2022 MLB Season

[donniesyracuse]

Get that WAR nonsense out of here! Only batting average and RBIs matter. Also, grit.

 

[Day2]

Who ya got for AL MVP? While I recognize the special season Judge is having, I have to go with Ohtani. The numbers say he’s both a top five pitcher and hitter this season. While his home runs and stolen bases are down compared to last year, overall he’s been a better offensive player this year.

Judge is the best hitter in baseball, no question. If you were starting a franchise, though, wouldn’t you go with Ohtani?

 

[donniesyracuse]

I am inclined to give it to Ohtani every year. Judge actually leads Ohtani in combined WAR this season, which illustrates how remarkable Judge’s season has been. Data heads suggest current WAR formulas don’t adequately capture the value of a two-way player. Simply adding pitching WAR to position player WAR might not be good enough. Ohtani’s position player WAR takes a huge hit because he is treated as a DH most of the time.

Judge has an edge in base running. Ohtani is among the fastest guys in the league, but he has been a disaster on the bases.

I guess my answer is “I don’t know.” I won’t be outraged either way. Judge is having an all-time great season. If a position player could ever be more valuable than a great two-way player, it might look like this.

 

[Day2]

I am inclined to give it to Ohtani every year. Judge actually leads Ohtani in combined WAR this season, which illustrates how remarkable Judge’s season has been. Data heads suggest current WAR formulas don’t adequately capture the value of a two-way player. Simply adding pitching WAR to position player WAR might not be good enough. Ohtani’s position player WAR takes a huge hit because he is treated as a DH most of the time.

Judge has an edge in base running. Ohtani is among the fastest guys in the league, but he has been a disaster on the bases.

I guess my answer is “I don’t know.” I won’t be outraged either way. Judge is having an all-time great season. If a position player could ever be more valuable than a great two-way player, it might look like this.

I didn’t realize Ohtani’s been caught stealing (insert Ed Rooney’s voice) nine times.

If this year’s race sets a precedent of, “only a historic season beats Ohtani,” I can get behind that. But Judge shouldn’t win simply because he plays for the Yankees or because giving it to Ohtani every year is boring.

I get it, Judge is chasing history. But Ohtani is making history.

 

[donniesyracuse]

If this year’s race sets a precedent of, “only a historic season beats Ohtani,” I can get behind that.

That’s my position exactly.

 

[MSOrange]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[MSOrange]

 

[cuseattle]

Visiting my dad in Fairport and went out for a drive after the Bills heartbreaker. Mariners were up 9-2 at the time...

Mariners' struggles continue as they blow nine-run lead in loss to Royals

The Mariners allowed 11 runs to the Royals in the bottom of the sixth inning

www.cbssports.com

And of course it's raining too! 10 home games to finish the season. We own the tiebreaker with the Jays. The Rays have it against us.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeDW]

 

[Fat tire 13]

Congrats to him - looked like he was done a few years ago, and managed to scrape together a very respectable season (142 OPS+) at age 42

And his peak years were right up there with anyone. Perennial MVP numbers

It's funny, I remember when he was a rookie people claimed he was lying about his age. Using that logic, is he really doing this at age 45???

 

[Fat tire 13]

That’s my position exactly.

Agree 100% - This is shaping up to be a truly historic season

Triple crown? One one in past 50 years, and still rare in the live ball era
62 HRs? Forget the steroid argument, it is still tops in the AL

Plus playing decent DF, stealing some bases, and leading the league in other relevant stats like walks, OBP, OPS, total bases, etc.

I would argue it is a top 5 season for any batter in any era

Right up there with Ruth, Ted Williams triple crowns, and Bonds 2001-2004 video game numbers

 

[Day2]

It’s cool, he can atone for it next week.

 

[Day2]

Agree 100% - This is shaping up to be a truly historic season

Triple crown? One one in past 50 years, and still rare in the live ball era
62 HRs? Forget the steroid argument, it is still tops in the AL

Plus playing decent DF, stealing some bases, and leading the league in other relevant stats like walks, OBP, OPS, total bases, etc.

I would argue it is a top 5 season for any batter in any era

Right up there with Ruth, Ted Williams triple crowns, and Bonds 2001-2004 video game numbers

All true…and still, no one else has ever done what Ohtani is doing and the odds are no one else ever will.

 

[Fat tire 13]

All true…and still, no one else has ever done what Ohtani is doing and the odds are no one else ever will.

Yeah - what Ohtani is doing is so unique, there is simply no comparison. In a sport that was becoming more specialized for certain skills, he broke the entire model

For Judge - you can use the major stats to get to "apples to apples" and then adjust for the nuances of each era. My main argument is Ohtani could end up with a handful of years like 2022, and Judge should be rewarded for his outsized success this year.

The only point I would add is maybe there will be room for someone else now that it is known it is possible to play every day as a DH and be a successful starting pitcher. Most of the best high school players pitch and play the field. It remains to be seen, and Ohtani gets massive credit for being the first one to do it.

 

[cuseattle]

Mariners make playoffs for 1st time in 21 years, ending oldest postseason drought in major North American sports

What a year for the Mariners.

sports.yahoo.com

Phew!

 

[Day2]

OK, what if Judge doesn’t hit 62 and doesn’t win the triple crown? Still MVP?

 

[OrangeDW]

OK, what if Judge doesn’t hit 62 and doesn’t win the triple crown? Still MVP?

Yes.

But the coverage of the HR “chase” has been laughably weird.

Oh, we’re just talking about the AL HR chase!! Riiiiiiiight.

 

[samspann1]

Phillies!

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[donniesyracuse]

The division series scheduling is bizarre to me. I believe in two or three of the series, the days-off come after games 1 and game 2. Ideally, I would expect the days off to correspond with travel days (i.e., after game 2 and after game 4). I am sure there is a reason for this, but I don't like it.

 

[donniesyracuse]

Here is your final Combined WAR leaderboard (it combines Pitcher and Position Player WAR) from FanGraphs:

#	Name	Team	PA	IP	Bat WAR	Pit WAR	Total WAR
1	Aaron Judge	NYY	696		11.4		11.4
2	Shohei Ohtani	LAA	666	166.0	3.8	5.6	9.5
3	Manny Machado	SDP	644		7.4		7.4
4	Nolan Arenado	STL	620		7.3		7.3
5	Paul Goldschmidt	STL	651		7.1		7.1
6	Freddie Freeman	LAD	708		7.0		7.0
7	Francisco Lindor	NYM	706		6.8		6.8
8	Yordan Alvarez	HOU	561		6.6		6.6
9	Jose Altuve	HOU	604		6.6		6.6
10	Mookie Betts	LAD	639		6.6		6.6
11	J.T. Realmuto	PHI	562		6.5		6.5
12	Dansby Swanson	ATL	696		6.4		6.4
13	Trea Turner	LAD	708		6.4		6.4
14	Aaron Nola	PHI		205.0	0.0	6.3	6.3
15	Carlos Rodón	SFG		178.0	0.0	6.2	6.2
16	José Ramírez	CLE	685		6.1		6.1
17	Justin Verlander	HOU		175.0	0.0	6.1	6.1
18	Xander Bogaerts	BOS	631		6.1		6.1
19	Mike Trout	LAA	499		6.0		6.0
20	Andrés Giménez	CLE	557		6.0		6.0

Only four of the top 20 (Ohtani, Rodón, Bogaerts, & Trout) are not in the postseason.

 

[donniesyracuse]

FanGraphs Power Rankings: 2022 Playoffs Edition

Playoff Power Rankings

Rank	Team	Record	wRC+	SP-	RP-	RAA	Team Quality	World Series Odds
1	Dodgers	111-51	119	82	77	8	188	14.9%
2	Astros	106-56	112	82	78	23	184	18.0%
3	Braves	101-61	111	88	81	5	160	16.4%
4	Mets	101-61	116	90	92	8	170	11.3%
5	Yankees	99-63	115	89	83	15	176	10.0%
6	Blue Jays	92-70	118	94	98	5	155	5.4%
7	Cardinals	93-69	114	100	95	18	151	2.7%
8	Padres	89-73	102	96	96	25	138	5.2%
9	Mariners	90-72	107	101	93	4	126	4.4%
10	Guardians	92-70	99	98	86	15	121	1.7%
11	Phillies	87-75	106	89	98	-32	119	6.0%
12	Rays	86-76	101	92	101	5	116	4.1%