The Sommer Frieze

The NL MVP was announced today, and Albert Pujols adds the 2008 MVP to the one he won in 2005. Pujols got 18 first place votes to 12 for runnerup Ryan Howard. Brad Lidge, who finished 8th, got the other two first place votes.

Had Howard won the award, he would have done it with the lowest BA for a non-pitcher MVP. Howard hit .251 this year. The lowest BA for a non-pitcher to win the MVP was the .267 by Marty Marion in 1944.

Pujols is the only major leaguer to hit 30 HR in each of his first eight seasons. He has finished in the top 10 for MVP in every one of his seasons. His consistency is Joe DiMaggioesque. This year he hit .357-37-116, OPS+ 190 despite playing with a nerve problem in his right elbow which required surgery after the season. Pujols won despite his Cardinals finishing 4th in the NL Central.

The AL MVP will be announced tomorrow (Tuesday).

Phil Mushnick wrote something recently and I haven’t had time to get to it until now. He made a good point about the rushing the field (gym) in college football/basketball games. Can’t there be more security? It seems the norm, but a dangerous norm. How long before the home team pulls off a major upset, the crowd rushes the field or gym, and some player gets knocked down or injured, or a fan? How long before a visiting player gets hurt? Maybe a home “fan” decides to take a swing at the visiting player, especially cold-cocking him (especially if sad fan is soused)? What then? The practice of rushing the field is dangerous and needs to be avoided. There should be more security…and punishments before things really get out of hand. God forbid someone have (and pull) a knife on an opposing player. We all remember the Monica Seles incident a few years back.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban faces civil (not criminal) charges. The SEC is accusing him of insider trading. Should he be found guilty, he faces a fine (since civil, no jail time).

Pete Abraham reports that the Waikiki Beach Boys (Yankee Prospects) are in the Hawaiian Winter League title game today. Here are the stats of the Yanks’ prospects there:
Austin Romine, C, 19, .208-0-4, 53 AB (after a long low A season).
Damon Sublett, INF, .253-2-18, 75 AB but 3 walks and 23 strikeouts.
Jeremy Bleich, LSP, 3-2, 1.77, 35 2/3 IP, 33 K, 12 walks.
Andrew Brackman, RSP, 3-4, 5.56, 34 IP, 36 K, 25 walks.

Pete Abraham has information about two exhibition games the Yanks will have with the Cubs to “break in” the new Stadium before its actual official opening.