Determining Greater VALUE
About the Author: Jake Tomko is a Cy Young Award winning pitcher with two World Series rings and is the main reason the Barnburners are proposing a rule change to allow a DH.
Another season has passed and the Barnburners won another championship, but one last battle is left to fight – the awards race. Always known for controversy, the awards race is in full bloom and I’d like to focus on the most valued award – Most Valuable Player. I’ll give you my take on the race and my criteria for voting and maybe it can help you make up your mind.
This year the 5 nominees are Nicholas DiCrosta (Scared Hitless), Jim Shannon (Barnburners), Christopher Keeven (Fear & Loathing), Joe Thaman (Fear & Loathing), and Eamon Murray (Gnats).
Let me preface this by saying that this award is for the Most VALUABLE Player.
Over the years, it has become commonplace to mistakenly think of the MVP as solely the Most Outstanding Player. I think it takes an outstanding player to bring the most value to your team, but its not all numbers and cents. Even if you had the best stats in the league but you played on the worst team, your value is diminished.
Hold that thought. I can hear you now, “But Jake, the MVP is an individual award and winning is a team effort so how can you justify this?” I completely agree that the MVP is based on individual successes, but if your team can lose despite your great stats, they surely can lose without you. And if that’s the case, how much value do you truly possess? In such, I think we can agree that winning is the ultimate goal and I am a firm believer that a MVP should never come from a non-playoff team.
Sorry guys, that’s just my rules.
By this logic, the MVP race comes down solely to Nicholas DiCrosta and Jim Shannon. I also do not find it a coincidence that these two players’ teams battled in the World Series.
Now we dig out the stats.
Based on regular season numbers, I found that both DiCrosta and Shannon were through and through the MVPs of their respective teams. It would be hard to imagine that their teams would have been as successful without their presence. In other words, their value was nearly irreplaceable.
| DiCrosta | HR | RBI | Hits | Shannon | HR | RBI | Hits |
| Individual: | 9 | 14 | 30 | Individual: | 10 | 16 | 25 |
| Scared Hitless: | 22 | 45 | 86 | Barnburners: | 19 | 43 | 73 |
| % of Team: | 41% | 31% | 35% | % of Team: | 53% | 37% | 34% |
We can also judge their value by looking at their failures.
Combined totals in Barnburners 4 loses:
- Shannon: 4/15 1 HR 1 RBI
Combined totals in Scared Hitless 2 loses:
- DiCrosta: 2/7 0 HR 0 RBI
This shows that they were strong catalysts in all of their team’s victories.
Combined totals in Barnburners 10 victories:
- Shannon: 21/43 (.490) 9 HR 15 RBI
Combined totals in Scared Hitless 12 victories:
- DiCrosta: 28/53 (.530) 9 HR 14 RBI
So what are we left with? We have two MVP candidates whose regular season numbers were quite similar. One could conclude that in many ways, their performance determined the outcome of the game. And their teams finished with the two best records. If that’s not true value, then I don’t what is. Either candidate is deserving of MVP…based on regular season numbers.
One major difference we have is post-season numbers. Now, the MLB has their MVP voting done before the playoffs begin so only regular season numbers are looked at. Here at the PWL, the MVP voting will take place after the post-season, which has already concluded.
| DCS Totals: | AVG | HR | RBI |
| Shannon: | 5/11 (.450) | 3 | 7 |
| DiCrosta: | 3/12 (.250) | 1 | 1 |
| WS Totals: | AVG | HR | RBI |
| Shannon: | 5/9 (.560) | 0 | 3 (WS winning RBI) |
| DiCrosta: | 2/7 (.290) | 0 | 0 |
(Barnburners won WS in 2 games)
Looking at these numbers, Shannon seemed to have separated himself from DiCrosta. However, these are post-season numbers and your vote may rely upon regular season numbers solely.
You as a voter have the right to determine your own criteria. You may completely disregard this article, but these are the things I look at when determining the Most VALUABLE Player.
In my opinion, either DiCrosta or Shannon deserves the MVP. But the vote is up to you.
Nick D, Jun 28, 02:55 AM:
Well, DiCrosta is better looking, so he has my vote.
Nick D, Jun 28, 05:03 AM:
In my defense, I think it would be interesting to go back and calculate my line drive percent and BABIP—I think the numbers would show that I was extremely unlucky at the plate in both playoff series, ie balls are destined to be doubles hitting third base and bouncing right to you.
Of course, there’s no trophy for second place. So, I think the MVP should really go to the guy who can hold his whiskey better.
Great post.
Eamon, Jun 28, 01:34 PM:
Shannon’s BABIP for the DCS would .333 (2/6) to Nick’s .222 (2/9), and in the WS they would be identical to their AVG above as neither had a home run or a strikeout. So basically if Nick had 1 hit out of those 7 outs in the DCS, they’d have identical BABIP in that series. You’ll have to look at the SLG to see if that would have made a difference (I doubt it).
AF, Jun 28, 04:12 PM:
I’ll probably just vote for my friends or the people I like the most since that’s the way we do things around here….lol
Gravy Train, Jun 28, 07:30 PM:
If you’re arguing that the MVP should be the most VALUABLE player on his respective successful team, then you have to take into consideration pitching and defense as well. I would normally look at this as an offensive-only award, but your stance seems to open the door to greater considerations of value.
Find one player who doesn’t count Nick as one of the two most unhittable pitchers in the league and I’ll be the first to vote for Jim.
Also, while the MVP voting does happen after the playoffs, you have to disregard post-season statistics considering that the nomination is not limited to post-season teams. So the post-season stats analysis is moo. It’s like a cow’s opinion, it doesn’t matter.
Tomko, Jun 28, 08:19 PM:
While I don’t disagree about the pitching aspect, the MVP has become an offensive award because the Cy Young is basically the Most Valuable Pitcher. But I hear what you’re saying. I don’t think pitching and defense should be disregarded, but I think offense should far and beyond be the primary focus. And it is true that the successes outside of the batters box, at times, determine the MVP between certain candidates. So I’ll give you that.
And I totally think the nominations should be done before the post-season, just like the MLB. But the fact is they weren’t and because they weren’t, it showcased the two candidates in a playoff debate, if you will. A lot of people will look at that and I don’t think it’d be wrong to. To disregard it seems foolish in my opinion. Then again, I don’t know if I would have that same opinion if it weren’t my team winning the World Series on Shannon’s hit.
Like I said, DiCrosta or Shannon completely deserves the MVP. But in no way is there a run-away candidate.
Eamon, Jun 28, 08:27 PM:
Nick’s a top 4 pitcher by the numbers. Tomko, Ragano, and Ford all posted considerably better OBA and ERA with larger sample sizes. That said, I agree that play in the field should count, so zero innings at any position should count against Shannon to some degree. There’s a reason that DHs don’t win MVPs or get into the HoF.
Tomko, Jun 28, 08:40 PM:
true enough point. jim did play C and 1B too.
Pos GP TP PO A E F%
1B 6 16 2 0 0 1.0
C 12 63 83 0 1 .988
anyway, i don’t want any of this to seem like I’m trying to bash DiCrosta so Shannon can win it. I just don’t think its a run-away.
I’m making the case that they both are deserving candidates.
its upto to everyone else who says who deserves it more.
Nick D, Jun 28, 09:49 PM:
Jake, I know you’re not bashing me. Keep up the good statistical analysis. Sabermetric wiffle stats make my day. Now if you figure out my UZR or WARP I’ll buy you a beer.
Tomko, Jun 28, 10:32 PM:
haha I’m all over it.
Eamon, Jun 28, 10:37 PM:
My bad, didn’t see Shannon’s fielding stats. I blame Bush for this oversight.
AF, Jun 29, 01:49 AM:
In my opinion, MVP is most valuable player, which includes hitting, pitching and defense. If it’s going to be based on just offensive numbers, then might as well call it a MVH award.
Each voter selects his/her own criteria to what an MVP is. If a pitcher shutouts every team going 14-0 during the season, it would be hard to say he’s not the MVP of his team. However, since the pitcher already has an award, I would change the MVP to MVH.
Jim, Jun 29, 02:06 AM:
I have no comment.
VOTE FOR SHANNON