Holy shit. I remember watching him play at the WBC and thought he had some potential.

yeah watched him in a few Mariners games and Spring Training

feel pretty bad about this

Horrible news. :( RIP

I don't think I have ever felt this horrible about a Baseball player dying since Nick Adenhart. So young, So much Potential.

Justin Verlander is the 2011 AL MVP.

Normally think MVP should be reserved for position players, but fuck it...love Verlander.

Reading comments by Yanks, Red Sox, and Jays fans and there is just rage from all sides.

I love the point Harold Reynolds made: "Justin Verlander might not even be the MVP of his TEAM!" (Referring to Miguel Cabrera)

Fuck anyone that doesnt think Verlander didn't deserve the MVP award. The only person who has an argument was Jacoby

Bautista was robbed. Verlander shouldn't be top 5.

Good choice considering how dominate Verlander was and the last time a pitcher was a legit choice for the MVP would be Clemens in 1986 (I think that is also the year he broke the Ks record with 20 in a game).

Ellsbury and Granderson did what people expected and had their votes split. Bautista did well but at the same time his numbers were a bit down than last year and this year had a stronger field of candidates.

This is Evan P Grant of the Dallas News MVP ballot

1. Michael Young, Rangers
2. Justin Verlander, Detroit
3. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit
4. Curtis Granderson, New York
5. Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston
6. Adrian Gonzalez, Boston
7. Jose Bautista, Toronto
8. Robinson Cano, New York
9. James Shields, Tampa Bay
10. Adrian Beltre, Rangers


People like this need to lose their right to vote. Jose Bautista wasn't in the top 5 on 4 ballots. Fucking ridiculous.

That's why I said, I'd have it just be the players who vote.

Writers many times have an agenda, or will vote down whoever didn't give them an interview at some point, or will be like "He may be taking PED's so I won't vote for him", etc.

Also, he voted for James Shields?

...'the fuck?

Robertson on the Yankees got an MVP vote from somebody. Wow.

For what it's worth, it's a shame that Verlander won the AL MVP award this year, yet Pedro didn't win it in '99.

Verlander was completely dominant this year and carried that otherwise horrendous rotation.

And players don't have an agenda? Players get bonuses based on their finishes in award voting. Don't you think some of the guys would help out their buddies?

James Shields deserves top 10 consideration for how he carried that rotation throughout the year.

<font color=goldenrod>If players voted, there would almost certainly have to be a rule put in place preventing players from voting for their teammates.

Evan Grant's twitter is getting blown the fuck up...and rightly so. Some have even accused him of voting for Young 1st as a publicity stunt because he knows full well that the ballots are public domain and will eventually get out.</font>

One has absolutely, positively nothing to do with the other. Voters decided to make a completely indefensible stand in '99. 12 years later, they did not (or in actuality, fewer of them did).

Evan Grant is the same guy who left Pedroia off his ballot completely in '08. He says he'll be explaining his actions on the Dallas Morning News website later today. I'm not holding my breath, as he said the same thing three years ago, and we're still waiting.

<font color=goldenrod>Rangers sign Joe Nathan to a 2 year deal with a club option for a 3rd year. Wow. And Nathan said he only wanted to sign somewhere where he'd have a closing opportunity.

Guess money talks as per usual. Doesn't sound like anyone else wanted to guarantee more than one year.</font>

Neftali will prob be a starter next season now.

Yeah, Kemp didn't huh? Or wait, there's 2 awards huh? AL MVP and NL MVP?

That's exactly what's going to happen.

Evening round-up.

Pirates sign Clint Barmes to a 2-year, $10.5 mil. deal.

O's sign Chong Tae-Hyon out of Korea to a deal.

Current estimates put the Yoenis Cespedes asking price between $35-50 mil.

The Washington Nationals apparently have big money to spend. They talked to Mark Buehrle, and it's rumored they'll talk to Prince.

Can't wait to wear my Castro jersey to a game again. Whens the season start? Seriously considering going to opening day.

Can't wait to see Prince batting clean-up for the Cubs.

What are you talking about?

Props on this Labor Deal MLB. Showing Nba how its done.

Hows the " fairwheather" in your world?

Ryan Braun wins NL MVP.

I don't really get the advantages of draft slotting and international signing caps in this new CBA.

It seems like it'll just push two sports guys in the draft into other sports if they have to deal with a slot system in baseball. Also gonna change a lot of stuff when it comes to high school signings. I imagine a lot more HS kids will be choosing other sports or going to college if they aren't getting big signing money. And also keeps international guys in their own country until they're over 23 (when they can apparently become free agents) if they want bigger money.

I dunno, all in all it just seems like its gonna thin the possible talent pool in the game.

Braun winning is just...wow. Not a knock on him as he had an MVP-caliber year. But Kemp clearly put up the better numbers. I'll never understand why so many writers feel the need to use whether or not you made the playoffs against you.

Congrats to Ryan Braun for having better teammates.

been trying to argue against Kemp winning MVP for a long time since I hate the Dodgers, but I could not do it.

Because if you hit 100 Home Runs...drive in 200 Runs...hit .400...but your team doesn't make the playoffs...how "valuable" were you, really, to your team?

As valuable as you could be. A player shouldn't lose the MVP award because the team around him sucks.

I haven't been this angry over a voting since Nash got MVP over Kobe back in 05 or whatever

This point is retarded. Every other sport has "slotting" for paying of draft picks. The difference? The MLB is the only one not requiring kids hit college first. This will prevent teams from having to draft lower quality talent due to a lack of signability.

SEE PORCELLO, RICK.

It happens every year. Guys with top talent drop because lower tier teams will have no chance to afford them.

They are going to do the same thing they were before.

fag

Retarded.

So if I hit 275 with 15 home runs and 75 RBI and that led my team, and somehow because of the breaks in the game I win a weak division, I am more valuable than the guy you mentioned?

:wtf: