No, this is not another Jimmy Rollins vs. Matt Holliday MVP debate. Been there, and done that. And, in case anyone doesn't know, I'm firmly in J-Roll's corner. No disrespect to the season Holliday had, especially considering the systematic dismantling of Rollins' Phillies that he led, but Rollins literally did it all for the Phillies this season; and he did it every day, and he did it all very good. J-Roll captured the hearts of fans all over the Philadelphia area with his bat, glove, and personality. But there was another Phillie who did the same thing. That Phillie was Lenny Dykstra, and it is no coincidence that the last time the Phillies made the playoffs in 1993, Dykstra had a career year. Both were spectacular all year, but if I had to pick one for MVP between the two, I'd have to go with the Dude, Lenny Dykstra.
Jimmy Rollins led a Phillies offense that scored more runs than any other team in the league. They even scored more runs than all but one team in the DH rich American League. He led off most of the year, set the table, scored runs, and more than occasionally knocked in runs. The numbers speak for themselves:
Runs: 139
Hits: 212
2B: 38
3B: 20
HR: 30
RBI: 94
SB: 41
BB: 49
SO: 85
BA: .296
OBP: .344
SLG: .531
Lenny Dykstra was always a very good leadoff man, but in 1993 he put his whole game together, finishing second behind Barry Bonds in MVP voting. He played center field with reckless abandon, earning the nickname Nails, in addition to the Dude, because he was tough as nails. Again, the numbers speak for themselves:
Runs: 143
Hits: 194
2B: 44
3B: 6
HR: 19
RBI: 66
SB: 37
BB: 129
SO: 64
BA: .305
OBP: .420
SLG: .482
So those are the numbers. What Rollins lacked in on-base percentage and batting average, he made up for in power. What Dykstra lacked in power, he made up for by getting on base a lot more than Rollins. So which is more valuable to a team; getting on base or knocking in runs? That debate will go on forever, but this one has to end.
I think it's fair to say that this 2007 rendition of the Phillies team has more talent than that 1993 team. Aside from Dykstra, the only other offensive weapons on that team were Darren Daulton and John Kruk, and to a lesser extent, Dave Hollins. But this current team has Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Pat Burrell, Aaron Rowand, and to a lesser extent, Shane Victorino. If you take Rollins away from this team, they fall well short of where they finished this season. But, if you take Dykstra off of that 1993 team, not only are they not as good, but that offense would have been embarrassing inept.
It really is splitting hairs trying to put one of these guys above the other. To be honest, I don't even know why I tried. I guess the similarities between these two guys who played 14 years apart, are just too intriguing to ignore. Two playoff teams with one common theme: a leadoff man with an all-around game to match anyone in the league, and a persona that captured the admiration of an entire city. Guys like that are near impossible to find, and for that reason, they both are MVPs.
Showing posts with label MVP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MVP. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Why Jimmy Rollins is the MVP
The National League seems to be having one of its best seasons ever. The playoffs races were incredible, and the MVP debate is one of the more interesting topics in baseball in a while. Prince Fielder, David Wright, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Matt Holliday, and Jimmy Rollins have all been thrown into the conversation. But it really comes down to those last two players. Both Holliday and Rollins have had seasons for the ages, but only one can win. Before each of their respective teams made their final pushes toward the playoffs, it was thought that whoever was most successful in leading their team there, would win MVP. But both players will be facing each other in the opening round of the postseason. With all respect to Matt Holliday, no one has helped their team in more ways than Jimmy Rollins.
Matt Holliday's numbers speak for them self. He led the league with a .340 batting average while driving in a league best 137 RBI. He hit 36 homeruns, and scored 120 runs. Of his 216 hits, 92 were for extra bases (including the 36 homers plus 50 doubles). And to top it off, his slugging percentage of .618 also led the league. It was a great season, and probably an MVP season if it wasn't for Jimmy Rollins' season.
Jimmy Rollins had a record breaking year. He was just the fourth person in the history of the Majors to hit at least 20 homeruns, doubles, triples, and steal 20 bases in the same season. He also set the MLB record for at bats with 716. Overall Rollins hit .296 with 30 HR and 94 RBI. Now obviously a shortstop is not going to have the power numbers of a left fielder, but Rollins more than made up for it. He led the league in runs scored with 139, which after all, is the main job of a leadoff man. And he had 38 doubles, 20 triples, and 41 steals.
If it was just a numbers game, then Holliday would probably take the award. But Rollins does so much more than swing the bat. I already mentioned the steals, but that not the only aspect of the game in which his legs helped his team. Rollins is one of, if the best shortstops in all of baseball. He saved countless hits with his amazing range at the game's most important position (outside of pitcher and catcher). He has a rocket for an arm, and he rarely is off target with it. And Rollins did all of this - the hitting, stealing, and fielding - every single game of the year. Besides Jeff Fancouer of the Braves, Rollins was the only player in the league to start all 162 games.
Day in and day out, Rollins was there for his team. Whether the team needed him to set the table by getting on base and stealing bags, or knock in runs when the bottom of the order got on base, or save a run by turning a hit into an out or infield single, Rollins was there. Throughout a season when every other high profile player spent significant time injured, Rollins was the only constant. And, perhaps most importantly, Rollins gave this team an attitude. Before Spring training, he declared the Phillies the team to beat in the East. He backed it up all year, and the rest of his team followed suit until they eventually proved him right on the final day of the season. Not to take anything away from what Matt Holiday has done, but Jimmy Rollins was more valuable to his team this season than any other player in the league.
Matt Holliday's numbers speak for them self. He led the league with a .340 batting average while driving in a league best 137 RBI. He hit 36 homeruns, and scored 120 runs. Of his 216 hits, 92 were for extra bases (including the 36 homers plus 50 doubles). And to top it off, his slugging percentage of .618 also led the league. It was a great season, and probably an MVP season if it wasn't for Jimmy Rollins' season.
Jimmy Rollins had a record breaking year. He was just the fourth person in the history of the Majors to hit at least 20 homeruns, doubles, triples, and steal 20 bases in the same season. He also set the MLB record for at bats with 716. Overall Rollins hit .296 with 30 HR and 94 RBI. Now obviously a shortstop is not going to have the power numbers of a left fielder, but Rollins more than made up for it. He led the league in runs scored with 139, which after all, is the main job of a leadoff man. And he had 38 doubles, 20 triples, and 41 steals.
If it was just a numbers game, then Holliday would probably take the award. But Rollins does so much more than swing the bat. I already mentioned the steals, but that not the only aspect of the game in which his legs helped his team. Rollins is one of, if the best shortstops in all of baseball. He saved countless hits with his amazing range at the game's most important position (outside of pitcher and catcher). He has a rocket for an arm, and he rarely is off target with it. And Rollins did all of this - the hitting, stealing, and fielding - every single game of the year. Besides Jeff Fancouer of the Braves, Rollins was the only player in the league to start all 162 games.
Day in and day out, Rollins was there for his team. Whether the team needed him to set the table by getting on base and stealing bags, or knock in runs when the bottom of the order got on base, or save a run by turning a hit into an out or infield single, Rollins was there. Throughout a season when every other high profile player spent significant time injured, Rollins was the only constant. And, perhaps most importantly, Rollins gave this team an attitude. Before Spring training, he declared the Phillies the team to beat in the East. He backed it up all year, and the rest of his team followed suit until they eventually proved him right on the final day of the season. Not to take anything away from what Matt Holiday has done, but Jimmy Rollins was more valuable to his team this season than any other player in the league.
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