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Posted on October 3, 2012 by Mike Petriello Leave a reply

I don’t know what the hell is going on in this ESPN.com photo, but it’s basically how this season felt.

From the ongoing lows of the McCourt saga to the unbelievably heady dollar figures of the Guggenheim empire… from incredible April to unwatchable June to frustrating September… from A.J. Ellis, bonafide folk hero & trending superstar to Luis Cruz, international success story… from Matt Kemp, April demigod to Matt Kemp‘s injury roadshow… from Clayton Kershaw, defending Cy Young winner to Clayton Kershaw, leading Cy Young contender (with eight more strikeouts tonight over eight one-run innings)… from James Loney, Dee Gordon, & Ted Lilly to Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez, & Josh Beckett… from me to you, 2012 has been an absolutely unbelievable season beyond anything we could have possibly imagined. Thanks for making the first year of the new MSTI a roaring success with great traffic numbers & plenty of new friends, and well worth the hours I put into building it last winter.

Let’s take a breath now that the season is done, but don’t go anywhere: there’s more than enough content to sustain us through the off-season. More tomorrow.

320 comments

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silver_linings_paul_(book)

So who's everyone's playoff team? A's and Barves for me.

EephusBlue moderator

@The_Real_Paul A's or Orioles. I want the Braves eliminated in the one game playoff

Disgruntled Goat moderator

1 Like

@EephusBlue @The_Real_Paul Reds until they eliminate the gnats, then A's and O's

EephusBlue moderator

@el serracho @The_Real_Paul I will root for the Reds to smack the giants out

Mike Petriello moderator

1 Like

@EephusBlue @The_Real_Paul 1351 words on this topic being published now in a NEW POST

Disgruntled Goat moderator

@Mike Petriello @EephusBlue @The_Real_Paul LIES

EephusBlue moderator

@Mike Petriello @The_Real_Paul the A's and Orioles or the Braves losing? THem losing after being in first place would be crushing. Goooooooood.

Mike Petriello moderator

4 Like

RT @AJEllis17: Dodger fans....I will never forget or be able to thank all of you who have supported and embraced me this yr! Thank you!!

EephusBlue moderator

1 Like

@Mike Petriello Words cannot express how much I did AJ. Nice to have an actual good guy to root for

DBrim moderator

3 Like

@Mike Petriello He's the best. So happy he finally got his shot.

Baby Blue

2 Like

Thanks for a great season, Mike!!! Love the new set up and interacting with everyone.

Disgruntled Goat moderator

1 Like

(hangs head, walks in store, "ummm sir? do you have any cincinatti reds hats? i'll only need it for a few days")

WBBsAs

Looking at the stats, I was surprised to see that Dickey actually walked nine fewer batters than Kershaw, in a few more innings. Knuckleballers, presumably, have problems with control.

DBrim moderator

@WBBsAs Yeah. He throws it harder than ever with impressive control. It's pretty incredible.

EephusBlue moderator

2 Like

@DBrim @WBBsAs Aw imma homer in this regard. I want Kershaw to win it :(

WBBsAs

@EephusBlue @DBrim @WBBsAs I wouldn't mind a tie vote.

Tony Fernandez (SVS Afficionado)

@DBrim @Ken @EephusBlue @WBBsAs I know that, which is why I mentioned all the other things but concluded that Cliff Lee deserves the nod.

Disgruntled Goat moderator

1 Like

@Ken Griffey's Grotesequely Swollen Jaw Cliff Lee? But Philly promised Ned that Blanton was their best pitcher. WTF?

DBrim moderator

@Ken Griffey's Grotesequely Swollen Jaw @EephusBlue @WBBsAs fWAR is based on FIP, which does not work for knuckleballers.

Tony Fernandez (SVS Afficionado)

@EephusBlue @DBrim @WBBsAs Highest WAR, but it should be (and no one is talking about him) Cliff Lee. 7.38 K/BB ratio! Best SIERA. 200+ innings pitched and 200+ strikeouts.

It's just the homeruns that killed him, but for me there's no doubt it's Cliff Lee.

Disgruntled Goat moderator

@EephusBlue @DBrim @WBBsAs Me too. Any tie-breakers in these races should go to the Dodger. Forever. But he won't so... moving on.

Disgruntled Goat moderator

well this sucks

JohnM(Charter Member of Trade Kershaw bandwagon)

So many homers want Miggy to win MVP.

Mike Petriello moderator

2 Like

@JohnM found this a very good read:

http://www.sports-reference.com/blog/2012/10/what-if-i-think-defensive-measures-and-replacement-level-measures-are-meaningless/

JohnM(Charter Member of Trade Kershaw bandwagon)

4 Like

@Mike Petriello

This was on Dave Cameron's chat:

Commenter: so how does miggy win the trip crown and carry his team to the playoffs.. not make him the MVP?

Dave Cameron: I like how Miguel Cabrera "carried" Justin Verlander, Prince Fielder, Max Scherzer, Doug Fister, and Austin Jackson to the playoffs. He obviously did it himself. He had no help. And, of course, he was the one who located Detroit in the center of the country so that they could win the worst division in baseball. All Miggy.

Mike Petriello moderator

2 Like

@Deuce @JohnM I think the only thing more infuriating than people ignoring that is Bob Nightengale actually recognizing it and then saying it STILL doesn't matter.

Deuce

@JohnM @Mike Petriello The Angels won 89 games, the Tigers 88. Yet Cabrera gets extra credit for making the playoffs. Huh? Not to mention the Angels were 6-14 when Trout was called up.

Deuce

OK, we have a ton of money now. We can go get another "ace." We can go after David Wright. Whatever. I have a different idea. Spend whatever it takes and bring Billy Beane to the DS GM's office. If that guy can build a team that beat the Angels and Rangers with that budget, playing in that ballpark, I want him running my favorite team.

DBrim moderator

@Deuce It's kind if apples and oranges, no?

Deuce

@DBrim @Deuce Not really. You can spend and still not make the playoffs. If wrong players are signed. Or if complementary pieces are terrible.

JohnM(Charter Member of Trade Kershaw bandwagon)

1 Like

Hey mike, can you do another post like last season about who to root for in the playoffs?

DBrim moderator

2 Like

@JohnM A's, O's, and whoever is playing the Giants.

Mike Petriello moderator

@JohnM Ha. 712 words into it.

Mike Petriello moderator

2 Like

@JohnM i must be predictable.

Capnsparrow

@JohnM @Mike Petriello John having been in the old NL West with the barves and ruds makes it feel dirty to want anything good for them. I'd feel as if I prostituted myself actually even remotely hoping for them. And as for the Dodger DNA I'm constructed from I'll always have that marrow deep abhorrance for the yankmees and the midgets as well!

JohnM(Charter Member of Trade Kershaw bandwagon)

@Mike Petriello Somehow I imagine it will end with you throwing your hat in with the A's.Or maybe the Reds.

DBrim moderator

Chad Moriyama on optimism: http://www.chadmoriyama.com/2012/10/does-the-strong-finish-of-the-dodgers-actually-matter-or-do-fans-just-want-it-to/

EephusBlue moderator

@DBrim Aw Chad being a wet sandwich

Mike Petriello moderator

7 Like

First day post-Dodger baseball. Sheesh.

Anyway, thanks again for all of you here in the comments - particularly the core 10-15 or so - who have really made this a fun place all year, and sticking with me during my absences. Should be a fun offseason.

Tony Fernandez (SVS Afficionado)

1 Like

@Mike Petriello LA Woman kept us sticking around with all the likes.

Tony Fernandez (SVS Afficionado)

1 Like

@Mike Petriello Oh and in the offseason this blog is SO becoming about philosophy.

Disgruntled Goat moderator

@Ken Griffey's Grotesequely Swollen Jaw @Ken Griffey's Grotesequely Swollen Jaw @Mike Petriello

....how can we combine the two? we'll be millionaires!

Tony Fernandez (SVS Afficionado)

1 Like

@el serracho @Ken Griffey's Grotesequely Swollen Jaw @Mike Petriello That makes us all feel awkward. Philosophy makes people angry. So what's better, awkward or angry?

EephusBlue moderator

@Ken Griffey's Grotesequely Swollen Jaw @Mike Petriello Mike Scioscia's Tragic Debates?

Disgruntled Goat moderator

1 Like

@Ken Griffey's Grotesequely Swollen Jaw @Mike Petriello i thought we decided to go with prepubescent sex advice

Frank J Lapidus

So Kemp is having shoulder surgery on Friday...recovery could be 4-6 weeks, or up to 4 months. Hopefully not 4 months, but at least he'll be ready by spring.

silver_linings_paul_(book)

@Frank J Lapidus Weisman put the fear in us all when he compared it to Shawn Green.

Frank J Lapidus

@The_Real_Paul well, he did rack up the dingers last week, on the bum shoulder. Green would be a worst case scenario which hopefully is very remote.

Bill Grabarkewitz

@el serracho @LA Woman @The_Real_Paul @Frank J Lapidus I liked Green at first, but he soon deteriorated into choking in clutch situations and specializing in hitting meaningless home runs once the game was decided.

Disgruntled Goat moderator

@Ken Griffey's Grotesequely Swollen Jaw @LA Woman @The_Real_Paul @Frank J Lapidus and he hit me my only fly ball catch*

*with apologies for repeating myself on this

Disgruntled Goat moderator

@Ken Griffey's Grotesequely Swollen Jaw @LA Woman @The_Real_Paul @Frank J Lapidus yup

Tony Fernandez (SVS Afficionado)

@el serracho @LA Woman @The_Real_Paul @Frank J Lapidus Shawn Green got a lot of crap, but he was still hitting a ton of doubles. He wasn't elite level anymore, but still above average, which is useful.

Disgruntled Goat moderator

@LA Woman @The_Real_Paul @Frank J Lapidus I liked Shawn Green.

LA_Woman

1 Like

@The_Real_Paul @Frank J Lapidus Yeah. I had forgotten exactly what the damage was in Green's case. So thanks. Kemp's labrum was described as "frayed," not torn. So maybe good news?

silver_linings_paul_(book)

@Frank J Lapidus Kemp could probably bat with floaties around his arms and still mash, but you're right, that's encouraging.

Frank J Lapidus

@The_Real_Paul looking into Green a bit, he had such a huge tear in his labrum the docs couldn't repair it. If Kemp was that bad, would he be mashing lately? I take that as a positive sign.

silver_linings_paul_(book)

@Frank J Lapidus just imagine a healthy Kemp, Ethier, A-Gon, Ramirez.

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