An Open Letter to Roy Halladay

“Doc” Halladay,

I think your name has been in the paper in Philadelphia more than Andy Reid and his sons or Michael Jackson and blanket. We are looking for Christmas in July here in the city of brotherly love…you can offer us that Halladay.

 

Here are lucky seven reasons to move to Philadelphia.

1. You play baseball…in Canada, am I missing something?

2. We are the world champs and you are consistently one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball. What a fit…done deal.

3. Your mascot is a peaceful Blue Jay. Our’s is the best mascot in the MLB (hey, you can’t argue with ESPN) even though I don’t know what the Phanatic is.

4. Cole Hamels needs a wake up call. Grab the buzzer, cut those girly locks and get him a voice changer…then we will worry about pitching.

5. With you, and some good work from the front office, the Phillies can actually become a dynasty. Now don’t call me crazy for this, but three World Series in a row is a dynasty in my eyes and if they can keep the core, your signed through 2010.

6. Now imagine—”dream sequence”—you dig in at Citizen’s Bank Park in front of 40,000 screaming, drunk, passionate fans who want you here.

7. I want to hear Charlie Manuel call you Doc Halladay…I don’t know why.

If you don’t come, we’ll throw batteries at you during the next inter-league play set. I also heard tonight that you had a deal in the works to go to the Mets, but they turned it down. Do you realize the sh*t storm that would come down on you if you went to the Mets? What’s up Doc?!

Welcome to Philadelphia! (knock on wood)

Sincerely yours,

The City of Brotherly Love

Roy Halladay Necessary to Phillies?

With all the scuttlebutt out there about the Phillies going hard after Toronto’s Roy Halladay at the expense of their surprisingly fertile farm system, they’ve quietly won 12 of their last 13 games, and opened up a very comfortable 6.5 game lead in the NL East.

The starting pitching of JA Happ, Joe Blanton, a resilient Jamie Moyer, and the off-the-scrapheap Rodrigo Lopez have helped the Fightin’s turn in a dominant July. The pitching this month, even without Cole Hamels pitching well, seems to have the stuff to win it all again.

So assuming the rest of the NL East continues to suck wind the rest of the way, I have to question whether or not Roy Halladay is needed. I think the answer for the rest of the season is no, not really.

Would he be the centerpiece of the postseason rotation? Definitely. But do the Phillies trade a Happ and a Kyle Drabek to get him, or do they work to find pieces to solidify the rest of the team for the postseason at a much cheaper price?

I’m talking about a Chad Qualls from Arizona to make the bullpen a strength again. Ryan Madson is suddenly looking very hittable, and outside of Chad Durbin’s three-inning outing this evening against a beaten-into-submission Cubs team, he’s less than reliable.

Or do they finally pursue a right-handed bat to come off the bench? John Mayberry is too inexperienced, and way too strikeout-prone to make a difference in the postseason, and if I have to see Eric Bruntlett get the bat knocked out of his hand one more time I’m going to scream.

By acquiring a Qualls-type reliever and a solid bat off the bench I still feel the Phils are the team to beat, at least in the National League.

Could the Phils do all three? Probably, but the cost in prospects could (Drabek could be Brad Brink Jr.) be devastating three years from now.

Of course Halladay is there for 2010 as well, which Peter Gammons feels gives the Phillies a chance to get to three-straight World Series:

“One could argue that the Phillies have a chance to win three straight World Series (if the Phils acquire Halladay, they would have him under contract for the rest of this season along with the entire 2010 campaign)—and make Cole Hamels even better.”

I certainly wouldn’t be cursing a deal for him, but I’m just throwing it out there that he’s not the only option the Phils can take and still be considered a World Series favorite.

For Phils To Repeat, Roy Halladay Is the Way

With 11 days to go until the trading deadline, the Philadelphia Phillies have quite a bit to think about as far as wheeling and dealing is concerned.  Two weeks ago, the Phils were just swept by the Braves and had lost 14 of 18 games dropping to just two games over .500 at 39-37.

At that time, word came out that the Blue Jays All-World righty Roy Halladay could be available and immediately the Phillies jumped to the top of the list of potential suitors.  Halladay made sense. 

He’s a right-handed sinker baller who would fit in perfectly in the left-handed heavy Phillies rotation and the HR friendly Citizens Bank Park.  It appeared to be the perfect fit for both Halladay, who is hungry to pitch in October, and the defending World Champs.

Well, something happened after that Atlanta series.  The Phillies have caught fire and have won 12 of 13 and are now 51-38 and hold a comfortable 6.5 game lead over the Braves (eight in the loss column). 

Now, questions are being raised on whether the Phillies truly need Halladay to win the NL East for the third consecutive season. Do they sacrifice part of their future to attempt to win another championship in ’09 & ’10?

It makes all the sense in the world to do it.  Although the Phillies are fresh off of a parade down Broad Street, they should understand how rare it is to get to the top and what’s even harder in repeating.  Two championships in 125 years shouldn’t make this team content on trying to win with what they currently have. 

This teams’ core is in its prime.  The age of the everyday players- Jimmy Rollins (30), Chase Utley (30), Jasyon Werth (30), Ryan Howard (29), Carlos Ruiz (29) & Shane Victorino (28) indicate the time is now to get another ring before the window closes.  Only Raul Ibanez (37) is up there in years but he is arguably in his prime now too.

So then it comes down what do the Phils give up for Halladay?  GM Ruben Amaro has indicated that their top prospects, RHP Kyle Drabek, OF Michael Taylor and OF Dominic Brown are untouchable.  However, studs like Halladay do not become available everyday. Seriously, if anyone should be untouchable…it’s Roy! 

Lefty J.A. Happ who joined the rotation two months ago is 7-0 with a 2.68 ERA.  The former third rounder took his time in the minors and is an older 27-year old rookie but his stock will never be higher. 

The Blue Jays would certainly entertain talks that include Happ over the next week and a half for a left-hander starter that will be dirt cheap for the next three to four seasons sounds right up their ally.

The Phillies have an additional need they must address before the deadline.  Last season, GM Pat Gillick struck gold by acquiring pinch hitter Matt Stairs to provide some left handed pop off the bench. 

This season, they need pop from the other side of the plate.  I’m sorry, Eric Bruntlett is probably a nice guy and has smarts and some speed and versatility…but a .132 average, a .207 on base percentage and a microscopic .197 slugging percentage has no business pinch hitting late in a game in a crucial situation. 

Phils skipper Charlie Manuel would be better off sticking with a pitcher or Stairs/Greg Dobbs against a lefty. Bruntlett strikes fear in no one and the Phillies really need to grab a bat. 

Rookie John Mayberry has knocked out 4 dingers in 51 AB’s but with the groin concerns of Ibanez, he’s coming in late in games to provide defense which leaves Bruntlett as the only non-catcher option.  Look, without Matt Stairs, the Phillies might not have gotten by the Dodgers in the NLCS last season.

I’m certain Gillick taught Amaro enough to know that they need an upgrade there. So you look at teams that are out of it…in sales mode and then check out the possibilities.  How about some of these names: Ryan Garko-CLE, Nomar Garciaparra-OAK, Austin Kearns-WAS, Ty Wigginton-BAL.

All would make sense for the right-handed thump the Phils need in the late innings.

The Phillies acquiring Halladay will all but lock up the NL East crown and will make them a formidable October contestant with a one-two punch of Halladay & last year’s October hero Cole Hamels.  As it stands right now, the Phillies would take on the Giants in the Wild Card round. 

Halladay/Hamels facing the one-two punch of Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum and All Star Matt Cain looks much better than Hamels/Moyer…or Hamels/Blanton.  GM Ruben Amaro has shown some aggressiveness with the brow-raising Raul Ibanez deal. 

If he learned anything from Gillick, it’s that the deals at the deadline whether a blockbuster or under the radar can be the difference between watching October games from home, or preparing for another ride down Broad Street.

Phillies-Cubs: Preview Game 90

The Phillies are happy with the way things are going. Will they keep up the momentum against some tougher competition at Citizens Bank Park?

Until recently, playing at home has been a detriment to the team. If not for an abysmal home record up through the end of June the Phillies could probably find themselves up at least 10 games in the division. Regardless, the Phillies have a nice buffer between them and the Atlanta Braves.

To keep the momentum going, the Phillies will hope that Rodrigo Lopez can rebound after a short outing. Lopez left his last outing early with inflammation in his elbow.

Lopez has had a pair of quality outings despite his injury and has helped keep the Phillies’ starting rotation above water at the fifth spot. In his career against the Cubs, though, Lopez is 0-1 in one start, allowing eight runs on nine hits in just 4.2 innings—but that was back in 2007.

The Cubs will send one of the better pitchers in the league to oppose the Phillies’ offense. Ted Lilly enters with a 9-6 record, but is riding a two-game win streak. Lilly leads the Cubs in strikeouts with 101 and innings pitched with 119. He is also coming back from some inflammation in his left knee.

The Phillies have had success against the Cubs’ starter, though, as they are 1-3 against Lilly in his career. Lilly’s ERA against the Phillies is 4.88 and his road record this season is 3-5 with a 4.66 ERA.

The Phillies have upped their home record to 22-23 and are looking to be at .500 for the first time in a long time. The Cubs enter with a 20-25 road record and a four-game winning streak. The Phillies have a major league best eight-game winning streak.

Phillies Record: 51-38
Cubs Record: 47-43

NL East Standings (team, record, games behind):

 

1. PHILLIES 51-38, –
2. Braves 46-46, 6.5
3. Marlins 46-47, 7.0
4. Mets 43-48, 9.0
5. Nationals 26-65, 26.0

Pitching probables: Lopez (1-0, 3.18 ERA) vs. Lilly (9-6, 3.18 ERA)

TV: My Phl 17, ESPN

First Pitch: 7:05pm

Season Series: First meeting.

Open thread for the game will be posted at 6:30 p.m. Game recap will be up tomorrow morning.

Do The Phillies Need Roy Halladay?

I can only imagine what thoughts are swirling around in Philadelphia Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. head these days. The Phils have won 12 of their last 13 and built a 6.5 game cushion in the NL East with no team in the division looking as if they can put up a fight.

The Phils lineup has been scorching hot, helped by the return of All-Star Raul Ibanez from the DL and the better late than never emergence of Jimmy Rollins, whom is hitting over .350 in July.

Despite sub par efforts from staff ace Cole Hamels, the rest of the staff is shaking off first half rust. Jamie Moyer, Joe Blanton and J.A Happ have carried the club through Hamels’ rocky stretch and given the bullpen some much deserved rest.

Although there is much baseball to be played, it appears that the Phils will easily win the division and possibly compete with the Dodgers for the best record in the NL.

All of which makes you wonder…Is Amaro thinking that Roy Halladay is not worth it?

Does he believe that the Phils are shoe-ins for the postseason and will just let the chips fall where they may?

After all, anything can happen in the playoffs. Just get yourself there.

Rueben, this team cannot win the World Series as is. They possibly could come out of the NL, but they cannot beat the Boston Red Sox in a seveb-game series.

Sure, the Red Sox aren’t just given a spot in the Fall Classic, they have to earn it just like everyone else. You just have to assume the best team is going to be there come October.

Acquiring Roy Halladay will not only make the Phillies the favorites in the NL this year. It will give them the chance to become a dynasty.

With the Phils core in their prime (Rollins, Utley, Howard, Victorino, Werth, Madson, Romero, Lidge) and Ibanez playing All-Star caliber ball, now is the time to accomplish something special.

To have this team mentioned in the same breath as teams of legend. The Big Red Machine and countless Yankees squads come to mind.

Throwing Halladay, Hamels, Blanton, Moyer/Happ in a seven-game series is pretty hard to beat, especially with the potency of their offense.

Do we need Roy Halladay? Yes. It’s not as desperate a situation as it was in June, but it would become a necessity come September and October.

The next looming question is what to give up for the best pitcher in the game today. I am weary of losing Happ because of how well he has pitched (7-0, 2.68 ERA). The Blue Jays would be foolish not to request him be part of a deal.

In my eyes you have three prized pieces. Pitchers Happ and Kyle Drabek and OF Michael Taylor. It would be ideal to not lose all three. 

There are plenty of other prospects (Carrasco, Marston, Donald) to throw in in order to keep 1 of their top three prospects.

If the Jays insist on all three top prospects then Rueben has some hard decisions to make. Possibly a move for a dark horse pitcher we don’t know about? Maybe he is more willing than I to lose their top three?

I’m glad I’m not in Ruben’s shoes. His decision will have an immediate impact, not only for this year but the foreseeable future of this special club as well.

Whatever your decision is Ruben, just remember one word…”dynasty”.

Is J.A. Happ The Answer to The Phillies Pitching Questions?

When Brett Myers went down with an injury in late May, many believed that the Phillies would need to trade for a quality replacement. It is beginning to seem like the player they needed may have been on their roster all along.

J.A. Happ is currently 7-0 and has a 2.68 ERA—seventh best among major league pitchers. The more quality starts he strings together, the more apparent it becomes that his early success is no fluke. 

The 26-year-old lefty has pitched seven quality innings in each of his last four starts, including a shutout on Sunday. In the start before those four, he pitched a complete game shutout against the Toronto Blue Jays. 

On Sunday, Happ pitched out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the sixth inning without allowing any runs.

“When he gets in a jam like that, it’s good for him,” explained Charlie Manuel “When he gets out, it shows he keeps his composure, and that right there is how you learn to really be a good pitcher. Anytime he does things like that, it builds confidence and shows him how good a pitcher he could be.”

Happ is tied with C.C. Sabathia for thirteenth in the MLB in WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) at just 1.15.

WHIP is a statistic that many baseball analysts and scouts consider to be more important than ERA because it measures how dominant a pitcher is. Many consider Sabathia to be among the three best pitchers in baseball, so tying him in WHIP is a sign that Happ is performing like an elite pitcher so far. 

Manuel compared Happ to Hall of Famer Jim Palmer, saying “He has great arm speed and his ball has a little velocity. The ball gets up on the hitters. Although he’s throwing 89 or 90 [mph], the ball sneaks up on them. Jim Palmer was like that. He threw downhill and Happ throws downhill all the time. He’s got some movement on his ball.”

Many suspect that the Phillies are the frontrunners in the Roy Halladay sweepstakes. I believe a trade for Halladay would make them the favorites to win the World Series. If Happ can continue to dominate though, they may be able to win it all without making any trades.

With a 6.5 game lead in the division, it is time to start looking at the Phillies as a playoff team. The only change in the top four of the their rotation from last year is that Brett Myers is out and Happ is in. It is beginning to look like Happ may be capable of performing on the level that Myers did in last year’s playoffs.

If he can do that and the team’s other pitchers can repeat anything close to the performances of last year, the starting rotation in this year’s playoffs could be just as good as last year’s. 

In fact, if Happ can continue to pitch effectively, this year’s rotation could be much better.  This is because Brett Myers may be back in the rotation in time for the playoffs. Myers, who had hip surgery in early June, is ahead of schedule and expects to be back this season.

“Realistically, I think I can possibly be back by September, as of right now,” said Myers “The way I’m starting to feel, barring any setbacks. You’ve just got to do what your body will tell you to do.”

If Myers can return, the rotation for the playoffs would likely be as follows: Hamels, Myers, Happ, Joe Blanton. If Happ can pitch well in the playoffs, he would be a major upgrade over Jamie Moyer, who was 0-2 with an 8.49 ERA in postseason last year. 

The only new everyday player this year is Raul Ibanez, who is replacing Pat Burrell. He has been a major upgrade at the plate as well as in the field. Pedro Feliz and Carlos Ruiz have also been hitting much better this year. Now that Jimmy Rollins is heating up, it appears that the Phillies still have championship caliber hitting and fielding. The bullpen also appears to be very good once again. 

If the Phillies can trade for a top of the rotation pitcher at what they feel is a reasonable price, they should do it. If they don’t, however, it wouldn’t mean that they can’t repeat as champions. If J.A. Happ’s performance so far this year is any indication of what is to come, the Phillies may paint the town red and parade down Broad Street once again this October.

 

Phillies Slamming Door on NL East Early in 2009

After consecutive victories at the wire, the Philadelphia Phillies are shutting the door on the NL East a little earlier this time around.

With a 5-0 victory over the Florida Marlins on Sunday afternoon, Philadelphia extended its lead to a full seven games over the second place Marlins.  For now, Philadelphia is the only team in the division on the positive side of .500, and a 12-1 run since July 2 has given them a larger lead in the standings than they had at any point during their last two campaigns.

And it’s not as if they never gave the competition an opportunity either.  New York, Atlanta, and Florida all failed to take advantage of Philadelphia’s 4-14 run from June 11-July 2.  Only the Marlins posted a winning record during that stretch.

During the worst part of Philadelphia’s slide (a 1-9 run from June 16-26), Florida (6-4), New York (5-6), and Atlanta (4-7) failed to gain much ground.

It’s a safe assumption that Philadelphia will cool off at some point.  But as far as the rest of the division is concerned, the damage might already be done.

Consider this: If the Phillies play only .500 ball the rest of the way, they would end up at 87-75.  Not a particularly stunning record, but it will take a very strong finish for anyone else in this division to match that mark. 

Florida would have to finish 41-28.

Atlanta would need a 42-29 record, while the Mets would have to go 44-28.

For a group of teams that have struggled just to have winning records this year, is there anyone who really believes one of them is capable of that kind of run over the next 10 weeks?

The Marlins are probably the most likely candidate, but the same thing that makes them a threat is also the biggest thing working against them. 

This is the team that started the season 11-1, so they could be capable of going 13 games above .500 for a period of time, but this is also the team that went 8-24 immediately after that.

The Wild Card in all of this is the trade deadline, and who can improve themselves for a strong finish—but will any team that far out be willing to mortgage the future for this season?  Most likely, the Mets, Marlins, and Braves will not take that risk; they will hold their cards for next season.

Also of interest: While Philadelphia’s September surges over the past two seasons have been well documented, the Phillies have made a hot run in July an annual event as well.

In 2007, the Phillies hit the All-Star break at 44-44.  Less than a week later they lost the 10,000th game in team history.  They had been within a few games of .500 all season long.

Then, they embarked on a 9-1 run that brought them within three games of the division-leading Mets, and they easily carried a winning record the rest of the season on their way to an improbable division title.

In 2008, a five-game winning streak at the end of July gave Philly a narrow one-game lead as they entered August.

Philadelphia Phillies’ J.A. Happ Making His Presence Known

With the All-Star Break behind them, the Philadelphia Phillies are back to work and ready for the last half of the season.

Noticeably successful is rookie pitcher J.A. Happ. Initially, he lost the starting job to Chan Ho Park in the beginning of the season, having to settle with a spot in the bullpen. As Park floundered, the two swapped spots and began to flourish.

This season, the 26-year-old Happ has been a star in the starting rotation. In 11 starts, he has pitched 72 1/3 innings, earning a 2.74 ERA—much better than the team’s ace Cole Hamels, who started 18 games earning a 4.72 ERA and a 5-5 record.

In Happ’s last five starts he has gone seven innings with a 1.46 ERA, either clearly securing his spot on the team or his trade value—something he is aware of.

“I’m going to tell you that it doesn’t bother me,” Happ said to reporters following his July 12 start, “but it gets into your head. I love being here. I love being on this team. I think I fit in well. But I’m also trying to prove I’m a big-league pitcher. I’m not in control of what’s going on.”

True, Happ has no control over the decision to trade or not to trade, but what he has shown is control over his performance.

In his July 19 start against the Florida Marlins, Happ pitched seven innings, giving up only five hits and no runs while striking out four. He worked his way out of a major jam—loading the bases with no outs and not allowing the Marlins to score.

With this strong outing, does Happ get to dig his heels a little deeper and stay with the Phillies? Or does this mean the Phils have a stronger chance of picking up Roy Halladay, who pitched a complete game against the Boston Red Sox, allowing only one run, striking out seven, and earning the win?

Regardless of the whispers surrounding him, Happ remains focused.

“It’s a long road,” Happ said on July 12, “and you can never predict what’s going to happen, but I’m feeling more comfortable with each start.”

It showed as Happ earned his seventh win in the Phillies 5-0 win over the Marlins on July 19.

With the win, the Phillies swept the Marlins, and now lead the division by seven games—the largest lead this late in the season since July 29, 1993.

Ryan Howard Fastest to 200 Homers: Is 763 a Possibility?

Ken Griffey Jr. was in line to be the one to break Hank Aaron’s home run record.

Injuries derailed that journey for Griffey once he moved on to play in Cincinnati.

Alex Rodriguez is the next presumed heir apparent to break the home-run record, now owned by Barry Bonds.

It still remains to be seen whether A-Rod has the ability to shatter Bonds’ record, as some still believe he could reach 800. Yet with all that hangs around him, Rodriguez is more likely to fall short of 763 home runs than to surpass it, as is anyone else.

As I see it, the only sluggers with a slight possibility of surpassing Bonds remain Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies and Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Howard became the fastest player to reach 200 home runs, while Pujols has accumulated 353 in his nine major league seasons.

Both are 29 years of age, while Howard is just two months or so older than Pujols.

By the examples set by Griffey Jr. and Rodriguez, breaking the all-time home run record is a marathon more than a sprint.

The man previously responsible for becoming the quickest to 200 homers was Ralph Kiner, who after 10 seasons left baseball with 369 long balls.

Barry Bonds didn’t hit for 40 home runs in a single season until his eighth season, yet Ryan Howard has yet to hit for less than 47 homers in his short career.

Howard is sprinter straight out of the gate, while Bonds took his time, staying near the middle of the pack. Some sprinters have the ability to keep their pace, while others fade back into the pack.

Will the numbers begin to fade for Howard? Certainly not yet, they won’t.

The only thing against Howard is that, well, he’s 29. That wouldn’t be such a negative point in his case to break the record except you have to consider the fact that he is currently playing in just his fourth full season in the majors.

Blocked by Jim Thome, Howard was unable to make his way into the league until the age of 25, and didn’t play for a full season until he was 26. Bonds emerged at the young age of 22, and Pujols entered at 21.

The loss of three or four valuable years will prove to be costly in his mission to surpass Bonds.

If you take Howard’s average home runs per season (49), and multiply it by 10 (estimated years of play left), and then add it onto his current total, he still falls short of 763.

Playing until the age of 40 is extremely difficult, especially for sluggers. But even for those home run hitters who manage to play until 40, their numbers almost always decrease in their final seasons.

The fact of the matter is, it is almost certain that he will not hit 49 home runs for the next ten seasons, and even if he does, it won’t be enough.

If Ryan Howard had made his way to the big leagues just a few years earlier, his outlook on the possibility to break the record would be much brighter.

It is much too early to tell if anyone will be able to pass Bonds in the near future, especially Howard. The record has been broken just twice since Babe Ruth established his 714 career home runs.

An injury, or simply just an irreversible slump could signal the end of anyone’s journey to be the home run king, which is why the record is so rarely even come close to.

Howard has the ability to hit 500, and possibly even 600 homers, but 763 would take a miracle.

Albert Pujols is the prototypical player to pass Bonds, but it is also too early to judge whether he has it in him.

With 30 home runs in each of his first nine seasons, Pujols has the consistency and the flat out ability to be the record holder. He has as likely of a chance as anybody ever has at the age of 29. But then again, so did Griffey Jr.

Talk to me when he reaches 700.

How Did Lenny Dykstra NOT Win MVP in ’93?

Last week I posed this question on Twitter.

Lenny Dykstra was the catalyst of the 1993 Phillies that took the baseball world by surprise en route to a National League pennant. Those same Phillies took the defending world champion Toronto Blue Jays to six games before running out of steam at the end but Dykstra did everything he could to bring the franchise’s second world championship home.

As you may know, Dykstra did not win the National League’s MVP that season. A man by the name of Barry Bonds picked up his third career MVP award, with Dykstra coming in second place. To this day many Phillies fans still question that decision so let’s take a closer look at Dykstra and Bonds.

Runs Scored

1. 143 – Dykstra
2. 129 – Bonds

It comes as no surprise to see Dykstra with the edge in this category. Dykstra was one of the most patient batters in the league and he batted leadoff, where Bonds batted clean up.

Once Dykstra got on base he had guys like Darren Daulton and John Kruk to drive him home. Bonds did not have that kind of support, although he had some talented players behind him.

Hits

1. 194 – Dykstra
2. 181 – Bonds

Just like runs scored, it should not be a surprise to see Dykstra on top of this list, especially considering he had 98 more at bats in the lead off spot. If you recognize the surplus in opportunities when compared to Bonds then you could say that Dykstra should have run away in this category. Fair point.

Home Runs

1. 46 – Bonds
2. 19 – Dykstra

Two different types of players. Bonds was the prototypical home run basher and Dykstra was the scrappy leg it out player. Bonds’ 46 home runs was tied for the most in baseball in 1993. Leading the league in home runs usually helps you on your way to capturing an MVP award. Just ask Ryan Howard.

RBI

1. 123 – Bonds
2. 66 – Dykstra

Naturally, when you lead the league in home runs you are bound to pile up in the runs batted in department. This is the case here, but again it should be pointed out the place each player batted in the lineup. A player batting clean up should rack up more runs batted in than a lead off hitter.

Walks

1. 129 – Dykstra
2. 126 – Bonds

Again, Dykstra has the edge in this department, but keep in mind two things. the first is that Dykstra saw 98 more plate appearances than Bonds due to his lead off spot. That being said perhaps it would be more impressive if he had more, as patient and disciplined as he was.

But then consider this as well. Bonds was much more likely to be intentionally walked as teams would shy away from pitching to the home run hitter. Bonds lead the league with 43 intentional walks. Dykstra was issued an intentional walk just nine times.

So how do you judge the total walks and intentional walks. Intentional walks, in some cases, is a sign of respect for a player’s bat and that is the case for Bonds. But if you are looking for which batter had a better approach at the plate, you could make an argument for Dykstra.

Stolen Bases

1. 37 – Dykstra
2. 29 – Bonds

Which player was a bigger threat on the bases? Dykstra, hands down. Of course, Bonds hit almost 30 home runs so he did not have to steal as many bases.

OPS

1. 1.136 – Bonds
2. .902 – Dykstra

This is probably where Bonds gets the final push for votes over Dykstra. The OPS is a player’s on base percentage plus a player’s slugging percentage. It gives you a sense of how powerful a player is in a a lineup and Bonds definitely gets the edge here. In fact in the top ten in the NL MVP voting Dykstra was fourth in this statistic.

But sometimes when you consider who should be the MVP you have to ask yourself one question; what does that one player have to do with his team’s success?

Bonds put up terrific numbers that 1993 season, and so did Dykstra. Dykstra did one thing that Bonds could not, and that was push his team into the playoffs by way of capturing a division crown.

Critics to that philosophy will point to the records of the Phillies and Giants that year and say that Bonds’ Giants were actually a better team (they were with 103 wins, six more than the Phillies) and just fell short to the Atlanta Braves and their 104 wins on the final day of the regular season.

To which I argue that Bonds put up great numbers on a superior team and still couldn’t get his team over the edge? Here is the other side of the argument. How valuable was he then?

It is well documented that Dykstra’s Phillies went from worst-to-first in the NL East, improving their win total by 27 games from 1992 to 1993. But Bonds took a 72 win Giants team in 1992 to a 103 win team in 1993, an improvement of 31 wins. Bonds did make a difference, and he did so with more of an immediate impact than Dykstra did.

In retrospect, maybe Bonds did deserve the NL MVP award over Dykstra. What do you think?

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