[lex24]

Crawford was the Giants MVP without question this year.

1. He's played 35 more games than Belt (obviously will finish with at least 40 more games played).

2. Crawford plays the most important defensive position and Belt plays the least important defensive position. Belt has hit slightly better (159 OPS+ vs 142 OPS+) but he would need to have hit dramatically better to overcome the difference in defensive contribution.

I hope you guys are right and that the last 6 games don't reinforce the case for Belt as MVP.

Just because he's not the MVP doesn't mean it's not a big loss for the Giants, definitely hurts a lot for this week and playoffs.

While I agree with choice of Crawford as the Giants MVP, I think you did a disservice to Belt by referring to first base as the least important defensive position.  Every season, Belt saves a quite a few potential errors by the other infielders with his ability to scoop or reach out to snag wayward throws.  A skilled first baseman is of more value that a skilled left fielder (in my opinion, the least important defensive position).

This seems to indicate that SS/Giants is slightly more valuable than 1B/Giants, by 3.7 WAR to 1.9 WAR.  And obviously covers all players at each position.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagu...ompare.cgi

Giants now have third best record in team history with five games to play.  If they win three more games, they'll tie the 1904 NY Giants with the best overall record in team history.  

Here's the SF Giants position-by-position WAR relative to the 30 MLB teams (with WAR total):

#2 Relief Pitching (3.6)
#2 Pinch Hitter (0.4)
#3 Shortstop (3.7)
#5 Catcher (1.4)
#5 1B (1.9)
#6 Starting Pitching (7.7)
#9 CF (1.0)
#11 RF (0.7)
#13 3B (0.8)
#14 LF (-0.1)
#19 2B (-0.4)

WAR is the most overrated “statistic “ out there. As the song goes: War, uh, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing.”  Except for agent in negotiations.

Don’t tell me, for example. the combo of Posey/Casali is worth only 1.4win over THEIR replacement.  I know WAR is supposed league average. But that doesn’t mean much either. EDIT- ok. I misinterpreted the data. It’s a figure that they exceed WAR at their position relative to rest of league. So it’s, using Catcher, 1.4/better than other teams WAR. I Still think it’s overrated, overused and not particularly telling.

It’s a team. With real players. It’s not APBA.

[lex24]

Crawford was the Giants MVP without question this year.

1. He's played 35 more games than Belt (obviously will finish with at least 40 more games played).

2. Crawford plays the most important defensive position and Belt plays the least important defensive position. Belt has hit slightly better (159 OPS+ vs 142 OPS+) but he would need to have hit dramatically better to overcome the difference in defensive contribution.

I hope you guys are right and that the last 6 games don't reinforce the case for Belt as MVP.

Just because he's not the MVP doesn't mean it's not a big loss for the Giants, definitely hurts a lot for this week and playoffs.

While I agree with choice of Crawford as the Giants MVP, I think you did a disservice to Belt by referring to first base as the least important defensive position.  Every season, Belt saves a quite a few potential errors by the other infielders with his ability to scoop or reach out to snag wayward throws.  A skilled first baseman is of more value that a skilled left fielder (in my opinion, the least important defensive position).

This seems to indicate that SS/Giants is slightly more valuable than 1B/Giants, by 3.7 WAR to 1.9 WAR.  And obviously covers all players at each position.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagu...ompare.cgi

Giants now have third best record in team history with five games to play.  If they win three more games, they'll tie the 1904 NY Giants with the best overall record in team history.  

Here's the SF Giants position-by-position WAR relative to the 30 MLB teams (with WAR total):

#2 Relief Pitching (3.6)
#2 Pinch Hitter (0.4)
#3 Shortstop (3.7)
#5 Catcher (1.4)
#5 1B (1.9)
#6 Starting Pitching (7.7)
#9 CF (1.0)
#11 RF (0.7)
#13 3B (0.8)
#14 LF (-0.1)
#19 2B (-0.4)

WAR is the most overrated “statistic “ out there. As the song goes: War, uh, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing.”  Except for agent in negotiations.

Don’t tell me, for example. the combo of Posey/Casali is worth only 1.4win over THEIR replacement.  I know WAR is supposed league average. But that doesn’t mean much either. EDIT- ok. I misinterpreted the data. It’s a figure that they exceed WAR at their position relative to rest of league. So it’s, using Catcher, 1.4/better than other teams WAR. I Still think it’s overrated, overused and not particularly telling.

It’s a team. With real players. It’s not APBA.