N.L. MVP Topic

If you were drafting a 2013 team for one season in real life -- where the full spectrum of defensive value is in play -- why would anyone not named Hurdle choose any player other than Yadier Molina as his first pick?

Andrew McCutchen is an excellent player -- but Molina's season was nonpareil.
11/16/2013 7:33 AM (edited)
Molina, Yadier 2013 R 541 .319 44 0. 12 .359 .477 A/A-/A+
McCutchen, A. 2013 R 674 .317 38 5 21 .404 .508 C+/B

McCutchen as a hitter merits the edge on the basis of only OBP and SLG.

So the BBWAA voters think that limited offensive edge is more important than Molina's defense and field generalship?

McCutchen won on underdog sentiment for the Pirates, and the writers proved once again that they would rather be sentimental snobs than intellectual ones.
11/16/2013 7:40 AM (edited)
WAR *************!!!!!
11/16/2013 1:05 PM
GOLDSCHMIDT'S NUMBERS WERE BETTER!!  HE SHOULD OF GOTTEN THE MVP!  HE GOT SCREWED BECAUSE THE REST OF HIS TEAM SUCKS!



I think you are right DT...  with people pining to vote for him in 2012 got to in 2013 as well as the underdog sentiment.

11/16/2013 2:11 PM
I would have voted

1 Kershaw
2 McCutchen
3 Molina
11/16/2013 3:46 PM
And that's why you don't have a vote.
11/17/2013 9:49 PM
Posted by doubletruck on 11/16/2013 7:40:00 AM (view original):
Molina, Yadier 2013 R 541 .319 44 0. 12 .359 .477 A/A-/A+
McCutchen, A. 2013 R 674 .317 38 5 21 .404 .508 C+/B

McCutchen as a hitter merits the edge on the basis of only OBP and SLG.

So the BBWAA voters think that limited offensive edge is more important than Molina's defense and field generalship?

McCutchen won on underdog sentiment for the Pirates, and the writers proved once again that they would rather be sentimental snobs than intellectual ones.
...And it will always be that way.

These guys make their living being sentimental about baseball. The stories they write come out of the storyteller's view of the game - it's what has made baseball so successful for so long.

If you keep that in mind, you can almost always guess the MVP correctly. Not the best player, necessarily, but the best story.



For instance, the first triple crown in over 40 years was a better story than the unknown rookie coming up and winning an MVP. Even though both those stories are exciting, the first one was more compelling, so Cabrera won MVP last year.
11/17/2013 10:22 PM
My thought was that McCutchen deserved the award.  The 2 votes that went to Molina were Cardinals writers, and my first reaction to that was "homers!!!" but after reflecting on it further, maybe since they're around the team all the time, talking to Molina and the pitchers, maybe they understand the immense value Molina has?  I understand the Molina argument completely, I don't think you could go wrong with either choice.

 
11/18/2013 10:23 AM
I'm sure it also has to do with the "value" argument. I think McCutchen is more valuable to the success of the Pirates than Molina is to the Cards. And McCutchen played in 21 more games this season.
11/18/2013 8:05 PM
Offensively it's not even close, but with homers down since steroid testing a guy who can control the running game like Molina has enormous value, which I think is undervalued a bit by the advanced metrics like WAR.
11/18/2013 9:50 PM
I don't know.   What did he hold other teams to?   1 less attempt every three games?  I'm not sure how much value that provides even if he does throw them out at a much higher rate.     And, if you recall, Pudge Rodriguez was accused of calling for fastballs constantly with runners on to protect his CS%.   Haven't heard that about Molina but it is possible.
11/19/2013 8:36 AM
It's not just the stolen bases.  I read that 38 percent of Cardinals innings pitched were by rookies.  I'm not a huge intangibles guy, but if you want to make the argument that his leadership and game calling ability contributed to a fantastic pitching staff, I wouldn't necessarily argue with you.  
11/19/2013 9:42 AM
Or they could be really good pitchers.    That happens too.
11/19/2013 10:40 AM
Yes.  But it seems everyone who is in contact with Molina thinks this way.  People rave about him, teammates, coaches, reporters alike.

I've also read an article a while back about framing pitches.  He does it ridiculously well.  Anything remotely close seems to look like a strike.  

 
11/19/2013 11:22 AM
Posted by burnsy483 on 11/19/2013 11:22:00 AM (view original):
Yes.  But it seems everyone who is in contact with Molina thinks this way.  People rave about him, teammates, coaches, reporters alike.

I've also read an article a while back about framing pitches.  He does it ridiculously well.  Anything remotely close seems to look like a strike.  

 
I don't know. I thinks it's a loop. The Cardinals develop really good, hard throwing young pitchers who get a lot of outs and Molina gets a share in the credit because the pitchers are good, hard throwing, young pitchers who get a lot of outs.

I give him some credit beyond his WAR because I don't think we have defensive metrics for catchers figured out yet. But I don't think he's mythical.

 
11/19/2013 12:22 PM
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