MVP's (Harper vs Field)

An interesting article hit Fangraphs today discussing the NL MVP race. I find award voting in baseball equally fascinating and frustrating. This year will probably be more frustrating.

As you know MVP awards often become hot topics toward the end of the season. In years past voters would look more at counting stats rather than the overall body of work. The year Juan Gonzalez won the MVP is a great example as Griffey Jr was by far the best player.

In recent years voters have done a better job of avoiding the real egregious picks. Mike Trout could easily have 3 MVP's but it is not like it was some atrocity that Miguel Cabrera won the award. Cabrera was probably the better hitter, but Trout was hands down the best overall player. Personally I think Trout should have won, but that is a worn out argument. Overall the last handful of years has been much better.

The debate now is Bryce Harper. No statistical argument can be made which doesn't have Harper winning the award. He leads just about every offensive category you can think of by a considerable margin. What he doesn't have is narrative.

Voters love a good story. They want guys leading their team to the playoffs. Some voters will only vote for the best player that is on a playoff team.  If you Google 2015 NL MVP you will eventually run into articles making the case for guys like Anthony Rizzo, Kershaw/Grienke and Cutch.

As much as I love Cutch, he doesn't deserve the MVP. It just feels like everyone is over thinking it this year. It is not Bryce Harper's fault that the Nats underachieved. People put way too much stock into things the actual player can't control.  One of the years Miggy won the AL MVP a voter referenced the Tigers made the playoffs. Mike Trout's Angels actually had the better record.

The Fangraphs article I referenced plays devils advocate and trying to say Harper is more good than great when his team needs him the most. In low to medium leverage situations Harper is by far the best hitter in baseball, but in high leverage situations he is 70th. Guys like Rizzo and Cutch rated much higher. At the end of the article the writer said he would still vote for Harper. His point was basically saying context can and should play a small part in voting.

When it was all said and done you can keep drilling and find flaws in someones game. Basically it comes down to voting for someone who is having a historically great season, but on an underachieving team. To me MVP means best player. Bryce Harper is the best player this year. I find it odd that we can pick CY Young winners on bad teams (Kluber and King Felix), but the hitter gets docked for being on a bad team.

I think Harper will win, but it won't be the landslide victory that it should be.

I've blogged about this card before, but it is pretty much the only Harper I have and it features a Pirate!

Vote Harper!

Bad But Not Bad Enough

No professional sports draft is more unpredictable than the MLB draft. While many experts will say certain guys grade out better than others, no matter how high the pick it will come with huge question marks. Rarely do you see a draft where most scouts agree that minus an injury certain guys are destined to be superstars. Enter the 2009 and 2010 drafts. Otherwise known as the Steven Strasburg and Bryce Harper sweepstakes.

Both years the Pirates were terrible, but not terrible enough. The Nationals were an absolute joke of a team those years and were able to draft and sign both mega talents. What could have been...

Obviously the verdict is still out on whether Strasburg will become a superstar pitcher. The guy puts up great numbers, but doesn't pitch deep into games. Hard to be considered a top tier pitcher when you rarely get out of the 6th and 7th innings.

Harper just needs to stay on the field. The guy can play and the numbers in 2012 and 13 were impressive for a guy who just reached 20 years of age. They just got overshadowed because of Mike Trout. A lot of people hate on Harper, but the Nationals only have themselves to blame. They marketed the kid as a superstar before he played his first game.  His minor league games were getting heavily broadcasted and his jersey was being sold at Nationals Stadium long before he made his debut. Hard not to have a little edge about you when everyone says you are going to be great.

2011 Bowman Platinum Bryce Harper/Jameson Taillon Dual Auto /89

The 2010 draft turned out to be loaded. It has already produced 4 All Stars in Harper, Manny Machado, Matt Harvey and Chris Sale. The Pirates used the 2nd pick to take Jameson Taillon who was considered the best high school pitcher in the draft with tons of upside. Taillon would have made his debut at some point last year if he hadn't blown out his arm. Let's hope to a full recovery and a successful debut this year. 

I picked up this dual auto when both Taillon and Harper were hurt at the beginning of the season last year. Hopefully it turns out to be a nice buy low card. 

Thanks for reading!