National League MVP 2011: Braun = MVP! (reply #318)

[yoshii8]

However, while Braun may not be in the lead for RBI's and HR's....isn't Braun in 1st place for OPS, Slugging %, and Runs?

Here is from the Polish Falcoln post above.

 

Matt Kemp .326/.403/.582/.985, 109 runs, 36 HR, 118 RBI, 40 SB

Ryan Braun .330/.393/.594/.977, 104 runs, 31 HR, 104 RBI, 31 SB

 

Kemp is actually beating Braun in both OPS and runs, however Braun is still winning in slugging % and avg.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Braun had a decent lead in OPS a week ago. As he gets passed up by Kemp in some of these stats, it's going to be tougher. He needs to finish strong these last 6 games.

 

I think a crowd full of fans chanting "MVP" might get some play on the mothership...that might help. That and a walk-off bomb to clinch the division.

[FVBrewerFan]

Kemp doesn't have to WIN the Triple Crown, he just has to stay in contention for it. As long as he stays as close as he is, this will be the big story every day. The Matt Kemp watch. And all that attention will give him the MVP.

[TooLiveBrew]

Since this is a Brewers board, we probably don't even want to talk about this, but if the Cards make the playoffs I think Pujols has a real shot at MVP. Braun/Fielder would lose Braun some votes, & Pujols is Pujols.

[FVBrewerFan]

That's not realistic. Pujols is far too classy to accept that award again.

[Funketown]

If you don't factor in standings, I think the edge should go to Kemp. His batting stats are pretty much in line with Braun's, but he's a bit better in the field and he has played 11 more games than Braun this season.

 

I still think Upton deserves some votes, and I hope he gets them. He's had a great offensive season (.292/.372/.536) and plays a very solid right field.

 

I think Verlander should have a good chance in the AL. He's now 24-5 with a 2.29 ERA in almost 250 innings. I think those numbers should play well with the voters.

[jmeks23]

I think what it really boils down to (barring a triple crown) is how can Kemp be the most valuable player of the entire league if his team is barely over .500? I know that it may or may not be all that fair but honestly that's what it comes down to. Take Braun off the Brewers and there's no way they go to the post-season, especially after Weeks injury. Your lineup would've been Morgan, Kotsay?, Hart, Fielder, McGehee, Betancourt, Hairston, Lucroy. Not winning many games with that.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Braun's awesome game defensively and offensively in a clinching effort will give him plenty of national pub I'm sure. Tonight will be a nice boost for his MVP candidacy.

[valpocrewsader]

Sadly, his defensive super-gem isn't getting much attention so far, over-shadowed by his mega-bomb and the big story of the team's frst division title in 29 years. MLB Network showed the defensive play, but ESPN's Baseball Tonight just recapped the entire game without mentioning it. Hopefully it gets a little more legs, because that play was amazing....

[homer]

The only way Braun doesn't win is if Kemp wins the Triple Crown. And even then I still think Braun wins.

[jason21nl]

Braun's defensive play was number 1 on Sports Center's top plays though

[Schlitz001]

There is no way Kemp doesn't win MVP if he wins the triple crown. It's such a rare thing that I think the voters wouldn't be able to say no. But if he only take 2 out of 3 categories, then Braun has to get the award. You could argue that Braun is better than Kemp offensively this year anyway (wOBA), and without the triple crown the voters aren't going to give it to a player on a sub .500 team.

[sveumrules]

Schlitz is exactly right. If Kemp wins the batting title as the final jewel in the first NL triple crown since Ducky Medwick 70 some years ago and thd first in MLB since Yaz 40 plus ago he will get it. If Kemp doesn't win the crown Braun will win on account of having better teammates.

[Bombers]

Ya if Kemp wins the triple crown he has to be given the award. That is a major accomplishment. What Braun has done has been awesome, but a Triple crown. Wow, that could be spectacular.

[TooLiveBrew]

Braun's defensive play was number 1 on Sports Center's top plays though

Deservedly so. That was one helluva play.

[homer]

There is no way Kemp doesn't win MVP if he wins the triple crown. It's such a rare thing that I think the voters wouldn't be able to say no. But if he only take 2 out of 3 categories, then Braun has to get the award. You could argue that Braun is better than Kemp offensively this year anyway (wOBA), and without the triple crown the voters aren't going to give it to a player on a sub .500 team.

I agree he should win (and maybe even if he doesn't get all three) but I just feel like the writer's put too much emphasis on getting into the playoffs.

[Ennder]

Kemp winning the triple crown should have almost nothing to do with him winning MVP, but the reality is it will win it for him if he pulls it off.

[homer]

Kemp winning the triple crown should have almost nothing to do with him winning MVP, but the reality is it will win it for him if he pulls it off.

What should? WAR?

[Ennder]

Just about anything but three stats that have very little to do with how good a player is when taken out of context. It is very easy to lead the league in AVG or HR or RBI and not be anywhere near the best player in baseball, it is still plausible to lead in all three and not be even top 10 or so. If you want him to win MVP look at things like OPS etc first and not secondary stats. In this case Kemp is a very worthy player but to say that winning the triple crown should be an auto MVP is just completely off base.

[homer]

Just about anything but three stats that have very little to do with how good a player is when taken out of context. It is very easy to lead the league in AVG or HR or RBI and not be anywhere near the best player in baseball, it is still plausible to lead in all three and not be even top 10 or so. If you want him to win MVP look at things like OPS etc first and not secondary stats.

I would say that any player who is in the top 3 in RBI, HR, and AVG is probably among the top five most valuable based on whatever other metrics you want to use. Kinda like if a pitcher has 25 quality starts in a year he's more than likely going to have decent numbers across the board even though a quality start in and of itself isn't all that impressive.

[Ennder]

Just about anything but three stats that have very little to do with how good a player is when taken out of context. It is very easy to lead the league in AVG or HR or RBI and not be anywhere near the best player in baseball, it is still plausible to lead in all three and not be even top 10 or so. If you want him to win MVP look at things like OPS etc first and not secondary stats.

I would say that any player who is in the top 3 in RBI, HR, and AVG is probably among the top five most valuable based on whatever other metrics you want to use. Kinda like if a pitcher has 25 quality starts in a year he's more than likely going to have decent numbers across the board even though a quality start in and of itself isn't all that impressive.

I think you are completely wrong here but rather than nitpick lets look at a real world example. If Kemp ends the season hitting .003 off of the lead league in average should that really change whether he is MVP or not, should falling just short by a really small margin change who is most valuable? Just being the triple crown guy shouldn't win or lose it, being just shy in all 3 should most likely still place him heavily in the running but gaining small amounts in all 3 making him the triple crown guy should never be what pushes him into the MVP, it is just silly.

[sveumrules]

If Matt Kemp wins the triple crown and does not lead all of baseball in wRC+ he will be only the second triple crown winner in the post dead ball era to do so since Chuck Klein who won the NL triple crown in 1933 but was only second in all of baseball in wRC+, behind AL triple crown winner Jimmie Foxx. History has proven that every single triple crown winner to this point has been much better than "top 10 or so" at least in terms of hitting. I didn't consider fielding in this exercise because if no one can agree on how to assign it proper value today how are we supposed to do so for guys that played 100 years ago?

[WV Brew]

A lot of the stats Kemp has a lead in are counting stats. Braun has played 11 fewer games due to the time he lost around the All-Star game. That should be factored in.

[sveumrules]

If two players have essentially the same rate stats but one has played more games and at a more difficult position to boot that is the guy I'm taking.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Just about anything but three stats that have very little to do with how good a player is when taken out of context. It is very easy to lead the league in AVG or HR or RBI and not be anywhere near the best player in baseball, it is still plausible to lead in all three and not be even top 10 or so. If you want him to win MVP look at things like OPS etc first and not secondary stats. In this case Kemp is a very worthy player but to say that winning the triple crown should be an auto MVP is just completely off base.

If you lead the league in both average and homeruns, I would imagine it's all but a lock that you'll lead the league in SLG% as well. And unless the player takes a Yuni B bad amount of walks, he's also going to be top 3-5 in OBP% at worst. I just can't foresee a scenario where such a player would only be 'top ten or so' unless you HEAVILY weight defensive runs.