No question? Honestly? Maybe Kepner just means that Teixeira will win, rather than that he should win.
What inspired this particular post? An essentially meaningless home run, hit well after midnight (back in New York). I mean, I'm sorry, but the Yankees aren't exactly in the middle of a pennant race anymore. They've got a huge lead over the second-place Red Sox. And if the Red Sox should somehow mount a late charge, the Yankees have a huger lead over the Rangers for that other postseason berth.
I guess what Neyer is trying to do here is gauge the impact this will have on the MVP voting, not give his own feelings on who should win the award, which he does later in the post. He goes both ways on it, though. The same people who weren't paying attention because it was past their bedtime are going to think it doesn't count because the Yankees were too far ahead? Right or wrong, the better the Yankees are, the more it helps the MVP chances of Teix or Jeter, who Neyer apparently doesn't consider a "viable candidate" either by oversight or purposeful omission.
"Essentially meaningless"? I don't care that the Yankees have a 98.9% chance of making the playoffs right now, a game winning shot in the top of 9th inning is still pretty significant. A bigger lead will give the Yankees more flexibilty coming into the postseason, allowing them to skip Joba's starts freely and align their rotation, if they are in fact fortunate enough to still hold the lead when the season comes down to the wire. Which is a major presumption at this point. As good as the Yanks have looked, I don't think you're going to find too many people in that clubhouse who think it's a forgone conclusion. They are one major injury away from looking awfully vulnerable.
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Yeah, Jay, that was a big homer by Teixeira. With the rest of the house sleeping, I had to put myself on mute and walk around the kitchen with my arms up in silence--so be it.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that Neyer misses that little thing called home-field advantage, too. Tell me the Yanks are indifferent to playing four of seven in Anaheim instead of NYC, Neyer, and I'll offer you a bridge for sale. Teixeira's homer and the insurance run gave the Yanks another game up on the Angels, who got waxed in Baltimore.
According to Pete Abraham, Teixeira went to the plate thinking HR off a mistake, and got it. That was mashed, a clutch homer.
Agreed about the need to keep guys healthy, too, which is why I never take word of arm soreness with Mariano lightly.
Great point of HFA, Jason. I obviously didn't think of that either.
ReplyDeleteLOL @ your silent celebration.
way to discount everything else Tex has done.
ReplyDeleteExactly, joe, like play Gold Glove defense and routinely make highlight reel plays. I like Neyer, but his treatment of Teixeira generally and last night's homer specifically was breezy, at best.
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