25 Games in the Books. Who is Our MVP?

Posted in Uncategorized by Flavor on May 4, 2015

Five starts into the season, Tim Lincecum has the lowest ERA of any of the starters on the staff (2.40). While not the strongest of sample sizes it’s certainly not the weakest. It got me to wondering who are MVP is so far this year. Timmy would and absolutely should get a few 2nd and 3rd place votes. But who is #1? Aoki? Heston? My dark horse: Pagan. Or does Brandon Crawford strike your fancy? He leads the team in home runs and RBI’s. Who called that?

I’d probably go Heston and Pagan tied for first place…

___________________

interesting news clipping someone found—25 years ago, top salaries at each position. I find it hilarious that the Brewers and A’s made up 33% of the list.

____________________________________

To celebrate Steph’s MVP win I thought it would be fun to go back and look over the players picked ahead of him. Favorite thing: Minnesota took not one but TWO point guards in front of him. Hilarious.

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gianthead said, on May 4, 2015 at 7:38 am

Have to agree with Flav on Heston and Pagan….
sfsarge said, on May 4, 2015 at 7:43 am

I’m gonna say Crawford and my dark horse would be Panik. But Heston is not a bad choice either.
sfsarge said, on May 4, 2015 at 7:45 am

Wished I could have met up with everyone at the yard on Saturday. I couldn’t get away. I’ll be at the game Friday night if anyone wants to meet up for a cold one.
willedav said, on May 4, 2015 at 7:46 am

Someone’s outrageous prediction (or not, maybe it was something else about team HRs?) had Craw hitting a dozen or so. 2013 I think he hit a bunch early and then cooled off quite a bit. Splits are sure weird but he seems to be growing and improving as a hitter.
As to TL, the Angels couldn’t hit anyone else that started a game this weekend either, neither the kid nor Hudson.

Pagan is a quarter way toward the 100 game mark, so far, and has handled 3 spot pretty well.

Chron had something today about biz people running for office and failing. Seeing Fiorina as Prez is just ridiculous. I’ve known a lot of people who worked for HP and left as things went sour once mgmt. changed. Their take was that a good atmosphere had been ruined by outsiders like her taking over.

One of my heroes, Art Hoppe, used to write about a “Nobody for President” campaign. I’m in.
- unca_chuck said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:36 am
  
  I was there as a contractor when she was ousted as CEO of HP, and people were literally dancing in the aisles. They couldn’t have been happier.
  
  People were singing “Ding dong, the witch is dead . . .!”
  
  Pretty funny. When I got to work that morning, they had a security guard standing in front of her picture in the lobby. By lunch, the picture was gone . . .
- chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 10:27 am
  
  I know I had Craw with at least 10 this year. May have been 12. Dude is almost always good for 10 bombs.
blade3colorado said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:25 am

Bozo had the most for Craw insofar as season totals. He predicted 17 when Flavor asked the HR question for the entire team. You can look it up . . . 🙂
- chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 11:30 am
  
  Steve, what blog date had the predictions?
  - blade3colorado said, on May 4, 2015 at 11:42 am
    
    April 2nd. You had 9. I want a new prediction on Belt . . . I must have been on drugs when I said 25.
  - chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 12:30 pm
    
    I think a lot of folks (especially coming into this year) thought Belt had potential to hit 20+.
Carstie Clausen said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:28 am

For me it’s a bit early to be making personnel predictions, though the players mentioned are all good potential candidates. Nice to see this team jelling recently. Popeye Pence returning could get that development hitting into overdrive. Rotation coming along is also most encouraging. Here, most observers thought Petit would be quite overworked at this stage of the game. Fact is, the opposite may be bringing him down a bit in his overall efficacy. Irony can abound in the game of baseball.
unca_chuck said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:41 am

I’ve warmed to Aoki. He’s been very good as the new leadoff guy. He’s gotten better at not getting picked off as well. MVP? I’d have to go with Craw for doing what he’s doing from the bottom half of the lineup.

Belt and Posey need to pick things up. They’ve both showed signs, but not nearly enough. McDeepee would be my anti-MVP. LVP?
giants54 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:52 am

Maxwell was looking like an April MVP candidate there for awhile. Pagan’s has put up nice stats, but defense takes some of the votes away. Heston has been a great surprise and save them. Probably.go with him. Bullpen has been solid, too. Kontos and Machi surprisingly good. Smart they held on to both off them.
willedav said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:56 am

Zum last night mentioned LA’s continued ownage of DBax after home sweep.
Pads swept the Sherps at home too and are now 14-12. They have Ross Cashner and Kennedy lined up for next 3 vs. Bum Vogs and the Kid.
Giants with their own home sweep, so someone’s streak will be over after tonight. Like to see SF get some payback for what happened last time these 2 met in SD. Supposed to cool off quite a bit today, so tonight and other 4 night games this week should be to more to Kruk’s liking, “good pitching weather.”
dirtnrocksnomo said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:52 am

Good question about the early MVP. I’m tempted to go with Heston but I think it is Crawford. He’s leading the club in HR and RBI as you mention but there have also been games that he has just dominated defensively.

Rickey not making more than Puckett at any time is an insult to Rickey.
- unca_chuck said, on May 4, 2015 at 11:10 am
  
  And I’m sure Rickey said it exactly like that.
  - wilcojoe said, on May 4, 2015 at 2:52 pm
    
    Ha!
gianthead said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:52 am

I will have to acknowledge as someone who was questioning of Aoki (I had presumed Pagan would leadoff thus questioning the worth of Aoki further down in the lineup), that I have been quite surprised at his start to the year. Pagan killing it in the 3 hole has made it work so far. I would still like to have had Nelson Cruz hitting behind Pagan with Aoki in right.

Now in the Fiorina discussion, she has no shot in hell at winning the nomination and I can totally understand the HP criticism, but from my perspective if being able to meet her and have her speak in a small group setting when she ran for the Senate, I came away very, very impressed with her.

If Scott Walker or Jeb Bush win the nomination, Fiorina is going to be on a very, very short list as VP, especially with Hillary in her ascendancy. In fact I predict she will be the Republican VP nominee…you heard it here first….
- giants54 said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:58 am
  
  Smart money is on Kelly Ayote if its a woman.
- chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 10:30 am
  
  Fuck Fiorina and the horse she rode in on…that bitch has NO CHANCE at all, even if she breaks out the kneepads and gives free blow jobs. She was one of the worst CEOs in the tech sector, ever.
  
  But, she sucks, so there is that…
- blade3colorado said, on May 4, 2015 at 11:54 am
  
  Yep. Per your April 2nd post, you also said Maxwell would replace Aoki in the LU by May 1st and would be screwing his wife by June; whereby Nori would be swearing off sushi for the rest of his life by September. In short, you’re 1 of 3 so far.
giants54 said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:53 am

A lot of chatter now about Posey catching Lincecum. No question Posey the better c but ….career wise now after yesterday, Lincecum with Posey 4.05 era with teams hitting .252 . With Hector 3.96/.225.

Last yr, the numbers were Posey in 7/starts 7.56 era, Hector in 18/starts, 3.20. Each caught a no-no?
unca_chuck said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:54 am

Yerh, so far our record against the NL west (minus El Lay) is bad. Got to right that shit.
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 10:25 am

I would call it a tie between Aoki and Pagan. Heston is only out there once every five days. Pagan has been in every game, and has shined from the three hole. 2nd goes to MudBug, 3rd to Ben-Hur.
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 10:36 am

Great day at the yard on Saturday. Was great to see Blade, snarkk, zumiee and Charlie (Unca) again, and to finally meet Wisco and Edd. And while it appears that a game ending by a runner being hit by a batted ball is not that rare, it was the first time I had ever seen it in all the years I have been watching baseball.

I will shoot Flav some pictures from the game to add to the photo bucket. Flap On!
sandog said, on May 4, 2015 at 11:02 am

One of my outrageous Marty Lurie-inspired predictions was Crawdad hitting 20 bombs. Still a longshot, but not as outrageous as it originally sounded.
Irish Kevin said, on May 4, 2015 at 12:21 pm

I am going with Aoki as the very early MVP.
blade3colorado said, on May 4, 2015 at 3:03 pm

Hard to decide on the MVP for the 1st month. IMO Pagan and Aoki. Also, give an honorable mention to Duffy. He gets forgotten because he’s a sub and pinch hitter, but he is doing yeoman’s work to date.

I still think Lincecum will have problems going forward. He has a terrible fastball and unless if he locates it like he did in his previous start, he’s shark food. Prior to this start, he had his worse showing of the season, when he threw his fastball only 42% of the time. Conversely, he threw it 58% in yesterday’s start. He also went after the hitters, with 71 of his 106 pitches going for strikes. However, give him credit, if he can continue to locate his “meh” heater, then he will have success with his outstanding off speed pitches. As a #5 pitcher, he is doing an excellent job, so no complaints from me. Going forward, I still see him as a “matchup” pitcher and lucky him, he gets a great matchup at home against the Fish this Friday.
- djloo27 said, on May 4, 2015 at 4:00 pm
  
  Has anyone ever actually met a yeoman?
  - blade3colorado said, on May 4, 2015 at 4:13 pm
    
    Hundreds Loo. Anyone who’s been in the military is likely to have run into one. More so, if you worked for the Navy (military or civilian). Basically, they’re a clerk.
- chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:07 pm
  
  Even though he has fallen off of late, good call on the Duffster. I like that kid alot. Hope he can find some consistency…if he does, he will be around for a long time.
djloo27 said, on May 4, 2015 at 4:05 pm

That weekend sweep was a nice boost. Can’t wait for Cain and Pence to come back.
Maybe I was wrong to give up on the season when they started out 3-2…
alleykat69 said, on May 4, 2015 at 5:09 pm

So Sabes is looking for a long-term solution at 3rd?McG not cutting it.
Wants to trade minor league pitching in a deal.
So who’s he after?
Daniel Murphy? Evan Longoria ? Cost you a bigger package of prospects , maybe Belt included,Lonnie Chisehall( sp) etc etc
- djloo27 said, on May 4, 2015 at 5:46 pm
  
  Murphy’s a doubles machine but a terrible fielder no matter where you stick him. Aramis Ramirez would be a classic Sabean pickup. Veteran player at the end of a contract. Probably cost next to nothing…
- chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:08 pm
  
  BuzzKill was signed only for one year, as a stop-gap. Smart money is looking ahead and finding a long-term solution at 3rd. Giants are fat with young pitching…I would trade a couple of prospects in a heart-beat for a solid 3rd baseman who plays some good D and can hit (hmmm…that description sounds a bit like Pablo).
pawliekokonuts said, on May 4, 2015 at 5:23 pm

Where’s Nipper? And Twin?
pawliekokonuts said, on May 4, 2015 at 5:24 pm

I’m voting for Brandon Crawford, Angel Pagan, and Santiago Casilla in a tie.
- chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:09 pm
  
  Good call Mr. Kokonuts…
Macdog said, on May 4, 2015 at 5:52 pm

What idiot on the Brewers decided that Counsell’s first game as manager should be against Kershaw?
- Macdog said, on May 4, 2015 at 7:04 pm
  
  I take that back: Brew Crew in the lead!
giants54 said, on May 4, 2015 at 7:09 pm

Yeah, go Brewers.
giants54 said, on May 4, 2015 at 7:10 pm

Why did Mattingly go with Hatcher 7+ era in the btm 8th?
pawliekokonuts said, on May 4, 2015 at 7:51 pm

McDeePee isn’t even Ryan Garko. Jettison him.
- djloo27 said, on May 4, 2015 at 7:52 pm
  
  The first pitch to him was an absolute meatball that he let go by…
djloo27 said, on May 4, 2015 at 7:51 pm

They had Belt dead off third. Why leave 2 runners in scoring position?
zumiee said, on May 4, 2015 at 7:55 pm

McBuzzkill. The ONE TIME a double-play would have scored a run, and he strikes out. Brutal.
zumiee said, on May 4, 2015 at 7:58 pm

My Giants’ MVP of the season so far is Heston. I just think he pumped life back into the team after the team’s rough start. And maybe he kickstarted a few of the starting pitchers who were struggling. They dug deep not to be outdone by the new guy.
- chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:04 pm
  
  Good post, but I still have to stick with a guy who is out there every day, as opposed to every 5th. But Heston has been damned good…far exceeded my expectations, to date.
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:03 pm

On Craw’s play…no one is perfect, and he will make an error here and there, but give me what he does on a regular basis, packaged with a .250 or so, 10 or so HRs and 70 or so RBIs, and I will take that shit all day every day, every way.
zumiee said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:05 pm

The Red Sox Gas-house Gang is scuffling. They lost again today. Hanley ate some wall and sprained his shoulder. Sandoval, 0 for 4.
- chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:12 pm
  
  Nice…
zumiee said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:09 pm

I tell ya. I’m downright starting to (heart) Aoki.
giants54 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:09 pm

Red Sox are going nowhere without an elite SP added.
zumiee said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:10 pm

Aoki and Panik are starting to get some mojo as a 1,2 lineup combination.
- chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:11 pm
  
  Whole top of the order is kicking-ass…Pagan has been in EVERY game, and has excelled, IMO. Salute!
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:10 pm

Whoop! We Score! We Win!
djloo27 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:13 pm

Bases loaded. Now we’re fucked…
pawliekokonuts said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:15 pm

I’m reading “The Whites” by Richard Price writing as Harry Brandt. The protagonist, a detective, goes to Finnerty’s on page 10.
- chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:17 pm
  
  Seriously? That’s cool. I have to make it to Finnerty’s one of these days. I am reading Elizabeth Warren’s latest right now…amazing read…
- djloo27 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:19 pm
  
  On page 12, he gets his picture taken with the WS trophy…
  - pawliekokonuts said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:21 pm
    
    more like, tends to a murder scene at Penn Station as St. Paddy’s revelers are puking on the crime scene
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:16 pm

Fucking Belt…sigh…
djloo27 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:16 pm

C’mon, Cornbread!
- chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:19 pm
  
  Cornbread. That’s good. Reminds me, I have some kick-ass cornbread in the kitchen that is calling my name.
blade3colorado said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:17 pm

Really getting tired of Belt’s act . . . sigh.
- chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:20 pm
  
  Dude is fucking killing me…
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:18 pm

Hell of an RBI there…
giants54 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:18 pm

Gifted!
giants54 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:18 pm

Keeps the DP in order
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:18 pm

And of course, the DP…
sandog said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:19 pm

McBuzzKill!!!!
mannyman46 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:19 pm

Der ole patented McGiggles DP ball, you almost knew it was coming.
blade3colorado said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:19 pm

Only act worse, is Mcfuckup.
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:21 pm

But on the positive side…it is 2 zip, Gigantes.
Carstie Clausen said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:21 pm

Somehow. Believe it or not. Him coming up with one out and the bases jammed i just got that feeling. It’s no longer merely McGDP but McGuaranteedDP.
willedav said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:22 pm

un f-ing real. I can’t believe he swung at the first pitch, as wild as ross had been.
He just threw one to the flipping backstop.
This guy isn’t a kid either, that’s just stupid baseball.
- pawliekokonuts said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:24 pm
  
  just bench him; release him; whatever; my boy Arias woulda come through, or Duffy
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:22 pm

I am already yearning for another trip to the yard…
blade3colorado said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:22 pm

Cushion for Bum should be at least 3 or 4 runs.
- chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:23 pm
  
  Depends on which Bum you get. (Could be said of ANY Giant starter.)
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:22 pm

Hoping that Pence does a rehab in Sacto…I will definitely get out to check out one of those games…
pawliekokonuts said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:23 pm

He makes Aaron Rohand look like Ty Cobb Williams Aaron Rose as a batter.
alleykat69 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:26 pm

Jesus you just knew it was coming with Mc Double Out!!!
Maxwell takes the bases loaded walk, with the last one a “Ricky Vaughn” special, “just a little bit outside” and doofus face swings at the 1 st pitch? WTF???
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:32 pm

Nice assist from Upton…
- djloo27 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:35 pm
  
  Uptonogood?
unca_chuck said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:36 pm

Kill in’ me with the LOBs tonight.
- chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:38 pm
  
  WTF. You ARE a Giant’s fan, you should be really used to it by now, brother.
  - unca_chuck said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:40 pm
    
    That doesn’t mean I have to like it . . .
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:37 pm

WTF…an Expos hoodie…
djloo27 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:38 pm

Nobody keeps score at home.
Nobody ever did.
unca_chuck said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:38 pm

At least Belt only gets one out at a time. . .
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:40 pm

Yeah, as I said earlier, you will get those from Craw on occasion, but I will still take him. Looks like Belt could have got a glove on that. Not that impressed with Belt’s fielding (not to mention…) tonight…
blade3colorado said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:41 pm

Just my opinion, but Belt has his head up his ass if you can’t dig that frickin’ ball out of the dirt. A good first baseman makes that play EVERY time.
- djloo27 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:47 pm
  
  It hit the grass not the dirt, which according to K & K apparently make it an impossible play…
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:51 pm

If it truly hit the grass as K/K said, then yeah, I can see E6.Fuck it…I will still take Crawford all day.
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 8:56 pm

Damn…I thought that bad boy was gone off the bat…
blade3colorado said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:04 pm

Dirt, grass, whatever. He still sucks. Zero home runs, 6 RBIs, 20 SO, .217 BA, .309 OBP, .267 SLG, and .575 OPS. This is the guy that was projected to hit 20 bombs annually and play GG caliber 1st base?

This dude knows exactly what’s what with Belt . . . http://www.sportsoutwest.com/2015/05/04/examining-brandon-belts-potential-and-future-with-the-giants/
- chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:09 pm
  
  I am with ya brother. I say trade him, and the sooner the better (before his value falls completely off the fucking charts)…
giants54 said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:07 pm

I’m with ya Blade. To me Belt McG equally frustrating because Belt is younger and far more talented.
- blade3colorado said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:10 pm
  
  Not certain who said it the other day about him being a veteran now (Flav?), i.e., this guy has no more excuses. He is supposed to be showing the younger guys how it’s done. Instead, he does the opposite.
  - chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:18 pm
    
    He is supposed to be a gold glove first sacker right now, with a line something to the tune of .280, .3xx, .48x, and hitting 20-plus bombs. So much for that pipe dream. I am done with the dude. Ship him and get some good prospects, if possible.
giants54 said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:09 pm

All those missed scoring opportunities may come back to bite
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:12 pm

Nice K!
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:12 pm

Time for a DP!
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:16 pm

Fuck Yeah! BIG COUNTRY…Country Strong!
djloo27 said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:19 pm

Would a package that includes Belt bring back Adam Lind, A. Ramirez and a SP from Sudsville?
- chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:23 pm
  
  Hard to say Loo…what do you have in mind?
  - djloo27 said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:28 pm
    
    Belt, Giggles, Voggy and a prospect for Lind, Ramirez and Garza?
zumiee said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:20 pm

It’s interesting that with the off-season talk from pundits comparing Bum to Kershaw, Bum has out-pitched Kershaw so far this season, punctuated by each of their games tonight.
chipower9 said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:22 pm

That finger has to be smarting for Pagan when the bat hits the ball…
zumiee said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:23 pm

Yellow, butter-drenched popcorn is gross, IMO. I like my popcorn with almost nothing on it. Just a slight hint of salt. And then I’m ALL IN.
- djloo27 said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:31 pm
  
  Butter drenched anything is gross…
djloo27 said, on May 4, 2015 at 9:25 pm

I guess it will require someone’s death for K & K to retire the expression “ugly finder”.
Eugenio getting maimed a few years ago wasn’t enough for them.