willjohnathan said:

---

Ours isn't that much tougher. We have three left with Oak and they have two with TB. Other than that we both have it pretty easy. Tor played them pretty tough the last time they played too.

---

I was simply pointing out based upon who the damn Yankees have left to play, the Astros can play very well down the stretch and still get edged out for the best record in the AL.

Still seems too short lol

jkag89 said:

---

Easier said then done considering the damn Yankees remaining schedule:

3 @ Det
3 @ Tor

3 vs LAA
3 vs Tor

2 @ TB

3 @ Arlington

---

Yankees have not been letting up. The only team that has been able to give them fits was the A's.

It's frustrating that the Astros may win over a hundred games three years in a row and not get the top record in any season.

It's going to be really interesting to see what these two teams do once their division is wrapped up. Do you rotate guys to rest them or do you keep playing everyone like normal?

The Yankees have had so many injuries it's baffling how they've hung around so I could certainly see them being a bit gun shy on playing their starters regularly through the end of the season.

While we haven't the amount of injuries pile up like the Yanks we have had a fair share and we know AJ likes to give guys rest when he can. If we sweep OAK we could clinch in KC this weekend. That's pretty damn early.

It'll be interesting to see how both of these teams handle workload with chasing home field advantage.

jkag89 said:

---

Easier said then done considering the damn Yankees remaining schedule:

3 @ Det
3 @ Tor

3 vs LAA
3 vs Tor

2 @ TB

3 @ Arlington

---

More road games there compared to us, so at least there's that.

W said:

---

speaking of the Angels and Trout and the MVP race...

Bregman has really closed the gap on Trout in recent weeks in many statistical categories.

Trout leads in home runs 45 to 35, but only leads in x-base hits 74 to 71.

they are basically tied in runs scored and RBI. And Trout only leads in walks 110 to 101.

Bregman leads in hits and batting average...and has struck out 40 fewer times

---

Yessir. He has his OPS over 1.000 now too. Trout is still the better "player", but Bregman should be the MVP.

He was our rock this year when we lost half our offense to injury. He's willing to move around the diamond defensively to help the team. He makes too much contribution to a team that's going to finish with 100+ wins and possibly the best record in baseball.

Trout has a better WAR, but what is his ~9 WAR really worth on a crap team like the Angels? The difference between winning 66 and 75 games? If Trout wanted to be taken seriously in MVP discussions, he should have demanded a trade to get out of LA.

If Bregman finishes strong, he should be MVP.

Farmer1906 said:

---

MVP means way too many things to different people. For me it's the most outstanding player. Trout can't control his team. He can't control who gets on base for him or who drives him in. Bregman has closed the grab, but he's not there yet.

---

I agree that there's a spectrum of to look at what the MVP means:

Best Player Regardless of Team <---------> Most Valuable Player on Contending Team

I generally fall into the traditional NBA definition of MVP... which means you need to play for a contender. That would make Bregman the emerging favorite. But I see both sides.

I don't necessarily agree that Trout can't control his team. Perhaps he couldn't control it THIS year, granted if he said he was leaving after his original contract was up, the Angels would have had to look hard into trading him. But he just signed a 12 year deal to essentially finish his career with one of baseball's most inept franchises. I'm sure the $400+ million will be nice, but choosing to play in meaningless games on a bad team should be a knock against him IMO.

Trout is the most valuable player in the league. Bregman is easily 2nd, but he's still not Trout. The team and records don't matter. If you could pick today which player you could have, you would pick Trout.

mazag08 said:

---

Trout is the most valuable player in the league. Bregman is easily 2nd, but he's still not Trout. The team and records don't matter. If you could pick today which player you could have, you would pick Trout.

---

If you are on the "Best Player Regardless of Team" side of the MVP spectrum. that's a perfectly reasonable opinion.

Yordan's minor and major league combined stats (2019)

.328
47 HR's
147 RBI's

Yeah, I think he'd be in the thick of the MVP race. He's already shown he's elite offensively. He needs to play 1B if he's going to play a position.

Dude is going to be elite. He has so much power, even a normal fly ball becomes a HR a lot of the time.

mazag08 said:

---

If you could pick today which player you could have, you would pick Trout.

---

True

But that won't change for the next 10 years so by this logic go ahead and give Trout the award until he starts his decline.

zooguy96 said:

---

Yordan's minor and major league combined stats (2019)

.328
47 HR's
147 RBI's

Yeah, I think he'd be in the thick of the MVP race. He's already shown he's elite offensively. He needs to play 1B if he's going to play a position.

Dude is going to be elite. He has so much power, even a normal fly ball becomes a HR a lot of the time.

---

Juiced balls help too

gougler08 said:

---

zooguy96 said:

---

Yordan's minor and major league combined stats (2019)

.328
47 HR's
147 RBI's

Yeah, I think he'd be in the thick of the MVP race. He's already shown he's elite offensively. He needs to play 1B if he's going to play a position.

Dude is going to be elite. He has so much power, even a normal fly ball becomes a HR a lot of the time.

---

Juiced balls help too

---

Having huge muscles and a great swing helps too. I don't think most of his HR's are attributed to a juiced ball.

Lol, someone mentions "juiced ball" here and a bunch of excuses and anger comes out. Is the above poster JV? Are we in Manhattan at MLB hq?

Wow!! Check out Yordan's rankings on baseballsavant.com

Exit Velo - 96th percentile
Hard Hit % - 97th percentile
xwOBA - 98th percentile
xBA - 92nd percentile
xSLG - 99th percentile
Sprint Speed - 40th percentile

4th in BRL %
12th in Avg Exit Velo
11th in Hard Hit %

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-awards-a-look-at-the-top-candidates-to-beat-out-angels-star-mike-trout-for-al-mvp/

Seems topical.

expresswrittenconsent said:

---

Lol, someone mentions "juiced ball" here and a bunch of excuses and anger comes out. Is the above poster JV? Are we in Manhattan at MLB hq?

---

I bet the players are juiced again.

I thought the winky face alluded to my sarcasm, my fault bros!

Faustus said:

---

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-awards-a-look-at-the-top-candidates-to-beat-out-angels-star-mike-trout-for-al-mvp/

Seems topical.

---

Here's the part I disagree with whole heartedly with in the section about Trout:

"That is why Trout only has two MVPs and not six or seven. Imagine the Angels franchise without him? Good gravy.

The best -- and only -- argument against Trout as MVP is built around his teammates. The rest of the Angels aren't very good, so they're far out of the postseason race, meaning Trout's immense production is going to waste on a non-contending team. That's not his fault though."

Without him, the Angels would still be in the same position they are in since they won the WS - bottom dwellers. Maybe they aren't Orioles level bad with him.

I think the bold part is what I disagree with quite a bit. Before he signed his huge contract, sure, I sympathize with that. Now, that he has chosen to stay at a place that has sucked since he's been on the MLB team, it's completely his fault. That can't be part of the argument anymore.

I love his loyalty, and I actually think the Angels are close to being really good, but I don't feel as bad for him since he chose to stay.

In reality, even as much as I want Bregman to win it, I am really close to thinking JV or Cole deserve it more. One of the reasons Bregman was able to carry the team offensively is because of the pitching. However, Bregman deserves every bit of it if they're going to award it to an offensive player

Last thought - Let's have the discussion:

Let me be clear, I think Trout is the best player in baseball. What currently, with Yelich, Bellinger, and Bregman, makes Trout head and shoulders above those three? Is it closer than many think, especially if they all put up similar numbers over the next 7 years?

Quote:

---

Imagine the Angels franchise without him?

---

Yep. They're not a playoff relevant franchise with or without him.

Hasn't Trout also sucked against Houston this year?

Beat40 said:

---

I am really close to thinking JV or Cole deserve it more.

---

I have been coming to this as well. In a year where offensive numbers are through the roof, they are just going out there and doing their thing. Also, our bullpen was completely depleted after the first two games against the Mariners and it was pretty automatic that JV would go out and pitch at least 7 and then Cole goes 8 the next day and the bullpen is back to being well rested. JV leads the AL with era and MLB with innings per start which I think goes a little underappreciated when you can't trust your bullpen.

You guys are all missing the obvious in the Trout vs Bregman discussion. Bregman has played large part of year at SS, a position that on average produces much less output that your average top outfielder per team. As all around player I think they are on par this year when adjust for his time at SS.

the last of the bohemians said:

---

You guys are all missing the obvious in the Trout vs Bregman discussion. Bregman has played large part of year at SS, a position that on average produces much less output that your average top outfielder per team. As all around player I think they are on par this year when adjust for his time at SS.

---

WAR is already position-adjusted, and center field is an up-the-middle position with a similar weight to shortstop.