May 13th, 2009 (Loaded from e-mail)
This is the year he transcends the critics' perception of him. He's always been a guy who - while he gets on base a lot - has no power. He hit 13 home runs in 2006. Other than that, he's never hit more than 9. And you can look at these stats and decide that the critics are spot on. But when you watch the games, when you go more in depth with the guy, you know the critics are dead wrong.
How many times have you seen Mauer in the last few years decide to turn on home run or double power at key moments when the Twins need him. We know he has the power, he just hasn't been using it. He's been trying to help the team by getting on base all the time, setting up guys like Morneau for the glory. Mauer is 6'5", 220 pounds and pretty strong, we know he's capable of being a big-time power hitter. And I think this is the year for it.
I think those doubles he's been lining the last few years are going to turn into home runs. I think those singles he lines hard to outfielders might start hitting the gaps and turning into doubles. He has 4 home runs and 3 doubles in 10 games back this year. He's slugging a ridiculous .917 and has a .571 on-base percentage. Over half the time he has come to the plate he has ended up on base.
We do have to realize that we have a very small sample set right now, only 10 games. Guys get hot and cold in streaks, we all know that. But Mauer has something that a lot of big-time power hitters lack -- one of the best eyes in all of baseball. He works the count deep almost every time he's up to bat. When you do that and you're not just swinging at first pitches (see Delmon Young, Vladamir Guerrero, etc.), you make the opposing pitcher either walk you or throw you a pitch you want to hit.
It's early, but we could see big things from Mauer this year. We already have, we've just got to hope he continues.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Vikings Draft
April 26th, 2009 (Loaded from e-mail)
I've been sensing the Harvin pick was coming for a few days now. I was pretty unsure about it at first because of the character concerns. It's not so much that he tested positive - I'm sure a lot of these guys would test positive if you gave them a random drug test - it's the fact that he knew this drug test was coming and he still didn't prepare for it. I think it shows a lot of gall to not be prepared for this test that he knew was coming all year.
That said, this pick could be a home run. Harvin is a dynamic player and he does so much for your team. He is going to take an immense amount of pressure off of Jackson. He can come out of the backfield, he can run routes, he can probably be a great return man if we want him to be. Like Adrian Peterson, he is liable to break a play at any time. If he stays out of trouble off the field, I think this is the type of pick that can make us a Super Bowl contender. Of course, there is a second step here. We have to have an offensive coordinator that will design plays geared toward Harvin's strengths. With a player like him, you have to be very creative to use him effectively. I'm excited to see what they'll do with him.
I haven't really heard of the other two guys. They both address team needs though. I think getting a tackle in the second round is a great move. I hope he can come in and start right away because our right tackle position is extremely questionable right now. The other guy is a corner out of Georgia. I've been reading about him some. He has blazing speed and looks like he could be a great returner. I saw a message board where people were saying that if he stayed in school next year he would have been a first rounder. So let's hope the hype is true.
I've been sensing the Harvin pick was coming for a few days now. I was pretty unsure about it at first because of the character concerns. It's not so much that he tested positive - I'm sure a lot of these guys would test positive if you gave them a random drug test - it's the fact that he knew this drug test was coming and he still didn't prepare for it. I think it shows a lot of gall to not be prepared for this test that he knew was coming all year.
That said, this pick could be a home run. Harvin is a dynamic player and he does so much for your team. He is going to take an immense amount of pressure off of Jackson. He can come out of the backfield, he can run routes, he can probably be a great return man if we want him to be. Like Adrian Peterson, he is liable to break a play at any time. If he stays out of trouble off the field, I think this is the type of pick that can make us a Super Bowl contender. Of course, there is a second step here. We have to have an offensive coordinator that will design plays geared toward Harvin's strengths. With a player like him, you have to be very creative to use him effectively. I'm excited to see what they'll do with him.
I haven't really heard of the other two guys. They both address team needs though. I think getting a tackle in the second round is a great move. I hope he can come in and start right away because our right tackle position is extremely questionable right now. The other guy is a corner out of Georgia. I've been reading about him some. He has blazing speed and looks like he could be a great returner. I saw a message board where people were saying that if he stayed in school next year he would have been a first rounder. So let's hope the hype is true.
Risebrough/Lemaire
April 17th, 2009
If any of you read the Strib sports section today, you probably saw Sid Hartman's article blasting Leipold for firing Risebrough.
Here is an excerpt: "Then Risebrough hit the jackpot drafting Marian Gaborik with the Wild's first-ever draft pick. Gaborik developed into an NHL superstar." You call drafting a player who missed about 25% of the games due to injury and was hobbled in another about 25% of them the jackpot? Yes, he's one of the most talented players in the league but it's time for him to go. You can't be spending that much cap room on a guy who isn't going to be there day in and day out. This was one of the many points in Hartman's article I disagreed with.
The fact is that it was time for Lemaire to go and time for Risebrough to go. Look at the spot we are in right now. Our best offensive players are Mikko Koivu and Owen Nolan. Koivu is a premier set-up man with no one to set up and Nolan is on the verge of retirement. We've got another pair of great set-up men in Bouchard and Brunette and again, they have no finishers with them. I don't know what Risebrough's philosophy was behind getting all playmakers and no finishers. We had a finisher too - Rolston - who Risebrough decided not to offer a contract to.
After reading about Leipold a fair deal since he bought the team, I fully believe he wants to put a winning team on the ice. With Lemaire as coach, I think some of the top offensive players in the NHL didn't really want to play for the Wild. People think they won't get their production with his coaching philosophy. We should be putting a playoff team on the ice year in and year out. This year was horrible. It was time for a complete retooling of the team. I'm hoping Leipold spends some money and gets the right guys for coach and GM. Look for a big name acquisition in the off-season (besides Saku Koivu - it sounds like he is already going to come.)
And just to finish, I do appreciate what Risebrough and Lemaire have done for the team over the last few years, but I just believe it is now time for a change.
If any of you read the Strib sports section today, you probably saw Sid Hartman's article blasting Leipold for firing Risebrough.
Here is an excerpt: "Then Risebrough hit the jackpot drafting Marian Gaborik with the Wild's first-ever draft pick. Gaborik developed into an NHL superstar." You call drafting a player who missed about 25% of the games due to injury and was hobbled in another about 25% of them the jackpot? Yes, he's one of the most talented players in the league but it's time for him to go. You can't be spending that much cap room on a guy who isn't going to be there day in and day out. This was one of the many points in Hartman's article I disagreed with.
The fact is that it was time for Lemaire to go and time for Risebrough to go. Look at the spot we are in right now. Our best offensive players are Mikko Koivu and Owen Nolan. Koivu is a premier set-up man with no one to set up and Nolan is on the verge of retirement. We've got another pair of great set-up men in Bouchard and Brunette and again, they have no finishers with them. I don't know what Risebrough's philosophy was behind getting all playmakers and no finishers. We had a finisher too - Rolston - who Risebrough decided not to offer a contract to.
After reading about Leipold a fair deal since he bought the team, I fully believe he wants to put a winning team on the ice. With Lemaire as coach, I think some of the top offensive players in the NHL didn't really want to play for the Wild. People think they won't get their production with his coaching philosophy. We should be putting a playoff team on the ice year in and year out. This year was horrible. It was time for a complete retooling of the team. I'm hoping Leipold spends some money and gets the right guys for coach and GM. Look for a big name acquisition in the off-season (besides Saku Koivu - it sounds like he is already going to come.)
And just to finish, I do appreciate what Risebrough and Lemaire have done for the team over the last few years, but I just believe it is now time for a change.
Sage Rosenfels
February 24th, 2009
I must say, I just don't understand this trade the Vikings are likely about to make.
We're talking about a guy who has started a grand total of 12 games in his 8 year NFL career, a career highlighted by seven years on two of the worst teams in football. He was incapable of winning starting jobs over the likes of Jay Fiedler, Ray Lucas, and AJ Feeley. He has thrown 30 career TD passes and 29 career picks. I watched him singlehandedly lose the Texans a game against the Colts last year.
The only conclusion that I can draw from this is that they're giving T-Jax another chance. I guess they're assuming that this trade will temper the criticism of management that they refuse to go and get a veteran QB. I don't know how they're going to spin this that he's worth trading a fourth round pick for (that is the proposed deal I've heard will soon be accepted). Two off seasons ago, the Pats traded a 4th round pick for Randy Moss. It may not seem like much, but 4th rounders are the guys who fill out football teams and provide depth.
All of that said, T-Jax showed signs last year that he could be a solid QB. I'm not totally ready to write him off, but I think all of this hype about us trading for Sage Rosenfels is complete BS.
I must say, I just don't understand this trade the Vikings are likely about to make.
We're talking about a guy who has started a grand total of 12 games in his 8 year NFL career, a career highlighted by seven years on two of the worst teams in football. He was incapable of winning starting jobs over the likes of Jay Fiedler, Ray Lucas, and AJ Feeley. He has thrown 30 career TD passes and 29 career picks. I watched him singlehandedly lose the Texans a game against the Colts last year.
The only conclusion that I can draw from this is that they're giving T-Jax another chance. I guess they're assuming that this trade will temper the criticism of management that they refuse to go and get a veteran QB. I don't know how they're going to spin this that he's worth trading a fourth round pick for (that is the proposed deal I've heard will soon be accepted). Two off seasons ago, the Pats traded a 4th round pick for Randy Moss. It may not seem like much, but 4th rounders are the guys who fill out football teams and provide depth.
All of that said, T-Jax showed signs last year that he could be a solid QB. I'm not totally ready to write him off, but I think all of this hype about us trading for Sage Rosenfels is complete BS.
Big Al's ACL
February 9th, 2009 (Loaded from e-mail)
Well, this is the worst thing that possibly could have happened to the Wolves. Not only is Jefferson out for the rest of the year, this could set him back years. With an ACL tear, you don't know if he'll ever be the same player again.
The one redeeming factor is that Jefferson's game isn't really based on athleticism at all, so we can hope for the best. But this is a very rough day for the Wolves.
Sorry for the negativity, but the situation merits it.
Well, this is the worst thing that possibly could have happened to the Wolves. Not only is Jefferson out for the rest of the year, this could set him back years. With an ACL tear, you don't know if he'll ever be the same player again.
The one redeeming factor is that Jefferson's game isn't really based on athleticism at all, so we can hope for the best. But this is a very rough day for the Wolves.
Sorry for the negativity, but the situation merits it.
Ralph Sampson III
January 26th, 2009
For anyone that saw the game today-and even the Purdue game for that matter- you can agree: Ralph Sampson III is going to be a great player.
The kid is this close, he is an absolute beast on the boards and pretty much anywhere in the lane. Once he develops an offensive game, he's going to be unstoppable. I can't wait, I think it's 1-2 years away. He's an exciting player. I think he's the type of guy that Tubby recruited, knowing that he would be a bench player right away, capable of contributing somewhat, not a major performer in his freshman year, but capable of being a truly dynamic player eventually. It's all a matter of how long he stays in school. He's going to make a huge jump from this year to next year and it's going to continue as long as he stays at school. If he stays at the U of M until his senior year, I think he is in Big Ten Player of the Year talks.
In one sense, I would liken him to Kevin Durant/Kevin Garnett. You all remember Garnett when he came out of high school I'm sure-and Durant is the same way-thin as bones. Imagine a Sampson when he starts to mature and put on muscle. That's 1-2 years away probably. We all remember when it happened with Garnett; he became one of the best players in the NBA. And it's starting to happen with Durant, he's going to be an unstoppable force in a couple of years. Wait for Sampson, once he puts on some pounds, he's going to be a force in the Big Ten.
For anyone that saw the game today-and even the Purdue game for that matter- you can agree: Ralph Sampson III is going to be a great player.
The kid is this close, he is an absolute beast on the boards and pretty much anywhere in the lane. Once he develops an offensive game, he's going to be unstoppable. I can't wait, I think it's 1-2 years away. He's an exciting player. I think he's the type of guy that Tubby recruited, knowing that he would be a bench player right away, capable of contributing somewhat, not a major performer in his freshman year, but capable of being a truly dynamic player eventually. It's all a matter of how long he stays in school. He's going to make a huge jump from this year to next year and it's going to continue as long as he stays at school. If he stays at the U of M until his senior year, I think he is in Big Ten Player of the Year talks.
In one sense, I would liken him to Kevin Durant/Kevin Garnett. You all remember Garnett when he came out of high school I'm sure-and Durant is the same way-thin as bones. Imagine a Sampson when he starts to mature and put on muscle. That's 1-2 years away probably. We all remember when it happened with Garnett; he became one of the best players in the NBA. And it's starting to happen with Durant, he's going to be an unstoppable force in a couple of years. Wait for Sampson, once he puts on some pounds, he's going to be a force in the Big Ten.
Brewster's Minnesota Recruiting
December 4th, 2008 (Loaded from e-mail)
Tough end to the end of the 2008 regular season there a couple weeks ago, but things are looking good in the future.
Every year, Minnesota high schools will produce about 6-10 high quality recruits (3 star-5 star rated on rivals.com). In Mason's best MN recruiting years (2005 & 2007), he got 50% of these recruits. This year, Brewster has gotten 100% (5 of 5) with two still undecided but with high interest in the U of M. The top recruit this year is a kid named Bryce McNeal that goes to Breck. He decommitted from Michigan because they're doing so bad. A kid in his grade told me he's probably going to go to the U. That hasn't really been the case with Breck recruits over the years but we'll see what happens.
Brewster's been recruiting outside the state well too. Big time recruits from California and Texas are coming in next year. The kid from Cali went to junior college so he should make an immediate impact - his name is Hayo Carpenter, he's supposed to be a very fast kid. We had a big-time QB recruit last year (dubbed Vince Young 2.0 by some) named MarQueis Gray that couldn't come for academic reasons. I think he's going to be coming in this next class as well.
And the recruiting season isn't nearly over yet.
Get excited for another solid year next year
Tough end to the end of the 2008 regular season there a couple weeks ago, but things are looking good in the future.
Every year, Minnesota high schools will produce about 6-10 high quality recruits (3 star-5 star rated on rivals.com). In Mason's best MN recruiting years (2005 & 2007), he got 50% of these recruits. This year, Brewster has gotten 100% (5 of 5) with two still undecided but with high interest in the U of M. The top recruit this year is a kid named Bryce McNeal that goes to Breck. He decommitted from Michigan because they're doing so bad. A kid in his grade told me he's probably going to go to the U. That hasn't really been the case with Breck recruits over the years but we'll see what happens.
Brewster's been recruiting outside the state well too. Big time recruits from California and Texas are coming in next year. The kid from Cali went to junior college so he should make an immediate impact - his name is Hayo Carpenter, he's supposed to be a very fast kid. We had a big-time QB recruit last year (dubbed Vince Young 2.0 by some) named MarQueis Gray that couldn't come for academic reasons. I think he's going to be coming in this next class as well.
And the recruiting season isn't nearly over yet.
Get excited for another solid year next year
Vikings-Bucs
November 17th, 2008
Unfortunately I didn't get to see the whole game live yesterday, but I followed the stats on my computer and got to watch the very end on Fox. As the fourth quarter went along, I kept wondering to myself: "Where is Adrian Peterson?" I just watched some analysis on the game and it was just what I had suspected - zero touches for Peterson in the fourth quarter. It's not as if he was getting shut down, he was averaging 4.5 yards per carry, not freakish but certainly solid.
There was plenty of blame to go around but when you do not give someone like Adrian Peterson a single touch in the fourth quarter (a 13-13 game at the end of the third), there is absolutely no excuse, It is a major coaching error that probably cost us the game. And in our final offensive possession, it is Chester Taylor, not Adrian Peterson who gets the ball and fittingly, fumbles to effectively end the game. Now I'm not an anti-Taylor guy, I think he's a solid back. But as everyone knows, no matter the sport, you get the ball in your best player's hands in crunch time and Peterson is not only our best player, but one of the top few in the game. You don't see the Lakers giving the ball to Lamar Odom for the final shot.
Here's our spot right now: We have six games left, only 2 against sub-.500 teams. One of those games is against the 9-1 Giants. Based on tie-breakers and the general makeup of the NFC right now, I think we can only afford to lose one game the rest of the way out. If we lose two, we still could be in but a lot of other factors will be in play.
I've given Childress the benefit of the doubt his entire way along so far, but his actions in the fourth quarter of that game are unacceptable - that, along with convincing the state of Minnesota that Tavaris Jackson was NFL-ready this year. If he loses next game, I want him gone. Over the last couple years I have seen us piss away a number of games because of bad coaching decisions and that is no reason to be losing games. We have the personnel right now, we are right on the cusp of being an elite NFL team, but I don't know if it can happen with Childress as coach. I hope Zigi keeps Childress on a very short leash, if he waits for one loss, the season can still be salvaged. If he delays, it will be another depressing year to be a Vikings fan.
Unfortunately I didn't get to see the whole game live yesterday, but I followed the stats on my computer and got to watch the very end on Fox. As the fourth quarter went along, I kept wondering to myself: "Where is Adrian Peterson?" I just watched some analysis on the game and it was just what I had suspected - zero touches for Peterson in the fourth quarter. It's not as if he was getting shut down, he was averaging 4.5 yards per carry, not freakish but certainly solid.
There was plenty of blame to go around but when you do not give someone like Adrian Peterson a single touch in the fourth quarter (a 13-13 game at the end of the third), there is absolutely no excuse, It is a major coaching error that probably cost us the game. And in our final offensive possession, it is Chester Taylor, not Adrian Peterson who gets the ball and fittingly, fumbles to effectively end the game. Now I'm not an anti-Taylor guy, I think he's a solid back. But as everyone knows, no matter the sport, you get the ball in your best player's hands in crunch time and Peterson is not only our best player, but one of the top few in the game. You don't see the Lakers giving the ball to Lamar Odom for the final shot.
Here's our spot right now: We have six games left, only 2 against sub-.500 teams. One of those games is against the 9-1 Giants. Based on tie-breakers and the general makeup of the NFC right now, I think we can only afford to lose one game the rest of the way out. If we lose two, we still could be in but a lot of other factors will be in play.
I've given Childress the benefit of the doubt his entire way along so far, but his actions in the fourth quarter of that game are unacceptable - that, along with convincing the state of Minnesota that Tavaris Jackson was NFL-ready this year. If he loses next game, I want him gone. Over the last couple years I have seen us piss away a number of games because of bad coaching decisions and that is no reason to be losing games. We have the personnel right now, we are right on the cusp of being an elite NFL team, but I don't know if it can happen with Childress as coach. I hope Zigi keeps Childress on a very short leash, if he waits for one loss, the season can still be salvaged. If he delays, it will be another depressing year to be a Vikings fan.
Really Sid?
October 26th, 2008 (Loaded from e-mail)
You like Brewster now?
http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/33312799.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsX
There's a lot to like about this team. Weber is a very solid QB, good physical tools and he makes good decisions. Decker's got great hands and quickness. There's a number of guys I like on the defense including VanDeSteeg who is an absolute animal.
Are we 7-1 good? I don't know about that. What I do know is that we have four games left and they're all winnable. We have probably over-achieved a bit this year, but I think we should finish the last four at least 2-2. We should definitely beat Iowa. Michigan is down this year and so is Wisconsin. Northwestern is the best of the four but they did just lose to Indiana.
If nothing else, what this season will mean is big recruits. Brewster had a great recruiting class last year coming off of a one win season. Imagine what he will do with a season like we are having right now. Exciting stuff for Gopher nation.
You like Brewster now?
http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/33312799.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsX
There's a lot to like about this team. Weber is a very solid QB, good physical tools and he makes good decisions. Decker's got great hands and quickness. There's a number of guys I like on the defense including VanDeSteeg who is an absolute animal.
Are we 7-1 good? I don't know about that. What I do know is that we have four games left and they're all winnable. We have probably over-achieved a bit this year, but I think we should finish the last four at least 2-2. We should definitely beat Iowa. Michigan is down this year and so is Wisconsin. Northwestern is the best of the four but they did just lose to Indiana.
If nothing else, what this season will mean is big recruits. Brewster had a great recruiting class last year coming off of a one win season. Imagine what he will do with a season like we are having right now. Exciting stuff for Gopher nation.
Closing Thoughts on the 2008 Season
October 1st, 2008 (Loaded from e-mail)
Well, I'm going to think back on this Twins year for a long time. We defied all odds and earned ourselves a one-game playoff to decide whether we would make the post season. We were 2-7 in Chicago, they were 1-8 in the dome. Rather than deciding where the game would be played in a logical manner (i.e. Winner of the season series gets home-field), our post-season hopes rested on the flip of a coin. And we lost the toss.
Sure, we could have done better than 1-2 in the last series with the Royals. Or perhaps the Tigers could not have laid an egg on Monday. But those events did not rob us of the chance to be watching the Twins and not the White Sox face the Rays tomorrow. A coin toss robbed us. Home field was the deciding factor. Anyone who watched that last series against the White Sox, where we swept them, knows we would not have lost in the Dome. I'm done making excuses. That rule needs to be changed and I would not be surprised at all if the issue is brought up at off-season rule meetings. This whole thing is silly.
I'm a bitter baseball fan right now, but bitter for good reason.
Well, I'm going to think back on this Twins year for a long time. We defied all odds and earned ourselves a one-game playoff to decide whether we would make the post season. We were 2-7 in Chicago, they were 1-8 in the dome. Rather than deciding where the game would be played in a logical manner (i.e. Winner of the season series gets home-field), our post-season hopes rested on the flip of a coin. And we lost the toss.
Sure, we could have done better than 1-2 in the last series with the Royals. Or perhaps the Tigers could not have laid an egg on Monday. But those events did not rob us of the chance to be watching the Twins and not the White Sox face the Rays tomorrow. A coin toss robbed us. Home field was the deciding factor. Anyone who watched that last series against the White Sox, where we swept them, knows we would not have lost in the Dome. I'm done making excuses. That rule needs to be changed and I would not be surprised at all if the issue is brought up at off-season rule meetings. This whole thing is silly.
I'm a bitter baseball fan right now, but bitter for good reason.
AL MVP Considerations
September 11th, 2008 (Loaded from e-mail)
Don't look now, but Justin Morneau is making a serious case for his second MVP award in three years. From what I can see, the AL MVP is a three-horse race right now - Josh Hamilton of the Rangers, Dustin Pedroia of the Red Sox, and Morneau. I suppose Cliff Lee and K-Rod merit consideration as well but I am of the belief that the pitchers shouldn't be winning the MVP unless they have a truly extraordinary season, the Cy Young is their award. That said, K-Rod could be having a truly extraordinary season, but that's beside the point.
Josh Hamilton beats Morneau in some very important statistical categories. He has 31 homers to Morneau's 23 and 124 RBIs, which leads the AL, to Morneau's 120. The two are tied in runs and Morneau has a slight edge in average and OBP. Here are the knocks on Hamilton: he was on fire early and has been cooling off over the last couple of months. It's pretty unlikely his team will make the playoffs. My buddy Olerio showed me his home-road splits. At home, he has been incredible, hitting .350 with 73 RBIs. On the road, he hits a meager .255 with 51 RBIs. He plays in a hitter's ballpark, so that could explain some stat inflation there.
Pedroia has been the best player on the Red Sox this year. He's batting .328 with 78 RBIs and 112 runs (which leads the majors). The Red Sox are starting to seem like a lock for the playoffs and are making a strong push to win the East. It's hard to find many flaws with him at the moment. While his average is 20 points higher than Morneau's, Morenau holds a slight edge in OBP.
Runs created is a stat that allows you to compare a runs guy vs. an RBI guy in an MVP race. The stat is Runs plus RBIs minus home runs. Homers are subtracted because an HR only counts for one run in a game but counts as a run and an RBI. This stat show the total number of runs that you have supplied for your team. Hamilton's runs created is 124+89-31=182. Pedroia's runs created is 78+112-17=173. Morneau's runs created is 119+89-23=185, which leads the AL.
It looks like there is a good chance the AL MVP will hinge on the AL East and AL Central playoff races, if the Twins win the Central, I think you gotta give it to Morneau.
Don't look now, but Justin Morneau is making a serious case for his second MVP award in three years. From what I can see, the AL MVP is a three-horse race right now - Josh Hamilton of the Rangers, Dustin Pedroia of the Red Sox, and Morneau. I suppose Cliff Lee and K-Rod merit consideration as well but I am of the belief that the pitchers shouldn't be winning the MVP unless they have a truly extraordinary season, the Cy Young is their award. That said, K-Rod could be having a truly extraordinary season, but that's beside the point.
Josh Hamilton beats Morneau in some very important statistical categories. He has 31 homers to Morneau's 23 and 124 RBIs, which leads the AL, to Morneau's 120. The two are tied in runs and Morneau has a slight edge in average and OBP. Here are the knocks on Hamilton: he was on fire early and has been cooling off over the last couple of months. It's pretty unlikely his team will make the playoffs. My buddy Olerio showed me his home-road splits. At home, he has been incredible, hitting .350 with 73 RBIs. On the road, he hits a meager .255 with 51 RBIs. He plays in a hitter's ballpark, so that could explain some stat inflation there.
Pedroia has been the best player on the Red Sox this year. He's batting .328 with 78 RBIs and 112 runs (which leads the majors). The Red Sox are starting to seem like a lock for the playoffs and are making a strong push to win the East. It's hard to find many flaws with him at the moment. While his average is 20 points higher than Morneau's, Morenau holds a slight edge in OBP.
Runs created is a stat that allows you to compare a runs guy vs. an RBI guy in an MVP race. The stat is Runs plus RBIs minus home runs. Homers are subtracted because an HR only counts for one run in a game but counts as a run and an RBI. This stat show the total number of runs that you have supplied for your team. Hamilton's runs created is 124+89-31=182. Pedroia's runs created is 78+112-17=173. Morneau's runs created is 119+89-23=185, which leads the AL.
It looks like there is a good chance the AL MVP will hinge on the AL East and AL Central playoff races, if the Twins win the Central, I think you gotta give it to Morneau.
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