Game #148: A's 5, White Sox 4
September 17, 2006 | A's vs. Chicago White Sox
Frank Thomas for MVP!Jump on the bandwagon! The Big Hurt makes a compelling case for MVP with this afternoon's performance. Just the latest in a string of game appearances where he gives the A's the tying run or the lead.
Why do they continue to pitch to him?
Frank Thomas's three-run home run erases the 2-0 lead of the White Sox whose playoff chances are also dwindling.
Joe Blanton picks up his 16th win despite a mediocre outing. Eight hits in five innings, including that homer to the despicable A.J. Pierzynski. Like Zito yesterday, Blanton can thank Thomas for carrying the A's to the win today.
Let's take on the Indians!
(Game experience: Some TV)
A's record: 86-62 | streak: W-4 | magic number: 7 | well-A-meter: 5.00
posted by blank book at 5:00 PM
5 Comments:
Here's the thing about the MVP award in the Americal League this year. There are 6 viable candidates: Jeter, Ortiz, Thomas, Santana, Morneau and Mauer.
On May 31, here were the standings: The Yankees and Red Sox were tied for first in the East. The Twins were 4th in the Central, 10 1/2 games behind and 4 games under .500. The A's were second in the West, 4 games behind and 5 games under .500.
Start with Big Papi. He has the numbers without question. But if he's so valuable, why are the BoSox struggling to fend off Toronto instead of challenging the Yankees?
No one should really argue with Jeter's choice, but really ... the man has $200 million worth of teammates, If you aren't valuable with that supporting cast, maybe it's time to take up geriatric Frisbee. He leads the league in hitting (more about that in a second), but he's only marginal as a defensive player (more about that in a minute, also).
Next we come to the three Twins -- each of whom is deserving, but how do you decide who is more deserving? Morneau knocks in the runs. Without him, the Twins are Cleveland West. Mauer led the league in hitting until this week -- and here's where you have to parse Jeter's value. Mauer is a better defender and plays a more demanding position than Jeter. If he's within a couple of batting points, how do you honestly say Jeter is more valuable than Mauer?
Then there's Santana. If a pitcher is ever going to win the MVP again, this should be the year and he should be the pitcher. If the Twins, as it appears likely, end up winning the Central, Santana would be run-away winner if it weren't for Morneau and Mauer divvying up some of his potential votes.
The Twins came from 10 1/2 games back. If there's not an MVP candidate in there somewhere, the world's spinning off its axis.
But then there's Thomas. The A's had the worst record of the four teams mentioned here on May 31. More than anyone, it was Thomas who led the charge back to first place. That would seem to be the epitome of "valuable."
If the Twins win the Central (and maybe even end up with the best record in the league), then I think Santana is worthy. But recognizing the probability of a split vote, then I think it's Thomas, then Jeter.
Oh yeah, don't tell me how Jeter was forced to lead a team struck by injury. I'll see your Matsui and raise you Rich Harden.
I think Big Papi was obviously the MVP for the first half of the season. But the award is given for performance for the entire season. That's why, as much as I love watching The Hurt, I don't think he's going to land the award. Frank Thomas is the inverse Papi (so-so first half, spectacular second half).
I would vote for Johan Santana because he's the most consistantly excellent. But Jeter will probably win because he's due to win MVP some point in his career and if he doesn't get it this year, he might never get it. Albert Pujols was that guy last year for the NL. He finally got the MVP after Barry finally had an off year and before Ryan Howard became RYAN HOWARD!
Tanner,
I respectfully disagree with you on both counts:
1. You should feed the trolls. If you don't want to feed the trolls, keep your ideas in a paper fiary locked in your dresser in your bedroom. Half the fun of participating in a blog (your own or someone else's) is feeding the trolls.
2. I respect your use of Win shares to evaluate players, but I reject the stat. For all of Bill James' creativity, this one is a mess. It's arbitrary and bloodless -- meaning that some values are assigned arbitrarily by the statmeister (what's known in the trade as "educated guesses") without regard for reality and it averages things out rather than taking into account the specific instances in which a given player makes a clear and positive contribution to his team's win that day.
So I still believe that Santana should be the MVP if the Twins win the division and/or end up with the best record in the AL. And I still believe that Frank Thomas is as worthy -- or more worthy -- than the other hitters under discussion.
And like the good general, I'm resigned to the fact the Jeter will probably win, but that will never make it right in my eyes.
Hi Tanner,
Um ... I wasn't really arguing for Thomas because I watch his games. We get DirectTV Extra Innings, have 2 TVs in one room and I watch parts of as many as 5-6 games a day.
The salient argument for Thomas remains: When he started hitting, the A's were 5 games under .500. Now they're 24 games over.
The question of who I'd rather have is hypothetical. Thomas's results are real. Basically, I'd rather have Pujols, thank you very much. And if limited to AL players, I'll take Ichiro and his 200 hits per year for the next 5 years over Jeter, Ortiz OR Thomas, but, this year, my belief is that Thomas is more valuable.
Note I left out Mauer and Morneau because their track records are not long enough to evaluate whether they are good risks. And I left out Santana, because the A's are winning without great pitching, so any pitching upgrade would only produce a tiny positive delta in results. (They aren't going from 90 wins to 105, no matter who they add/replace. Pick up Santana and Holliday and dump Saarloos and ??? and you still won't get that big a bump in wins.)
My heart won't break if Jeter wins, but as General Chiang implied, it'll be more a career award than an award for this season. And remember, I'm on record as backing Santana if the Twins reach first place.
Very interesting discussion. Though I don't think Frank Thomas is going to get the MVP nod, to be honest. There are more compelling cases out there -- and some pretty good ones brought up in these comments -- but I'm pleased that Thomas got himself noticed outside of Oakland for how well he's been playing this second half.
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