FIRE JOE MORGAN: ESPN The Magazine, August 15

ESPN The Magazine, August 15

Here it is: a rare FJM post about print journalism.

In this week's "K Korner," Tim Kurkjian writes:

"One AL manager on the Angels: 'They have the most complete team in the league, and Chone Figgins might be their MVP.'"

Wow.

In all our bluster about the love the Podsedniks and Ecksteins of the world get, how could we have forgotten our hatred for the love for Chone Figgins, John Kruk's 2004 MVP?

Figgins is putting together a nice little year so far, with a WARP2 of 4.3 and an EqA of .274. And yeah, he can play a lot of positions, and yeah, he's a little dude.

But MVP of the Angels? I can't believe I even have to write this, but how about Vladimir Guerrero? How about any of the surprisingly effective Jarrod Washburn (defense-adjusted ERA of 3.38!), John Lackey, or Bartolo Colon, who've led the Angels to the second-best ERA in the AL?

If I were a general manager, I would find out the identity of this GM and immediately offer my scrappiest light-hitting minor league utility infielder for his best lumbering masher.

Labels: chone figgins, tim kurkjian

posted by Junior # 8:45 PM

Comments:

Somewhere there is a book -- I imagine it to have a bright red cover, like the book you see in movies that guards our nuclear codes -- that contains all the baseball writers' cliches, to be used whenever a deadline is fast approaching and insight is nowhere to be found. One of these cliches is proclaiming a .275/.345/.450 kind of hitter who plays a lot of positions as that team's MVP. Craig Counsell, Chone Figgins, etc., as noted here in this post. I am not saying anything new here, except I would love for someone to write: "Here are the team MVP's this year: ARod, Manny, Halliday, Roberts/Tejada, Buerhle, Santana/Radke, etc. etc." Tony Graffanino has had a great few weeks, but if anyone tells me he is the Sox' MVP, well, I will log on and post something fierce! And upwards of 830 people might read it! Or I'll call dak and grouse until he tells he he has errands to do.

# posted by

Unknown : 8/11/2005 2:48 AM

In fairness to Kruk:

If I recall correctly, he named Figgins his 2004 AL MVP sometime around 9/1/04. By the end of the month, though, he switched his pick to Gary Sheffield. Why?

"Because he hits in the clutch."

# posted by

dak : 8/11/2005 2:18 PM

FIRE JOE MORGAN

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

ESPN The Magazine, August 15

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