10 Biggest Takeaways from MLB's Week 22
We didn't get the biggest, most significant drama of the MLB week until nearly the end. And we thank everyone involved for that.
The New York Mets' Matt Harvey is at the center of it, along with agent Scott Boras. That makes this perfect for nationwide attention and debate, so we'll get into that shortly.
As for the rest of the week, there was plenty. We saw amazing plays, another long-awaited prospect promotion and what is likely a farewell to one of a storied franchise's premier players.
Let's do some catching up.
Both Sides Could Have Strong Case in Mets-Harvey-Boras Saga
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Notice Harvey's name is the one caught in the middle in that headline? It's fitting.
Super-agent Scott Boras emailed New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson days ago to set a hard limit on Harvey's innings this season, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. According to Boras, doctors set that limit at 180 innings following Harvey's Tommy John surgery in October 2013. Boras even took those claims to MLB Network Radio, saying, "Any club that chooses to defy the medical expert is putting the player in peril."
Harvey is currently at 166.1 innings, meaning unless he is shut down now, he would not pitch in the playoffs. Alderson is saying he will not abide by Boras' wishes the way Washington Nationals GM Mike Rizzo did with Stephen Strasburg's innings limit in 2012, according to John Harper of the New York Daily News.
If indeed doctors, including surgeon Dr. James Andrews, are putting a hard cap on Harvey, Boras has a strong stance. Of course, he would stand to gain a huge payday when Harvey becomes a free agent after the 2018 season or if a mega-extension is reached between Harvey and the Mets before then. A second significant injury could hurt that bottom line.
On the other hand, if the cap was soft, the Mets are right to pitch Harvey. He is critical to their World Series chances as one of their co-aces. And as we learned with the Nationals after Strasburg's shutdown, making the postseason is far from a sure thing year after year. So while the Mets have an open window, they have to try to jump through it.
For now, Harvey will pitch. And the Mets can expect Boras to keep piping up in defiance.
Bryce Harper Is the Clear National League MVP
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Harper had quite the game Thursday, walking four times and scoring on four occasions in a blowout win. One of those walks came with the bases loaded, so he also had an RBI.
Such a feat is a rarity, no doubt, and Harper has done it twice this season, showing us another reason why he deserves MVP honors. Not Paul Goldschmidt, not Anthony Rizzo, not anyone else. Harper is the guy, and anyone advocating for any other player is misguided and/or prejudicing their opinion about Harper for any number of reasons that should not apply to the MVP discussion.
For those still wanting a debate, Harper had a .331/.464/.627 slash line, 31 home runs, led the league in batting average and the majors in OPS+, according to Baseball-Reference.com, OBP, slugging, OPS, isolated power, wOBA and wRC+ entering Friday, according to FanGraphs.
That's it. This debate, unlike the one in the American League that features Mike Trout vs. Josh Donaldson, is over.
Jessica Mendoza Deserves ESPN's Sunday Night Job
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ESPN announced Friday morning that Jessica Mendoza, who filled in last weekend on the network's Sunday Night Baseball broadcast for suspended Curt Schilling, will be on the broadcast for the remainder of the season.
This is a good call, as Mendoza was articulate, informative and mostly strong in her debut. I say "mostly" because she thinks Paul Goldschmidt should be the MVP over Harper (see previous slide), although her opinion that the MVP does not have to come from a winning team is an agreeable one.
Mendoza offered a fresh voice and one that does not bombard the audience with a sense of superiority the way Schilling would and John Kruk sometimes can just because they are former major leaguers.
While criticism of Mendoza mostly centered on her never having played baseball—she was an Olympian in softball—most people in broadcast booths can't claim that distinction, including a legend such as Vin Scully. So the argument is dumb and off-base.
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Corey Seager’s Call-Up Makes Little Sense, Unless…
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The Los Angeles Dodgers called up the game's top prospect, shortstop Corey Seager, Thursday, and he went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI in his debut.
Calling him up now seems curious, but being that a player can still be eligible for the postseason roster by replacing an injured teammate even if they are not called up before Sept. 1, Seager has a shot to make the postseason team.
But if the Dodgers do not plan on bringing him along for their October ride, calling him up for spot starts now seems odd. The team's president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, typically brought up top prospects to play while he was GM of the Tampa Bay Rays, which helped earn him a reputation for being a good handler of his farm system.
The Dodgers did the same thing with Joc Pederson last season, but that was under a different front office, and who knows how much good it actually did the player since he struggled so badly last September?
While it is nice to see another great prospect graduate to the majors, it only makes sense if Seager is around for the postseason, when the Dodgers might need him more than they do now.
San Francisco Can Bid Farewell to Franchise Legend Tim Lincecum
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The most recent memories of Lincecum might be negative because he's been hurt a lot and his production has been mostly bad when he's been available. Still, news of his season-ending hip surgery that could end his San Francisco Giants career should be a big blow for fans.
He gave the club two Cy Young Awards and brought energy to the mound every time he took it for a four-year stretch. He was part of the team's three World Series runs, although he pitched only 1.2 postseason innings last year.
His time with the Giants probably isn't statue-worthy, but it should be remembered for what it was: fun, electrifying and greatly associated with winning.
Giants' Odd-Year Failures Continue
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Unfortunately for the organization, the same week Tim Lincecum's time with it might have ended, so too did its chances at making this postseason.
The Giants went into Los Angeles for a three-game set against the rival Dodgers on Monday, 3.5 games behind them in the National League West. This was their chance to make up some ground and set their path for the rest of the month.
The result? A three-game sweep, even though each contest was decided by one run. The Giants left Los Angeles with a 6.5-game deficit, and they are now even further out of a wild-card berth.
Bet on them next year.
Matt Williams Does a 'Masterful Job'
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The criticism in the second half of this season has come hard at Nationals manager Matt Williams. He's gotten it from fans, analysts and his local media.
Much of the criticism, understandably and rightfully, has been about Williams' handling of his bullpen. Mainly, it's about how he is failing to deploy his best weapons in high-leverage situations. This is nothing new; he did the same thing last season, including in the postseason.
The bigger problem now, which is related to those bullpen decisions, is there is no sense of urgency from Williams. For as limited an impact as a manager's non-roster moves can be, that kind of attitude can't help but seep into the clubhouse and, in turn, the playing field.
The Nationals are five games behind the New York Mets in the National League East, and they are 7.5 out of the second wild-card spot. Urgency is exactly what this team needs, but Williams is not leading the charge. Instead, he is attempting to defend his indefensible moves by sticking to the ridiculous argument that his closer is his closer and closers close games—and they are good for nothing else.
As crazy as that sounds, his GM, Mike Rizzo, called Williams' managing "masterful" on 106.7 The Fan (via the Washington Post) after that managing cost the team a win. Rizzo should be under the same amount of fire as Williams for saying something so absurd, especially once this team is officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Miami Marlins: They Make It Hard to Care
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It came out Tuesday that Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria wants "sweeping changes" to the baseball operations department. That includes player development, scouting and the front office.
"Everybody's on pins and needles," a source within the organization told Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.
Part of the reason, according to Spencer, is the team's farm system is bad. There is not top-level talent readily available to help the major league club, and the organization continues to sell off draft picks for cash. It did so at this year's non-waiver trade deadline, the third time in three years it has given up the pick for money.
And money is what Loria loves. It is why fans are paying for his stadium. It is why he dismantled his commitment to win less than a season after he assembled it in 2012. It is why Giancarlo Stanton can opt out of his contract extension after just $107 million of the $325 million is paid. And it is why it is difficult to take Loria or his franchise seriously.
Loria can do all the housecleaning he wants, but until the owner's box is cleansed, none of it will matter.
Shelby Miller's One-Man Case to Outlaw the 'Win'
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The Atlanta Braves' 24-year-old right-hander has a 2.56 ERA. His FIP is 3.27. His ERA+ is 150. He has two complete-game shutouts. He's already been worth more than three FanGraphs wins and more than four Baseball-Reference wins.
Even with all that, Miller has not won a decision since May 17. His last 11 decisions are all losses despite him having a 3.13 ERA in the 19 starts since his last win. On Tuesday, he pitched seven innings and allowed one run. He lost to drop his record to 5-12.
The "win" as a stat is holding less and less value as we learn about other statistics that better measure success and value for pitchers. But there is undoubtedly still a sector of fans, analysts (mostly former players) and media that believe the "win" is a telling stat, and they use it to cite a pitcher's effectiveness.
Miller's season should be enough to change those minds. And if it's not, nothing will.
Kevin Kiermaier's Defense Deserves More Recognition
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We give recognition to Kansas City Royals left fielder Alex Gordon, and rightfully so, because he is one of the best defensive players in the game. But there is another guy doing it, and he's thriving at a more demanding position.
Kevin Kiermaier is the Tampa Bay Rays center fielder, and he might be the best defensive player in baseball. In case you didn't know who he was going into the week, hopefully he introduced himself to you Monday when he made arguably the best defensive play of the season when he robbed Baltimore's Manny Machado of a home run.
If you haven't seen it, please click the link because it is truly a remarkable play. And after watching it, recognize that Kiermaier's reign in anonymity needs to end. He is too good to miss.
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