Ryan Braun - NL MVP

Irrelevant.

Easily erased by the difference in home parks.

Just desperate flailing trying to pick out any stat that you can find that he might come out ahead in. Did he hit better on Tuesdays, south of the Mason-Dixon line too?

That has nothing to do with the MVP voting.

You sound like the MankyJimy version of Braun and the Brewers.

Simple question: Do you believe a strong defensive CFer and a mediocre defensive LFer have the same defensive value?

Offensively, yes, they had comparable seasons. I like Kemp's a tiny bit better, but it's close. But when you throw in the fact that one of them also played above-average defense at a premium defensive position, and it becomes not close.

 

Gotta love it when the guy on the small market team beats out the guy on the Dodgers.

It really wasn't that close either.

 

I have no idea who had the better season. But as a Giants fan, it's always enjoyable to see the guy on the Dodgers finish second.

 

Braun also had a hell of a lot more help. Easier to put together those numbers when you have Prince Fielder in the same lineup.

 

'Protection' has long been shot to hell.

 

Depending on what metrics you believe, Kemp's defense in CF is far from above average.

 

Kemp probably should have won.

But I think there is an idea out there that second place is the first lower, and you can't be "most valuable" on a team that didn't make the postseason.

I don't think that's crazy.

 

Taking the "better teammates" argument to its logical conclusion, no one on a playoff team should ever win an MVP, right?

 

Ah OK. I didn't know you were the Baseball Lord and determine which categories are "relevant." I notice you glossed over the 80-point difference in BA with RISP and 2 out as well as the 60+ extra whiffs Kemp took. If we're only going to count the stats you want to count, well then I guess you are going to be right 100% of the time.

Neither one of them is any good defensively. And let's not pretend that had one lick of impact on the way anyone looks at this award.

This could have gone to either players and it would have been a solid selection. The fact that it was so lopsided only tells me I'm not that crazy.

 

Kemp's home/road OPS splits: .981/.990
Braun's home/road OPS splits: 1.068/.926

I'm a Giants fan, but if voters aren't going to take park factors into consideration, then why doesn't Todd Helton have four or five MVPs? This isn't Terry Pendleton over Barry Bonds in 1990, but I think the wrong person won.

Justin Upton getting a first-place vote ahead of either of them, though? Ick. (Sorry, I'll let it go now. But come on...)

 

You spelled "illogical" wrong.

 

Braun was mediocre in the field? Please give me the number of the dealer who sells what you smoke.