Vegas Watch

Joey Votto, in 2,985 minor league PA: 401 walks

Dusy Baker, on Joey Votto in March: "He needs to swing more. I'd like to see him more aggressive."

Shysterball now brings us the "list of dudes with a minimum of 20 ABs who haven't walked yet":

Matt Diaz (ATL): 62 ABs
Joey Votto (CIN): 47 ABs
Jose Molina (NYY): 36 ABs
Mike Fontenot: (CHC): 31 ABs
Jay Payton (BAL): 30 ABs
Greg Dobbs (PHI): 25 ABs
Brian Bixler (PIT): 24 ABs
So Taguchi (PHI): 21 ABs
Darin Erstad (HOU): 20 ABs

I'd now like to point out the Reds are paying Baker "about $3.5MM" to manage their team. This isn't "Cincinnati Reds Baseball Heaven Fantasy Camp 2008", where Dusty gets to live his dream for the low price of $3,995.00. This was Cincinnati's idea.

In a related story, Hee Seop Choi is currently playing for the Kia Tigers in the Korean League.

As the Rookie of the Year awards for both leagues are going to be announced sometime this afternoon, ESPN.com posted the picks of 20 of their writers. 16 picked Pedroia, which is not at all surprising- he's going to win easily. Jeremy Guthrie got one vote (from Keith Law), which is entirely defensible (his VORP was actually higher than Pedroia's, 38.2-35.9). So that leaves three people- one would figure they voted for some combination of the other pitchers; Bannister, Guthrie, Okajima, or even Matsuzaka.

All three of them (Howard Bryant, Phil Rogers, John Shea) voted for Delmon Young. I went to check where Young ranks among rookies in VORP. It took me awhile, as he's not on the first page- he's forty-second. Among rookies. He is behind Yovani Gallardo. As a hitter. Yes, him.

Dustin Pedroia: .317/.380/.442, 8 HRs, 50 RBIs, 7 SB, 39 2B, 112 OPS+, plays second base
Delmon Young: .288/.316/.408, 13 HRs, 93 RBIs, 10 SB, 38 2B, 91 OPS+, plays right field

I could almost understand doing this like ten years ago (almost). But today? Don't you have lack even the most basic understanding of on-base percentage and positional values to vote for Young? Or I guess just look at RBIs, and ignore absolutely everything else?

Dustin Pedroia: 35.9 VORP
Delmon Young: 5.7 VORP

VORP is a counting stat, obviously. So you would think Young would be helped by 681 PAs. Nope. They only help if you're significantly above replacement level. A 91 OPS+ from a right fielder doesn't qualify.

In any other profession, if you were this clueless, you'd immediately be fired. Not in baseball.