One could make a very strong case for Jake Arrieta for MVP.
Now before you jump ugly on me with the no pitcher should be allowed to qualify for MVP, I'm usually in that camp too, however I will make exceptions. Usually I'm voting for the player who plays in 150 games rather than 33. Usually.
First off, the operative word in MVP is Valuable.
The only other candidate in the MVP award is Bryce Harper.
Yes, Harper had the break through year everybody was waiting for, having a monster season so far.
However Harper and his Nationals are not sniffing the playoffs this season.
Arrieta and his Cubs are going to the playoffs this year, and without Arietta's mind blowing 21 consectutive quality starts in his last 21 starts, Cubs are not going to the playoffs either.
So, ask yoursef this, who was more valuable to their team, Arrieta or Harper.
Look at Jake's last six starts, hell look at his last two months, the only reason Arrieta does not go nine innings last night is because the Cubs took 30 minutes that inning to hit that inning and he was stiffening up a little bit.
Who goes nine and eight innings this late in the season time in, time out?
Steve Carlton and Jim Palmer did, but that was when real dude pitched, Arietta is pitching like Tom Seaver used to.
Harper's 41-96-.336 is a monster season.
41 jimmy jacks and only 96 RBI?
Can you say "meaningless solo shots"?
So I did myself a little research.
Bases empty: 25 HR's
Runners in Scoring Postion with 2 outs: .256
To be fair,he's .409 with runner on third base and less that 2 outs with 24 RBI.
So he does know how to get that run home and did it.
If i'm voting MVP this season, I'm voting Arrieta was more valuable to the Cubs than Harper was to the Nationals, Harper is playing golf next week, because of Arrieta the Cubs are playing the Pirates (the same Pittsburgh team he was just about perfect against last nigh) in a winner take all play in wild card game.
Without Jake, Cubs are teeing off with Bryce next week too.
Arrieta is your MVP.
Now before you jump ugly on me with the no pitcher should be allowed to qualify for MVP, I'm usually in that camp too, however I will make exceptions. Usually I'm voting for the player who plays in 150 games rather than 33. Usually.
First off, the operative word in MVP is Valuable.
The only other candidate in the MVP award is Bryce Harper.
Yes, Harper had the break through year everybody was waiting for, having a monster season so far.
However Harper and his Nationals are not sniffing the playoffs this season.
Arrieta and his Cubs are going to the playoffs this year, and without Arietta's mind blowing 21 consectutive quality starts in his last 21 starts, Cubs are not going to the playoffs either.
So, ask yoursef this, who was more valuable to their team, Arrieta or Harper.
Look at Jake's last six starts, hell look at his last two months, the only reason Arrieta does not go nine innings last night is because the Cubs took 30 minutes that inning to hit that inning and he was stiffening up a little bit.
Who goes nine and eight innings this late in the season time in, time out?
Steve Carlton and Jim Palmer did, but that was when real dude pitched, Arietta is pitching like Tom Seaver used to.
| REGULAR SEASON GAMES THROUGH SEPTEMBER 27, 2015 | YEAR TO DATE | ||||||||||||||||
| DATE | OPPONENT | RESULT | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | GB | FB | Pit | BF | GSc | Dec. | Rel. | ERA |
| Sep 27 | vs PIT | W 4-0 | 7.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 84 | 22 | 84 | W(21-6) | - | 1.82 |
| Sep 22 | vs MIL | W 4-0 | 9.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 14 | 5 | 123 | 31 | 91 | W(20-6) | - | 1.88 |
| Sep 16 | @ PIT | W 3-2 | 8.0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 17 | 5 | 117 | 28 | 68 | - | - | 1.96 |
| Sep 11 | @ PHI | W 5-1 | 8.0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 8 | 112 | 32 | 71 | W(19-6) | - | 1.99 |
| Sep 5 | vs ARI | W 2-0 | 8.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 8 | 116 | 27 | 81 | W(18-6) | - | 2.03 |
| Monthly Totals | 40.0 | 20 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 39 | 65 | 31 | 552 | 140 | -- | 4-0 | 0 sv | 0.45 | ||
| DATE | OPPONENT | RESULT | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | GB | FB | Pit | BF | GSc | Dec. | Rel. | ERA |
| Aug 30 | @ LAD | W 2-0 | 9.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 116 | 29 | 98 | W(17-6) | - | 2.11 |
41 jimmy jacks and only 96 RBI?
Can you say "meaningless solo shots"?
So I did myself a little research.
Bases empty: 25 HR's
Runners in Scoring Postion with 2 outs: .256
To be fair,he's .409 with runner on third base and less that 2 outs with 24 RBI.
So he does know how to get that run home and did it.
If i'm voting MVP this season, I'm voting Arrieta was more valuable to the Cubs than Harper was to the Nationals, Harper is playing golf next week, because of Arrieta the Cubs are playing the Pirates (the same Pittsburgh team he was just about perfect against last nigh) in a winner take all play in wild card game.
Without Jake, Cubs are teeing off with Bryce next week too.
Arrieta is your MVP.
Ass Clown.
