There was a body of opinion out there that the Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout should win MVP, but I never thought he was going for anything besides runner-up, which is where he landed. Trout, the fabulous rookie outfielder had a tremendous debut season, but Cabrera had a better one and, most importantly, a more meaningful one. (more…)

In 2012, Posey was named the NL comeback player of the year because he missed most of 2011 with a bad leg injury (maybe he also saved the crutches for posterity). He also collected a second World Series ring in October, and now this. If the guy keeps this up he will out-do Michael Phelps in gathering coveted souvenirs of their sport. Oh yeah, he now has a batting championship on his resume, as well. (more…)

September 16, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) takes off for second base on a hit and run play against the Kansas City Royals during the second inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-US PRESSWIRE

There is an American League MVP debate currently raging out there. And it’s exhausting. There are two major favorites for the award and two popular stances to take. Everyone is digging in their heels and trying to scream longer and louder than the other side. I used to sort of enjoy this kind of clusterF baseball argument, but like most men, I have grown older and my blood has cooled, my patience has lessened and my soul has become tired. And really, I can hardly fathom how this is even a debate.

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Somehow Ryan Braun became the first Major League player to wiggle out of  a drug policy violation accusation shortly after he won the 2011 National League Most Valuable Player award. He won his case on appeal, which had never happened before, and resumed his slugging ways for the Milwaukee Brewers this season.

And Braun has been slugging the ball again, playing phenomenal ball. After 138 games Braun has a league-leading 40 home runs, 103 RBIs, and is batting .312. His on-base percentage is .387 and his slugging percentage, which also leads the league, is .602. No one can say that Braun was distracted by his problem with MLB enough that it bothered him in the batter’s box. He is 28 years old, in his prime, making millions of dollars, and providing good return on the investment. Last season, by comparison, Braun hit 33 homers, drove in 111, and batted .332. He stole 33 bases in 2011 and has 24 steals this year. Pretty close all-around.

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Recently, Barry Bonds, pretty much example No. 1 of the above, told MLB.com that he definitely belongs in the Hall of Fame. “Oh, without a doubt,” he said. “There’s no doubt in my mind.”

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Although the announcement was overshadowed by the pennant races, Robinson was appointed executive vice president of baseball development by Major League Baseball in mid-summer. It is his task, and passion, to rekindle interest and participation in the sport by inner city youth around the nation. (more…)

By any measure, wherever he plays in the field, or if he serves as a designated hitter, Mauer is a special player. He is just 29 years old and has been in the majors for nine seasons. He has won three batting titles and that’s despite being a catcher for all but brief appearances elsewhere his career.

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Wins Above Replacement (WAR) seems to have gone mainstream since the end of the 2011 season.  But what does a good baseball fan know about WAR?  What does an average fan know?  How about a casual fan?  I won’t bore you with any Sun Tzu quotes that I just looked up.

Radical Baseball: War On WAR. April 14, 2012

There are two things about WAR for non-pitchers that should be examined:

1. WAR is a total, not an average

2. defensive WAR, more properly called fielding WAR, is suspect.  The more the really smart guys delve into fielding stats in general the more they see a need to develop more methods of measurement.

… the really smart guys came up with WAR based on linear weights, which may have become the new orthodoxy and as such suspect…

You really smart guys need to educate the rest of us.

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That may be more true than when I wrote it.

May 4, 2012:

WAR 2.0: WAR Upgraded on Baseball-Reference.com 

a chart of differences between the new B-R WAR, the old B-R WAR and FanGraphs WAR.

Say what?  How many fans knew there are multiple versions of WAR, warring factions so to speak?  Next time you hear someone on TV mention WAR ask yourself whether that person has any idea what the heck he/she is talking about.

You really need to read about WAR 2.0 for yourself.  There’s a lot to it and Sean Forman and his staff at baseball-reference.com are to be commended for making a real attempt to explain WAR to it’s subscribers.

I interviewed Sean in 2009.  To listen to that interview, click this link:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/radicalbaseball/2009/06/05/special-interview-with-sean-forman-ceo-of-baseball-referencecom

To listen to other Radical Baseball programs, click: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/radicalbaseball

See Baseball-Reference.com WAR Explained

Before the day was out WAR 2.0 had been upgraded to WAR 2.1.

See comment 3:

Dr. Doom Says:
May 4th, 2012 at 11:34 am

I’m also intrigued that Matt Kemp now led Ryan Braun by only .1 WAR last year… that’s a HUGE difference from what the old calculation did… which I believe had them separated by 2.5 WAR.

Ouch!  How many of the younger writers would have voted for NL MVP differently with that information?

How would WAR 2.0 impact this recent post on my blog:

THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012 Willie Mays and NL CF WAR Fielding Runs 1951-1968

This could be a huge opportunity for the majority of us baseball fans, if not to catch up, then to at least get into the same ballpark as those who are redefining the way in which baseball is analysed.

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You can follow the personal blog of Kenneth Matinale here: Radical Baseball

Last season, Napoli proved why it is very much within his reach to become an MVP.  He hit .320/.414/.631 for an OPS of 1.046.  He smashed 30 home runs and struck out just 85 times – his lowest strikeout total in his career while accumulating 300 or more plate appearances.  And for those concerned with postseason performances of the past as a measure for a player’s future MVP candidacy, Napoli simply raked during the 2011 postseason.  He was a big reason the Rangers even made it back to the World Series.  In seven games, Napoli hit .350/.464/.700 for a ridiculous OPS of 1.164.  He hit 2 home runs and drove in 10 runs.  While RBI is not a good measure of a player’s performance as a whole, it is a good measure of a player’s ability to deliver in a clutch spot (a conversation for another day).

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This doesn’t mean that Braun wasn’t taking something for a legitimate medical reason. This doesn’t mean that he was intentionally cheating. But the Milwaukee Brewers’ slugger is probably going to pay regardless. Remember the years-old case of the U.S. swimmer who lost an Olympic medal because of a cold medication? There is rarely any mercy shown in such situations.

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