Lidge’s problem is demonstrated on the graph showing his FB velocity over the last 3 years (click my name for the chart).  His FB is down, and it seems to have passed some critical threshhold under which he cannot effectively pitch. 

He will be replaced soon.

You’re right, Craig, about Cabrera.  He’s having a monster year and no one is noticing.  If the Tigers make the playoffs, especially if they do so by being, say, more than 2 or 3 games better than the Twins, isn’t Cabrera a more worthy MVP candidate than Joe Mauer?

Ben2009- No. Cabrera is probably a better candidate than Teixeira, but Mauer blows everyone out of the water.  He is a cather playing good defense while hitting for average and power.  It is not even close.  The only person who can even throw his name in the ring with Mauer is Jeter, and he’s still not all that close. (this doesn’t mean that Mauer WILL win, just that he should be just as easy a choice as Pujols in the NL)

I must be having a blonde day because I can’t follow the logic of ML managers.
Brad Lidge has been a train wreck this year. Is another trip to the DL in his immediate future? As Bill said, Ryan Madson has been the Phillies’ best option. I was kind of surprised that they didn’t take a shot at Wagner.  I’m also guessing that they are still taping that reality show in the bullpen, too. I hate reality TV.
On the other coast, I have no clue why Joe Torre decided to use James McDonald in last night’s game.  McDonald has not been particularly effective (45 hits and 27 walks in 49 innings) and the Dodgers are not exactly dominating the division.  Craig, the Heimlich may not be enough.  They might need high colonics to remove cranial obstructions.  Hmmm….now that I think about it, maybe we should try that on politicians first.
Another note: Why Miguel Cabrera was not an “All Star” confounds me, too.

We can disagree about whether or not I was being a dick, but I’ve found that when people believe team success matters for this award, being over the top is the best way to get through that it doesn’t.  Otherwise, we likely would have gone through several iterations (but he makes his team better!) that really, nobody needs to read again.

We have guesses, but he doesn’t have enough innings to make any of the defensive numbers reliable.  Part of the reason his WAR is so high is he’s off the charts at 2B, but that could be a fluke.  Appears to be a below-average SS for his career, though he’s only played 13 games there this year.  UZR has him as a plus defender at 2nd and RF, where he’s gotten most of his PT this year.  Take that for what it’s worth.

“How about his Russell Branyan season?”
Gorman Thomas?

No matter what Greinke does the rest of the year, you know that C.C. Sabathia will win the Cy Young.

I’m still confused? Is the MVP for the best player in the league, or is it for the most valuable?

You know, not the guy with the best year, but the guy that did the most to give his team a chance to win because of the year he had?

Can anyone answer that?

Because when I looked up the definition of ‘valuable’, it didn’t say ‘best’.

@The Rabbit:  As a Rockies fan I wasn’t heartbroken over seeing McDonald over Sherrill or esp. Broxton.  However, to be fair, McDonald’s numbers as a reliever (that is, w/o those April starts) look much better than the overall stats.