Dueling MVPs...

I should be asleep right now.
Everyone in my home is...

But I had an idle thought:

Many people think the NBA Finals will be the Lakers vs. the Cavaliers this year.

And I am guessing most people also feel that Kobe Bryant and LeBron James will finish 1-2 in the MVP vote.

And I got to thinking... how many times has the World Series been played with the eventual NL MVP on one team and the eventual AL MVP on the other?

And I couldn't just let it go. I am up at this hour in my South Pasadena home with my family sound asleep writing a baseball list. 

And I found out that it is a lot more rare in recent years than you would think!

I am using the Baseball Writers Association MVPs for the applicable years. And for the years before that, I am using the League Awards. (The League Awards began in 1911... which is where we'll start.)

And I found out a few interesting things...

OK. Let's list!

THE WORLD SERIES MATCH UPS AGAINST EVENTUAL MVPS

1914 - BOSTON BRAVES (MVP: Johnny Evers) defeats PHILADELPHIA ATHLETICS (MVP: Eddie Collins)

1927 - NEW YORK YANKEES (MVP: Lou Gehrig) defeats PITTSBURGH PIRATES (MVP: Paul Waner)

1931 - ST. LOUS CARDINALS (MVP: Frankie Frisch) defeats PHILADELPHIA ATHLETICS (MVP: Lefty Grove)

1934 - ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (MVP: Dizzy Dean) defeats DETROIT TIGERS (MVP: Mickey Cochrane)

1935 - DETROIT TIGERS (MVP: Hank Greenberg) defeats CHICAGO CUBS (MVP: Gabby Hartnett)

1936 - NEW YORK YANKEES (MVP: Lou Gehrig) defeats NEW YORK GIANTS (MVP: Carl Hubbell)

1939 - NEW YORK YANKEES (MVP: Joe DiMaggio) defeats CINCINNATI REDS (MVP: Bucky Walters)

1940 - CINCINNATI REDS (MVP: Frank McCormick) defeats DETROIT TIGERS (MVP: Hank Greenberg)

1941 - NEW YORK YANKEES (MVP: Joe DiMaggio) defeats BROOKLYN DODGERS (MVP: Dolph Camili)

1942 - ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (MVP: Mort Cooper) defeats NEW YORK YANKEES (MVP: Joe Gordon)

1943 - NEW YORK YANKEES (MVP: Spud Chandler) defeats ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (MVP: Stan Musial)

1945 - DETROIT TIGERS (MVP: Hal Newhouser) defeats CHICAGO CUBS (MVP: Phil Cavaretta)

1946 - ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (MVP: Stan Musial) defeats BOSTON RED SOX (MVP: Ted Williams)

1950 - NEW YORK YANKEES (MVP: Phil Rizzuto) defeats PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (MVP: Jim Konstanty)

1955 - BROOKLYN DODGERS (MVP: Roy Campanella) defeats NEW YORK YANKEES (MVP: Yogi Berra)

1956 - NEW YORK YANKEES (MVP: Mickey Mantle) defeats BROOKLYN DODGERS (MVP: Don Newcombe)

1957 - MILWAUKEE BRAVES (MVP: Hank Aaron) defeats NEW YORK YANKEES (MVP: Mickey Mantle)

1960 - PITTSBURGH PIRATES (MVP: Dick Groat) defeats NEW YORK YANKEES (MVP: Roger Maris)

1961 - NEW YORK YANKEES (MVP: Roger Maris) defeats CINCINANTI REDS (MVP: Frank Robinson)

1963 - LOS ANGELES DODGERS (MVP: Sandy Koufax) defeats NEW YORK YANKEES (MVP: Elston Howard)

1967 - ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (MVP: Orlando Cepeda) defeats BOSTON RED SOX (MVP: Carl Yastrzemski)

1968 - DETROIT TIGERS (MVP: Denny McLain) defeats ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (MVP: Bob Gibson)

1970 - BALTIMORE ORIOLES (MVP: Boog Powell) defeats CINCINNATI REDS (MVP: Johnny Bench)

1975 - CINCINNATI REDS (MVP: Joe Morgan) defeats BOSTON RED SOX (MVP: Fred Lynn)

1976 - CINCINNATI REDS (MVP: Joe Morgan) defeats NEW YORK YANKEES (MVP: Thurman Munson)

1980 - PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (MVP: Mike Schmidt) defeats KANSAS CITY ROYALS (MVP: George Brett)

1988 - LOS ANGELES DODGERS (MVP: Kirk Gibson) defeats OAKLAND A'S (MVP: Jose Canseco)

I didn't get bored and stop. That's it!

It used to happen all of the time. I guess the voters for the award has always leaned towards the pennant winner and without divisions and rounds of post season play, each League champion would be well represented.

And these days you see the MVP awarded to players who didn't make the post season more and more. Last year Albert Pujols won it while his Cardinals played golf in October.

Since 1976, 7 AL MVPs and 12 NL MVPs were for teams that didn't even win their division. (I am not counting 1994 where there was no post season.)

But since 1977 it's happened two times? Not once in the 1990s or the 2000s?

Wouldn't it have happened by a fluke once or twice?

I wonder how many times Cy Young winners faced off?

Go to bed Sullivan!

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Back to baseball!

Gee Whiz, Mets

Nice four game losing streak. Think this will come back to haunt them?

Gee I wonder if this patchwork rotation will hold up until... May?

One way to avoid falling apart in September is to get out to a decent start... and right now the only hope the Mets are giving are to Marlins fans!

And nice to see Omar Minaya moving away from acquiring old broken down players. Livan Hernandez?

What, Gaylord Perry wasn't available?

Maybe someone will tell me how Omar Minaya still has a job. It didn't make sense to me last year and this year it seems like he has assembled yet another team with lots of parts that don't fit!

I wonder if Jerry Manuel will take the fall for this team if they don't pull it together. (And just wait until Frankie Rodriguez starts blowing saves!)

But don't worry... the Mets are playing the Nationals. That will turn things around for them.

They've NEVER had trouble beating the Nationals when they needed a win.

Oh wait.

Nick Swisher is AMAZING!

He can hit!
He can pitch!
He can ring the bell at the Stock Exchange!

WHAT CAN'T HE DO???

Hey Giants... just resign Barry Bonds!

You are getting terrific pitching! You even got 7 shutout innings from Barry Zito yesterday. I didn't think that was possible.

The lineup remains horrific.

Don't believe me? 10 out of 14 games you've scored 3 or fewer runs. Which means 10 out of 14 times you've needed a lights out pitching performance to have a shot.

And Matt Cain is living proof that you can be a great talent, but you can't win without the run support!

Your lineup needs a shot in the arm (or the butt.)

It lacks juice!

Something needs to pump it up.

The performance needs enhancing!

I'll say it.

You need Barry Bonds back!

Come on! He's available! He's technically a free agent! And he wouldn't cost the team any draft picks.

Even if he did, you'd be giving the picks to the Giants... which is YOU!

You won't have to trade any prospects for him. The amazingly named Madison Bumgarner will still be in the system. 

And it's not like you can say "Oh... will he be a distraction?"

OF COURSE HE'LL BE A DISTRACTION! He'll distract fans from the fact that Randy Winn is the most feared name in that line up!

Even if he can't hit them out anymore, he can draw a walk, he can get on base and maybe take the pressure off of the Sandovals and the Ishikawas on the team.

Or are you expecting Edgar Renteria to hit a grand slam every night!

COME ON! You spent every year between 1993-2007 saying "Hey! Barry will put butts in the seats." 

2008 wasn't pretty.

Help is just sitting at home.

Make the call.

Wait a minute! Nobody told me the Nationals sucked when I signed here!

Yup, Adam Dunn. The Nationals stink.
So do the Natinals.

You signed a 2 year deal to play in Washington.

Have fun!

Worst... Red Sox... Uniform... EVER

They wore these to honor Earth Day?

I think throwing sytrofoam into the mouth of a whale would be a less cringeworthy display than these duds. (Both meanings.)

They were so ugly I didn't want to watch the many highlights.

Yeah Jeff Bailey hit a homer his first time up.
Yeah Big Papi got yet another extra base RBI hit.
Yeah Brad Penny got his second win.
Yeah the Red Sox winning streak is up to 7 and they go into the Yankee series with an identical record as New York and with a world of confidence.

So what?

The uniforms were awful.

They were basically polo shirts with the collars removed.

Plant a bunch of trees and give everyone a reusable bag. But let the Red Sox wear Red Sox uniforms... PLEASE! Weren't those green uniforms for Red Auerbach horrible enough?

Is Tim Wakefield our ace?

It's the wonderful thing about having Tim Wakefield on the Red Sox pitching staff.

He is signed to a perpetually renewed contract. He is a 2 time World Series champ with the Red Sox who also is the link to the 1986 team. Remember he was teammates with Roger Clemens and Mike Greenwell in 1995.

The number of players he saw come, make their mark and leave Boston is kind of staggering.

Nomar, Pedro, Manny, Lowe, Schilling, Trot, Millar, Foulke, Mueller and Damon just to name a few!

And because he is an ancient knuckleballer, you basically treat any win you get from him as the equivalent of finding out there was another $20 bill in your wallet.

His job now is to eat innings every 5th day and give Varitek a night off.

Well we've been finding a lot of $20 bills in our wallets these days.

What kind of pitcher throws a dominating complete game the day after a brutal extra inning loss?

What kind of pitcher starts a prolonged winning streak?

What kind of pitcher extends a winning streak and gets another complete game (albeit a rain shortened one) in the first part of a double header, making sure the bullpen is rested and ready for the nightcap?

An ace.

Now is he going to continue to be an ace?

Probably not, but every time I've given up on Wakes, he throws a gem.

Maybe that's why he's been around this long.

He's got another start coming up... let's hope there's another $20 in there!

Of course he won't keep this up

Oh great! Like I am going to get anything done today!

The Red Sox and Twins are playing at 9:35 AM Pacific Time.



So are the Yankees and A's.



Do you know who else is?



The Marlins and the Pirates... a match up I want to see in the post season.



And I have the capability of watching them all on my computer!

Maybe I can call in sick.

Oh wait. I'm already at work.

And I am updating my blog.

This isn't going to be a good day at work for your friend Sully.

Cubs fans... this can't be good

Granted it isn't a black cat... but still cats on the field are bad omens.

Cain is not the Giants lineup's keeper

It must be nice for Matt Cain to get a run... or 4.

Edgar Renteria's grand slam tonight off of Jake Peavy was that very odd and rare occurrence in baseball:

Run support for Matt Cain.

The guy has posted sub 4.00 ERAs the last two seasons with 200 or more innings in both years.

Not saying that is Cy Young caliber, but in this day and age, that's pretty dang good.

Certainly better than his 7-16 record in 2007 and his 8-14 record last year would indicate.

He's 2-0 now. If the offense keeps hitting for him, who knows? He might turn that around.

I wouldn't hold your breath, but he should be happy today

What does it say about me that I want the Pirates/Marlins series to be a playoff preview?

I know one thing it says... I'm not an executive at Fox Sports!

But ratings and my strange obsession with figuring out what executives want notwithstanding, I am truly fascinated with both teams.

Of course I have a soft spot in my heart for the Pirates. They won the first World Series that I remember and I have nothing but sympathy for their fans who haven't seen a .500 product since Sid Bream slid across home to end the 1992 NLCS.

This is their 17th season since then. Kids born that night can drive.

Granted, Pittsburgh fans have two of the last four Super Bowls to placate them, but I'd like to see the Pirates be relevant.

Their pitching staff has been shutting out teams and their young players want to contend now and are too stupid to know that they are the Pirates and aren't supposed to win gotch.

Stupid teams are dangerous. A stupid team that didn't know any better made the World Series each of the last 3 years (the '06 Tigers, the '07 Rockies and the '08 Rays).

And the Marlins have no limit to the fascination they give me.

They are like Tokyo in between Godzilla movies. The monsters keep destroying it, yet somehow it gets rebuilt before the next monster rampages through.

How can a team with no steady fan base, no revenue streams to keep their players and that plays in a football stadium have as many World Series titles as teams like the Indians, Cubs or Phillies?

And how can they be in their third rebuilding phase in 10 seasons, and have this much talent on the team?

They've slowed down with the two losses in Pittsburgh, and yet still have a 4 game lead over the Phillies.

Yeah it is early, but these are games that they don't have to make up for later in the season... and they don't have Kevin Gregg blowing games for them this year!

Essentially they are two teams with low payrolls, low expectations, young talent and nothing to lose.

Who WOULDN'T want to see two teams like that in the playoffs?

(Besides a Fox Sports Executive.)

Two Quick Things About The Nationals (or Natinals)

1) I know he won't keep this pace up, but Shairon Martis now has 2/3 of the Nationals wins this year.

If he DOES keep that pace up, if the Nationals lose 100 games, Martis would win 41 games.


2) I know this picture wasn't from today's game... but the Nationals need to make this their normal uniform.

The DC with the American flag in it is just a cool cool hat. The cursive W is honoring the Senators... a team that left Washington TWICE!

Also it is chances are the uniform makers won't misspell D.C.!

Yes, I saw that NATINALS uniform screw up

Yeah I saw the whole "Nationals" being misspelled on the uniforms the other night.

I have two thoughts on this.

Calling them NATIONALS hasn't led to any baseball worth watching. I guess if they go on a winning streak now, might as well keep the misspelling!

And also, I can't really judge too harshly on spelling. I root for a team that spells Socks S-O-X.

AL West... now is your chance!

A lot of people thought I was batty for picking the A's to win the A.L. West.

The Angels have had a stranglehold on it! They've won it 4 of the last 5 times! They won 100 games last year!

Fine.

But as I said in my equally batty 40 Fearless Predictions, I felt the Angels were vulnerable. Their offense is based around Vlad Guerrero and you remove his prescience from the middle of that order and you have a very beatable team.

Well guess who is on the DL now?

Vlady is gone until probably June. And who knows what kind of hitter he will be off of the DL.

Throw in the fact that Kelvim Escobar, Ervin Santana and John Lackey are on the disabled list. So is spot starter Dustin Moseley... not to mention the Nick Adenhart tragedy.

Suddenly you are looking at a team that is going to lean on Bobby Abreu and Torii Hunter in the line up... Joe Saunders and Jered Weaver in the rotation and a lot of question marks in the bullpen.

Not to belittle Abreu, Hunter, Saunders and Weaver... all who are capable players... but they are certainly not the foundation of a prohibitive favorite!

They just got swept by the Twins and who knows if they are going on a prolonged slump?

Yes they have Mike Scoiscia, arguably the best manager in the game. But even John McGraw, Earl Weaver and Leo Durocher had losing seasons!

The main point is if I were running the Mariners, A's or Rangers, I would look at the misfortune of the Angels as a chance to win a suddenly winnable division.

Already the Mariners are off to a better than expected start. The A's and Rangers and sub .500, but all of their teams should take a look at their most glaring holes.

The Mariners need another starter in the rotation.

The Rangers need 2 or 3 starters.

The A's need a legit #3 hitter.

Yeah, I know it is early and nobody is selling at this point... but I would say look in your farm. Is there a hot prospect you can plug in now? Look at the available free agents? Is there a Dave Roberts or a Ray Durham who can give your team a little spark?

These wins count just as much now as they do later in the year. Show your fans that you are going for it. 

As for my prediction of the A's winning it all? That might be batty... but I am standing by it!