Twitter arguments are never really worthwhile, though they always feel like interesting “theater” to observe. Occasionally, I get sucked into one and, inevitably, it is about baseball. Apparently, I can spend my life discussing and dissecting the minutiae of all the things that don’t actually matter while only ever slightly worrying about improving as a person.
The particular argument I got into was who would be the AL MVP this year. While I don’t think there should be any deliberation and they should just give it to Shohei Ohtani now, someone took the stand that Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., should get it.
Vladdy is having an absolutely fantastic season. He is currently fourth on our league’s Player Rater and sits comfortably with 31 HR, 78 RBI, slashing .328/.427/.669. Those are video game numbers. He’s fun and exciting, seems to love playing the game, and his dad once hit a home run off a ball that bounced which automatically attaches an air of coolness to him.
Unfortunately for him, the player who is third on our Player Rater is Ohtani. He has 34 HR with 74 RBI and is slashing a pedestrian-in-comparison-according-to-this-random-dude-on-Twitter .277/.362/.686.
Now I would think that even those numbers would put them in a pretty close competition for MVP. (This is before we take into account that Vladdy plays in the most stacked lineup in baseball and the Angels’ lineup is Ohtani and cricket sounds.) A reasonable argument could be made that Ohtani is still the MVP here.
Then we compare their pitching stats.
The guy with whom I was arguing stated that Ohtani’s pitching stats are not “elite” and therefore, that part should just be tossed out. At that point in the argument, I actually asked if he was joking, being facetious, pulling my leg. But no. As Twitter is wont to do, it got a bit hostile.
So I just asked how Vladdy’s pitching stats were in comparison.
In any case, I apparently have begun my new job as the Shohei Ohtani Fanatical Defense Organization. Ordered a shirsey and everything.
Welcome to the second half, everyone! Good luck!!!
Knuckles Report: Week 15
