back to win. So why is there no pressure on someone to try and lead his team back from the abyss? Why is there not more pressure on Kemp to keep performing well since no one else on his team was helping raise them up?

 

What about Jetes? [/manky]

 

Braun had a higher BA, higher OPS, was caught stealing at a lower frequency, hit into fewer double plays, struck out over 60 fewer times, hit higher with RISP, hit over 80 points higher with RISP and 2 out. He went 9/18 in the NLDS and 8/24 in the NLCS. He was proven time and time again since the beginning of his career that he is a big-situation hitter, unlike his teammate, Prince Fielder.

Kemp has a handful more home runs and is a few points ahead in most categories and the way you guys are talking, you make it sound like he hit 75 homers and hit .600 and somehow didn't get the award. Your outrage is stemming directly from the market the two players are in and the exposure each received.

Either was a fine choice.