2011 MLB Season

[The DBZemon King]

Ryan Braun wins NL MVP. He had a fantastic season by any measure, but Kemp clearly put up the better numbers. I'll never understand why so many writers think you have to be in the playoffs to be MVP. Kemp got 6 3rd place votes for fuck's sake.

While it can be argued that the NL Cy Young and NL MVP probably shouldn't go to two players who played on a team that barely had a .500 record, to me Kemp clearly had the better year. Frankly, I'm surprised Braun won; I thought for sure he would split votes with Fielder being that they're on the same team. I'm sure the argument I stated was a big reason why Braun won.

[naiwf]

AL MVP should be - Verlander, Joey Bats, Ellsbury

AL MVP will be - Granderson, Bautista, Gonzalez (Verlander gets 4th or 5th)

NL MVP should be - Kemp, Who Cares, Who Cares Again

NL MVP will be - Braun, Kemp, Who Cares

The AL got it right, although I was surprised Ellsbury finished 2nd ahead of Bautista. The NL was about as predictable as can be. Apparently nearly going 40/40 and almost winning a Triple Crown isn't enough to win an MVP these days unless you play on a good team. I have no beef with Braun winning, I just don't think he would have won if Kemp's team wasn't the drizzles.

[gunnar hendershow]

The new CBA is probably great news for you if you're a fan if the Phillies, Yankees or Red Sox. Apparently in order to restore that good old competitive balance, the league pushed for in talks and got harder slotting in the draft with luxury taxes for anyone who exceeds the slot and potential penalties of lost picks for anyone who exceeds it by too much. They've also done the same with international free agency with a soft cap with 75-100% luxury tax for anything spent beyond that, with international spending allocation based on winning percentages. Basically the only area of spending which didn't get further restrictions placed on it was free agency, where the Elias rankings have been eliminated, as has most draft pick compensation for lost free agents. And the luxury tax in that area remains between 22.5%-40%. So pretty much if you're a small to mid-market team, your only hope for contention is to get lucky. It is so completely laughable that the league was worried about the contracts given out to amateur free agents. When you look at their bonuses, then compare that to the potential value they put up in their first 3 cost controlled seasons then 3 arbitration controlled seasons at a fraction of their market value, draft picks and international signings are a bargain. But here is an example where the free spending teams that like their little free agent fiefdom can align with the piss poor run franchises like Oakland, the White Sox, Florida, both Los Angeles teams and others of their ilk who would rather spend their money on declining veterans then put it where it could acually produce value. And together they take away the incentive of those middle market teams actually doing things the right way. And hey, if you're not in either of the Eastern divisions it's fine too because it's not like you have to play the Sox, Yankees or Phillies 20 times a season. What a fucking embarrassment. It's like cutting back on seeds so you can spend more on soon-to-rot vegetables.

This is Bud's last CBA. Everyone just swept the problems under the carpet for the next guy to inherit, similar to what Tagliabue did with the NFL. There's a lot of unaddressed problems which will come back at some point down the line.

[Lowerdeck]

That and with the NBA's issues, does MLB really want to have a major labor battle too which sinks the league further behind the NFL?

Oh - and of course the Yanks/BoSox/Phils benefit - just think of the ratings! The ratings are all that matters! They must be in the World Series against each other every year. Fuck Kansas City and Pittsburgh...

[gunnar hendershow]

Plus league attendance has been steadily increasing every year! So there can't possibly be any problems with competitive balance.