Shohei has...
- the 10th-most HRs in the league (tied)
- a higher batting average than Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Ronald Acuna Jr.
- the 6th-best ERA in the league
- the 6th-most strikeouts, better than Sandy Alcantara and Justin VerlanderAaron Judge could've won the Triple Crown and he could still logically lose the MVP to this dude. Insanity.
That was Vladdy last year.
Shohei Ohtani is now officially the first player to qualify as both a pitcher and a hitter in the same season (based on current qualification rules)
I think he might sneak it, especially since Judge isn't getting the Triple Crown.
Ohtani is an all-star level pitcher and an all-star level DH. He is literally two all-stars who only need one roster spot. I can't fathom the insane advantage, the value, let's say, he adds to the Angels.
Shohei Ohtani pitches 5 innings of 1-run ball, Mike Trout hits his 40th homer, and the Angels lose their 3rd straight game to the 102-loss Oakland Athletics.
Just a cosmically appropriate way to end this particular season of Halos baseball.
'Tungsten Arm' O'Doyle, etc.
Ohtani is an all-star level pitcher and an all-star level DH. He is literally two all-stars who only need one roster spot. I can't fathom the insane advantage, the value, let's say, he adds to the Angels.
I believe the stats show he helped the Angels win 10 more games than they would have otherwise, slightly behind Judge in that respect.
Ohtani is an all-star level pitcher and an all-star level DH. He is literally two all-stars who only need one roster spot. I can't fathom the insane advantage, the value, let's say, he adds to the Angels.
The Angels do have to go with a 6-man rotation to have him play both ways, which mitigates the positional advantage Ohtani brings a little bit.
What a year though, Ohtani doing what he does both ways and then Judge himself putting up one of the all-time great offensive seasons.
I personally think Judge edges the MVP slightly this year, but between the two there isn't a wrong choice.
The controversy is settled:
MLB velocity, shifts set records; average lowest since 1968
Higher velocity and increased shifts led to the major league batting average dropping to .243, its lowest since 1968.
Defensive shifts and 100 mph pitches set records this season, contributing to the worrisome offensive decline Major League Baseball is trying to address.
When the average dropped this low more than a half-century ago, MLB lowered the pitcher’s mound. Next year’s rules changes announced last month include the first restriction on shifts, a decision made over the objection of the players’ association.
“We’ve engaged in a process to develop rules that will bring back the best form of baseball,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said at the time.
The major league average was .269 in 2006 but fell to .254 in 2016 and .245 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, then dropped by one point in each of the following years. The only seasons with lower averages than this year were the record low of .237 in 1968 along with 1967 and the deal-ball era seasons of 1884, 1888 and 1908.
The most amazing thing (to me) about Judge's season -- ignoring that his home field seems like it has little league dimensions -- is that the next closest HR total is Schwarber's 46. The next closest in the AL is Trout at 40, which is also pretty amazing given how much time he missed. It's not like he did this in a year like 1996 where someone like Brady Anderson, of all people, hit 50. He's all alone out there.
This is the part where I note that Judge actually hit more HRs on the road this year (32) than at home (30).
Crazy. I never would have guessed that was the case. And really, that impression is only from watching occasional games on tv, where the field looks real small, but for all I know that could just be an optical illusion caused by how the stands are built or something.
2 of his home runs were only home runs at Yankee stadium.
2 of his home runs were only home runs at Yankee stadium.
So…asterisk?
Wow, how 'bout that Phils game?
First, they yank Wheeler in the 7th of a 0-0 game and put in Alvarado. He walks the first guy and the second guy (Yepez, a pinch hitter) homers on the first pitch.
Phils finally get something going and load the bases in the top 9th. They got a run on a HBP, then this (ignore the spoiler in the title!):
That was a fine bit o' hittin' right there. I loved the way that Jean jumped like a little kid when he saw the ball go into the OF. 
Edit: On a side note, poor Rhys Hoskins struck out twice in that inning (leadoff and third out). Hopefully he won't go 0-5 again tomorrow.
That was quite the inning. Booya!
-BEP
He made HBO build him a replica of Citi Field, didn't he?
Beat me to it.
I am shocked CLE won a game. If the Guardians win today, I will need to buy a t-shirt or something.
Go Rays
I am shocked CLE won a game. If the Guardians win today, I will need to buy a t-shirt or something.
Guess I need to buy a shirt
The dream is alive! Holy moly Mariners what a game.
The Mariners are a chaos team this season
Prederick wrote:The Mariners are a chaos team this season
Damn, I had picked the Jays to go to the WS. 
Well, that's a collapse.
Mariners are a good, young team.
Oh, the Mets needed that SO BAD.
Molina in possibly his final career at bat... Singles to keep the game alive. Holy shit
Molina in possibly his final career at bat... Singles to keep the game alive. Holy shit
Phils got the starting pitching they needed from their two Aces. Neither gave up a run, and the Cards only managed a combined 6 hits over 13 innings against them. Our lack of a closer is going to kill us eventually.
It's pretty unusual for the Phils to give run support to Nola, so scoring 2 runs on only 4 hits was a miracle for us.
If you had told me a few days ago that the top 5 bats in the Phils' order would hit .000, .000, .167, .286, and .000, I would not have expected to win even one game. That will not be good enough against Atlanta, that's for sure.
The Mariners are a very silly team. I like em'.
(This is the part I hate most about being a Yankees fan. The franchise is so drowned in "history" and "tradition" that the idea of having a sense of humor while playing a game is treated as heresy.)
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