Sigourney Weaver could play on my team any time. Bet she slides spikes up.

Popcorn hitter Yandy Diaz just pinch hit for Clevinger and hit a vicious line drive off the LF wall for an RBI double to put Tribe ahead 3-2 in 6th inning.

Have you ever seen the guy play, Seagull?

He was hitting .526 before that at bat. Maybe Seagull is better at math than recognizing good line drive hitters and can tell us what his average and OBP is now. And why he doesn't want a guy like that on his team.

And he just scored on a hit by Brantley. As I've said, there is a correlation between getting on base and scoring runs.

Yandy is Dandy

Yandy is 5 for 6 with runners in scoring position this year now too.

Back to earlier comment about Plutko ... Ramirez allowed yet another homer just now.

Carrasco got his feet wet out of the pen. A lot of starters do. Can't understand why they won't give Plutko a shot there.

Could this be the year? He finished 3rd in 2017.

Top 10 MLB MVP candidates:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

5) Francisco Lindor, Indians

Lindor finished fifth in last year’s voting and he’s having an even better season than he did last year. Hitting just shy of .300 and with his second consecutive 30-home run season in sight, the Cleveland shortstop’s candidacy will be bolstered not just by his offensive numbers, but because he plays quality defense at one of the most important positions on the field. Despite this, he’s viewed as a longshot, as his offensive numbers lag behind those of his key competitors.


4) J.D. Martinez, Red Sox

One of the biggest problems with the Red Sox in 2017 was their lack of power on offense. Bringing in Martinez late in the offseason pretty much solved that problem. The outfielder has taken the league lead with 37 home runs and is almost a look to have his second consecutive 40-homer year. The perception is that he has been a key factor in making Boston’s one of the most feared lineups in the league, and that will earn him consideration. There may be some vote splitting thanks to Mookie Betts, though, and those who consider defense to be vital will likely punish Martinez.

3) Jose Ramirez, Indians

Ramirez had a case last year to win AL MVP, and the third baseman’s argument may be even stronger in 2018. A .300 hitter at the hot corner, he’s right on pace with Martinez in the home run department and plays better defense at a more important position. He also adds the speed element, topping the AL charts with 27 stolen bases. He even has a .409 OBP. He has a very strong argument.

2) Mike Trout, Angels

Trout will continue to test those who believe that playoff contention is vital to any MVP candidacy. He’s put together his usual elite campaign, with a mind-boggling .459 on-base percentage, a would-be career high. He’s already past 30 home runs, on pace to hit .300, is second in OPS, and remains a strong and steady defender in center field. Unfortunately for him, the Angels look set to miss the playoffs again, and his dominance is almost becoming expected. Both factors, plus a wrist injury, may hinder him when it comes time to vote.

1) Mookie Betts, Red Sox

Betts may well have the best combination of numbers that will make him too good to ignore for MVP voters. He lacks the OBP of Ramirez and Trout, but his .350 batting average leads the league. He has 23 steals and speed is a big part of his repertoire. He’s on his way to 30 home runs. Right field isn’t the most important position on the field defensively, but he plays it outstandingly. He’s also remarkably versatile, and he’s the face of the best team in the sport. He’ll be tough to vote against.

Top 10 MLB MVP candidates:

5) Matt Carpenter, Cardinals

Carpenter went on a truly astonishing run in mid-July, homering in six consecutive contests, including a three-homer day against the Chicago Cubs. That hot streak helped vault him into the NL home run lead. He’s continued to consistently produce since then, raising his average to .277 after a very slow start to the season. If finishing strong is a factor, Carpenter looks set to do so, and he’s capable of playing three defensive positions well, too.

4) Freddie Freeman, Braves

Long one of the NL’s more underappreciated first basemen, Freeman finally has a contending team around him to bring some attention to his excellent all-around game. He’s a .300-hitter and an excellent defender. While his power numbers may lag behind the NL’s best, he has a good chance of topping the .400 mark in OBP for a third consecutive season. His numbers and style aren’t flashy, which may hurt him in a crowded field, but he’s one of the steadiest players in the league.

3) Nolan Arenado, Rockies

Arenado is a dynamic player who continues to rise in stature year after year. Arguably the sport’s finest defender at third base, he’s also a consistent .300 hitter with power. He’s tied for second in home runs behind Carpenter, but he hits for a better average and plays better defense. Voters will have to sort through the Coors Field factor and how much that matters for his offense. As has been the case in his career, he’s a much better hitter at home than he is on the road.

2) Jacob deGrom, Mets

Usually for a pitcher to win an MVP award, it requires a phenomenal season on their part coupled with a lack of obvious, standout candidates among the ranks of position players. That looks to be the case this year, and deGrom may be the beneficiary. Throw the win-loss record out the window; deGrom has received a historic lack of support from the Mets’ offense. His ERA is 1.85, he barely walks anyone, maintains a WHIP of 0.97, and strikes out over ten batters per nine innings. He’s having a historically great season, and he deserves heavy consideration, and maybe even to win it.

1) Javier Baez, Cubs

Baez certainly has the resume for the award. First, he has the scorching hot form, as he’s hitting .326 with nine home runs since the start of July and looks poised to finish strong. He’s a flashy and versatile defender at three key infield positions. He can also steal a base, as he has 19 for the season. He doesn’t walk much at all, and on a team as talented as the Cubs, one can make an argument that he’s not quite as vital to their success as some of the other MVP candidates are to theirs, but the buzz is around him right now, and he’s an exciting and worthy candidate.

Sure glad Jose is on our side

I guess it will be Betts and with Sale winning the Cy Young, the Red Sox will make a clean sweep. While Ramirez and Bauer could well both be first runners up.

Sorry to be first with this one:

Bauer on DL with "small stress fracture" of right fibula.
Olson up today,
Plutko to start Saturday,
Then what? Unknown

I wanted to see more of Plutko but could have thought of a better way.

This might be a blessing in disguise. Bauer was on his way to throwing his largest work load ever. Who knows, may have had a tired arm by October. This might be another case of being in a weak division helping us, and letting Bauer just rest up while healing up.

I know he does all those different work out routines that he believes helps strengthen his arm but you never know. This might actually help.

It is an injury that he should return from before playoffs.

TV guys just showed Lindor and Ramirez's career numbers side by side. It is amazing how close they are in just about everything.

Manning says they both have a chance at 90 extra base hits this year. The last duo on same team to do that was Ruth and Gehrig of '27 Yankees.

Dog days of August.

On cruise control to division title.

Any player with minor dings should be put on the shelf and rested.

Even mystery injuries pop up this time of year.

Speaking of pop up.....

I'm sure our popcorn hitter has cleared waivers and could be used in a trade for an August outfielder.

Seagull,

Ah, you need help with your math too. Not shocking. You are just like JoeZ. As big of a tool as you are a troll. Which in both your cases is really saying something. Also I find you to be a hateful grumpy little person, and when I get no edification from reading someones thoughts there's really no need to continue. But before I block you as I have Joe, I'll try one last time to educate you.

Francisco Lindor - .394 career minor league slugging percentage.

Jose Ramirez - .411 career minor league SLG%

Yandy - .414 career minor league SLG%.

Small sample size, but he has a 700 SLG% in his limited time in majors this year too.

Granted, Frankie is 2 years younger and Jose 1 year younger. They were both lucky enough to have jobs available to take when ready. But no reason Yandy (who also has biceps the size of Lindor's head) wouldn't improve power numbers with experience as well. Lord know the LF wall in Cincy still has a dent on it from that laser he hit off it last night. And he has not got out much this year, but at least a few of his outs were hard hit line drives that were caught by RF'er. One at the wall on a full run.

He has sprayed hard line drives all over the field this year, and in his entire time in the minors. Last year he was brought up for a short time and was in a slump, and he grounded out for a few days straight. You seem to think that's all he's got, and that is terribly misinformed. But I've found from talking to you on a myriad of topics that is the story of your miserable life.

All that said, as I've said before, Yandy should indeed be trade bait. No spot for him here and he deserves to be playing every day somewhere.

seagull wrote:
Speaking of pop up.....

I'm sure our popcorn hitter has cleared waivers and could be used in a trade for an August outfielder.

If you are speaking of Yandy, there is no way in hell he clears waivers if they even bother putting him on. Not the kind of player who passes through.