Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011
Ryan Braun (Wikimedia Commons)
For the first time while the Milwaukee Brewers have played in the National League, one of its players has been named the National League Most Valuable Player.
On Tuesday, Brewers’ outfielder Ryan Braun received the honour. Rollie Fingers (1981) and Robin Yount (1982 and 1989) each received the honours while the Brewers were in the American League.
Braun led the National League with a .597 slugging percentage and .994 OPS (on base and slugging percentage). He hit 33 home runs, had 111 runs batted in, and batted .332.
Braun was one of only two players in the National League, joining Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers to hit thirty home runs ans steal 30 bases this season.
Kemp may have had better numbers (39 home runs, 126 runs batted in), but it was good to see the voters go with a player that was instrumental in guiding his team to a playoff spot. I think a playoff berth is a prerequisite in being named a Most Valuable Player. What do you think?
Tags: los angeles dodgers, matt kemp, milwaukee brewers, robin yount, rollie fingers, ryan braun
Posted in MLB |
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011
Justin Verlander (Wikimedia Commons)
For the first time since 1992 a pitcher has been named the American League Most Valuable Player and for the first time since 1986, an American League starting pitcher has been named the American League Most Valuable Player.
On Monday, Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers joined elite company with Dennis Eckersley of the Oakland Athletics (1992), Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox (1986), Lefty Grove of the Philadelphia Athletics (1931), Spud Chandler of the New York Yankees (1943), Hal Newhouser of the Detroit Tigers (1944 and 1945), Bobby Shantz of the Philadelphia Athletics (1952), Denny McLain of the Detroit Tigers (1968), Vida Blue of the Oakland Athletics (1971), Rollie Fingers of the Milwaukee Brewers (1981), and Willie Hernandez of the Detroit Tigers (1984) as pitchers to be named American League MVP.
Verlander led the American League in wins (24), strikeouts (250), and earned run average (2.40). My biggest question is should Verlander be AL MVP worthy when he is only in the lineup once every five days? What do you think?
Tags: bobby shantz, boston red sox, dennis eckersley, denny mclain, detroit tigers, hal newhouser, justin verlander, lefty grove, milwaukee brewers, New York Yankees, oakland athletics, philadelphia athletics, roger clemens, rollie fingers, spud chandler, vida blue, willie hernandez
Posted in MLB |
Friday, October 28th, 2011
World Series Trophy (Matthew Sheppard, Wikimedia Commons)
Tonight is literally one of the greatest nights in sports. It’s Game 7. Winner takes all. For some reason, Game 7 of the World Series and Stanley Cup means more than Game 7 of the NBA Finals. But tonight either the St. Louis Cardinals or Texas Rangers will come away with a Championship.
I thought it would be a good time to take a look back in Major League Baseball online archives and look back at the previous game sevens in World Series history.
1909– Pittsburgh Pirates def. Detroit Tigers– Honus Wagner collected six stolen bases and six runs batted in during the Series. Pirates’ starting pitcher Babe Adams won three of the World Series Games, including game seven, where he threw a six hitter as Pittsburgh won 8-0. The Pirates won the 1909 World Series despite poor defense. They committed 12 errors in seven games.
1924–Washington Senators def. New York Giants–The Giants played in a record fourth consecutive World Series. In game seven, and the score 3-3 in the 12th inning, Giants third baseman Freddie Lidstrom had the ball go over his head and allowed Muddy Ruel to score the winning run. Washington won 4-3.
1925–Pittsburgh Pirates def. Washington Senators–In their first World Series win since 1909, the Pirates outslugged the Senators 9-7 in the deciding game. Played in pouring rain, this Game 7 was considered by many as the worst conditions ever for any World Series game. According to www.baseballlibrary.com, there are rumors that Kiki Cuyler’s game winning two run double in the eighth inning was foul, but the umpires couldn’t see it properly because of the heavy fog. Cuyler would later be inducted into Cooperstown in 1968. The Pirates also were the first team in baseball history to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the World Series.
(more…)
Tags: arizona diamondbacks, babe adams, bill mazeroski, bill skowron, billy martin, billy myers, bob gibson, bob turley, bobby richardson, bret saberhagen, brooklyn dodgers, bucky walters, carlton fisk, casey stengel, cincinnati reds, craig counsell, curt schilling, daffy dean, danny gladden, detroit tigers, dizzy dean, don larsen, edgar renteria, enos slaughter, felipe alou, florida marlins, frank viola, frankie frisch, garret anderson, gene larkin, gene tenace, george brett, george watkins, hank aaron, honus wagner, jack morris, jackie robinson, jay bell, jeff reardon, jim kaat, joe morgan, john lackey, johnny keane, johnny kucks, johnny podres, kansas city royals, ken boyer, ken griffey, kiki cuyler, lew burdette, los angeles angels of anaheim, los angeles dodgers, lou brock, lou johnson, luis gonzalez, michael ferraro, mickey lolich, mickey mantle, milwaukee braves, minnesota twins, muddy ruel, new york mets, New York Yankees, oakland athletics, paul richards, pepper martin, pete rose, phil rizzuto, pittsburgh pirates, ralph terry, randy johnson, ray knight, reggie jackson, roberto clemente, rollie fingers, ron fairly, saint louis cardinals, sandy koufax, steve blass, tony kubek, washington senators, wes parker, willie stargell, yogi berra
Posted in Home |
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