Power Pros Forum

Which is also a popularity contest. They just need to get a new set of voters who will actually look at the stats.

The Mariners aren’t a small-market team. Neither are the Angels, Dodgers or Giants. The Rangers, Rockies and D-Backs are currently a step below the previous four, but are still considered solid mid-market organizations. The problem is, people on the east coast are in bed before the 5th inning starts during the West Coast games.

which is why i suggested the MULTIPLE POLLS.

and that is a good point, eric, on the west coast late night games.

So, wrapping this up...what do you think are the 3 defining moments this year, to you?

1. Rebirth of the Yankees juggernaut.
Big time free agent acquisitions and smarter payroll allocation by way of home grown talent has the Yankees back on top going forward. Nobody else is even close.

2. Albert Pujols.
Another incredible season on his journey to become one of the top 2 or 3 hitters who ever lived. Don’t take it for granted. Hitters like Pujols only come around once every other generation.

3. Jack Zduriencik’s revitalization of the importance and value of defense.
With the offense-driven Steroid Era coming to a close, a few astute GM’s began stockpiling the most abundant and affordable resource on the open market: defense. The most aggressive of those GM’s was freshly appointed Jack Zduriencik of the Seattle Mariners. Jack trimmed payroll by over $30 million, assembled a rag tag pitching staff and deployed one of the lowest scoring offenses in the league. The end result? A winning baseball team, thanks to Franklin Gutierrez, Jack Wilson, Jack Hannahan, Ryan Langerhans, Endy Chavez and Bill Hall who joined Ichiro and Beltre to become one of the best defensive teams in baseball history. Heck, even Russell Branyan and Jose Lopez provided positive value with the glove. It will be interesting to see if any small market teams follow suit this offseason.

A little off-topic but Jason Varitek is back with the Red Sox as a backup. This Spring Training will be Chapter 15 of the Who's Going To Catch Wakefield's Knuckler book

Gold gloves announced in the NL

P - Wainwright
C - Y.Molina
1B - Gonzalez
2B - Hudson
SS - Rollins
3B - Zimmerman
OF - Bourn
OF - Kemp
OF - Victorino

i really only agree with 2: molina and zimmerman.

and what about buehrle's perfect game and the best catch of the season?
i have always been a fan of buehrle, the world's biggest breaking ball pitcher, and knew he was going to have a great season as usual.
He's pitched 200+ innings for essentially his whole career, all while pitching very unconventionally compared to today's fireballers.

I was so excited when I had Buerhle on my fantasy team and he pitched a perfect game. I wish I got some extra points.

I'm happy that the right players won the ROTY

Congrats to Andrew Bailey and Chris Coghlan

well maybe not Coghlan because there were 4 or 5 other good chances such as Hanson, Wells, Happ, Jones, McCutchen, Etc

Yeah. I saw a LOT of Coghlan fans i nthe comments in TYIB awards. And when I say a LOT, I mean about 80% were Coghlan fans. That probably swayed the vote.

YES! I voted for Bailey and Coghlan. Especially Coghlan. I had him on my fantasy team too. Well I did but seriously I think he deserved it. What did he hit, like .326?

Lincecum goes back to back, baby!
Wow, what a close race though.

I still wish King Felix had won it in the AL though...

No, Greinke deserved it. Think, if he were on a team like the Angels or Phillies, this year would have been a 20 win season. But he's stuck with the Royals...

Both of them could've had 20 wins if they were on a team like that!
I'm not saying Greinke didn't deserve it, or even that Felix should've won, i just think it'd be cool if Felix did win.

JOE MAUER WINS AL MVP