Quick Thoughts: Hank Aaron Award and NLCS Game 2

A few quick things.

First, remember when I wrote about the Hank Aaron Award a few weeks ago? Well, the preliminary ballot was released the other day. First, a little bit more on the process; as the article says, each team gets a nominee. The winner is chosen through a combination of a fan vote and Hall of Fame player vote. That alone shows that it's substantially different than the MVP.

Really, though, the ballot is pretty much shows every reason why the Hank Aaron Award is not at all a replacement for the MVP. The one nominee per team idea carries with it the same problems that the All-Star rosters do, except even more noticeable; each team gets ONLY one nominee. For example, I can think of at least four Red Sox who hit better than anyone on the A’s or Twins, yet only Adrian Gonzalez gets nominated. Same in the NL with the Cardinals; Lance Berkman and Matt Holliday easily out-hit anyone on the Astros or Padres, but Albert Pujols is the only one who can be nominated.

Also, as mentioned earlier, the Award, as is, totally neglects defense, baserunning, and position played. You can’t tell me Jacoby Ellsbury wasn’t better this season than Adrian Gonzalez; however, Gonzalez was a slightly better hitter, so that’s all that gets factored in.

Look at it this way:

Hank Aaron Award 2011 Nominees by primary position
C: 1
1B: 8

2B: 1
3B: 3
SS: 4
LF: 4
CF: 4
RF: 4
DH: 1

First base stands out ridiculously, and the corner outfield slots combine for eight nominations as well. That alone is over half of the teams. Generally, a team’s best hitter is supposed to be in one of those spots because they’re easiest to play. Unless the award starts taking other things into account, it can’t equal the MVP.


Now then, on the Cardinals-Brewers Game 2 last night:

Edwin Jackson pitched decently enough, going 4.1 innings, 2 earned runs, and 3 strikeouts to 1 walk. The winning pitcher? Lance Lynn, who went 0.2 innings. You know, since Jackson couldn’t get those extra two outs, he was no longer eligible for the win, so it went to Lynn. Neither did great, per se, but if you ever needed more proof that wins are arbitrary and not important for a pitcher...

Also, I’m a fan of eye-popping one-game lines. So, which one of these is more incredible:

Albert Pujols: 4 for 5, HR, 3 2B (good for 10(!) total bases), 5 RBI, .387 Win Probability Added (WPA)
Kameron Loe: 0.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 108.00 (!) ERA, -.027 WPA

Loe’s WPA isn’t as impressive because the Brewers were already pretty far behind, but still, that ERA!

Look for something fairly large tomorrow!