Upton, meanwhile, just posted a 136 OPS+ as a 22-year-old, which is ridiculous. In the history of baseball, 48 players have been that productive at that age. Only 11 of those seasons have come in the last 30 years:

• Jack Clark, 1978, 152 OPS+
• Eddie Murray, 1978, 140
• Rickey Henderson, 1981, 150
• Cal Ripken, 1983, 144
• Ken Griffey Jr., 1992, 149
• Vladimir Guerrero, 1998, 150
• Alex Rodriguez, 1998, 136
• Albert Pujols, 2002, 151
• David Wright, 2005, 139
• Miguel Cabrera, 2005, 151
• B.J. Upton, 2007, 136

Basically Upton had A-Rod’s age-22 season. Works for me…

Post from: Knuckle Curve

• Barry Bonds. His stories pretty much write themselves.
• Miguel Cabrera. Anyone who gets scolded by Ozzie Guillen for being too fat is okay in my book.
• Fausto Carmona. One of the biggest surprises of 2007.
• Daisuke Matsuzaka. Not as good as the hype, but still pretty good.
• Gil Meche. Irresponsible spending almost got the Royals out of last place.
• Jake Peavy. Bounced back from poor (by his standards) ‘06 season.
• Carlos Pena. Where did that come from?
• Alex Rodriguez. Takes abuse from everyone, but still great.
• C.C. Sabathia. Out-Santana’d Santana.
• Barry Zito. Hey, at least the Giants only have 6 years left on his deal.

Stay tuned for Jamie’s full list…

Post from: Knuckle Curve

Your 2007 AL MVP is Alex Rodriguez, which makes sense because with all due respect to Detroit’s Magglio Ordonez, A-Rod dominated the league in every conceivable way. His was an easy choice.

In the National League, things were complicated by the Mets’ historic collapse. If David Wright’s team had reached the playoffs, I’m convinced the voters would have chosen the right guy.

As it stands, they were sure to make a mistake, the only issue being whether it would favor Colorado’s Matt Holliday or Philadelphia’s Jimmy Rollins. As you probably know by now, Rollins was named NL MVP.

It’s not Rollins’ fault that the voters botched this, so I don’t begrudge him the award in the slightest. Congratulations to Rollins and Rodriguez.

Post from: Knuckle Curve

Anywho, if you aren’t as sick of this story as I am, go read more about it. Short version is, it looks like Alex Rodriguez will remain with the Yankees.

Go on, act like you care. I dare you.

Like what you just read? Subscribe to Knuckle Curve and you’ll never miss another article…

Post from: Knuckle Curve

• Barry Bonds: .272/.446/.558
• Alex Rodriguez: .303/.420/.588
• Kosuke Fukudome: .283/.373/.465
• Torii Hunter: .282/.345/.491
• Andruw Jones: .246/.339/.472
• Mike Lowell: .283/.346/.455
• Aaron Rowand: .277/.343/.443
• Mike Cameron: .246/.331/.435
• Mike Piazza: .260/.321/.430
• Sammy Sosa: .234/.303/.418
• Julio Franco: .231/.307/.324

I hope Franco keeps playing till he’s 50. Anyway, download the whole dealio and entertain yourself for hours…

Like what you just read? Subscribe to Knuckle Curve and you’ll never miss another article…

Post from: Knuckle Curve

Like what you just read? Subscribe to Knuckle Curve and you’ll never miss another article…

Post from: Knuckle Curve

Why would the Marlins, with the worst attendance in the game and desperately trying to land a stadium deal, unload their best player and one of the top hitters in baseball?

For one, Cabrera – who made $7.4 million last season – stands to make at least $10 million in arbitration this winter, a challenging price tag for a low-revenue team. Also, despite averaging 31 homers, 116 RBI and a .327 batting average the past three seasons, he has had several troublesome episodes.

Okay, I understand that $10 million is a lot to spend on one player when your entire team was paid $30.5 million in ‘07. What I’m not clear on is how this somehow makes, as the article seems to suggest, Alex Rodriguez affordable.

In case anyone has forgotten, Rodriguez just opted out of the final three years of a 10-year, $242 million contract. This means that he and Scott Boras think they can get more on the open market, not less. Or to put it more bluntly, Rodriguez won’t be coming to Miami for $10 million — you know, what Cabrera might make in arbitration.

I love this bit on Cabrera:

He has been benched a couple of times for arriving late for games, his weight is a concern and sources say the Marlins are frustrated with his overall attitude and approach.

What is the euphemism? “Socializing,” I think they call it. This is management and local media “socializing” Marlins fans (should that really be plural?) to the idea that Cabrera won’t be around much longer and that somehow this is a good thing.

Boy, I sure would be frustrated with Cabrera’s attitude and approach if I were the Marlins. It’s only produced MVP caliber results every year. Check out Cabrera’s list of similar players through age 24 at Baseball-Reference:

1. Hank Aaron
2. Ken Griffey
3. Frank Robinson
4. Orlando Cepeda
5. Hal Trosky
6. Joe Medwick
7. Al Kaline
8. Mickey Mantle
9. Andruw Jones
10. Vladimir Guerrero

That’s six guys who are in the Hall of Fame; three who will be; and Hal Trosky, a brilliant hitter from the ’30s and ’40s whose “demise as a player is solely attributable to migraine headaches that made his life a living hell” (The New Bill James Historical Abstract, p. 447). In other words, Cabrera is a special talent. Whatever other issues may surround him (and I don’t doubt there are some) would seem to pale in comparison to what he can offer a team.

Are the Marlins shopping Cabrera? Sure sounds like it, and maybe it’s not even a bad idea — jettisoning Josh Beckett worked out well for them. But just say that you’re cheap and don’t want to pay the guy. Don’t spew garbage about his “approach” or how the more expensive Rodriguez somehow makes sense as a potential replacement.

People aren’t stupid, you know…

Like what you just read? Subscribe to Knuckle Curve and you’ll never miss another article…

Post from: Knuckle Curve

By opting out, Rodriguez will forfeit the potential $91 million that is left on his contract. Also, the Texas Rangers, who traded Rodriguez to the Yankees in 2004, will not be responsible for subsidizing $30 million of his salary.

First off, can you even imagine kissing up to $30 million a year (his current deal was through 2010) goodbye on the assumption that you’ll be able to earn more on the open market? I so need a new line of work.

Hank Steinbrenner’s quotes are classic:

If you don’t understand the magnitude of being a Yankee and understand what that means, and being the highest-paid player in baseball, I think it’s pretty obvious.

And further down:

If we’re going to make you rich and we’re going to give you the privilege of being a Yankee, you’ve got to show us you want to be here.

Hank is George’s kid, but you probably guessed that already. I suppose the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Or would that be the Big Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree?

Either way, the next question is, who will give Rodriguez more money than he was making in New York? I mean, if baseball’s biggest spender can’t afford your services, then who can?

I smell bake sale…

Like what you just read? Subscribe to Knuckle Curve and you’ll never miss another article…

Post from: Knuckle Curve

The Baseball Economist

Good luck…

Like what you just read? Subscribe to Knuckle Curve and you’ll never miss another article…

Post from: Knuckle Curve

I’m not going to tell you which ones I think are wrong, but I will say that their names rhyme with Mimmy Mollins Ratt Rolliday and Posh Peckett. If you haven’t voted yet, please feel free to do the right thing.

Post from: Knuckle Curve