This made me realize I've never looked at Jackie Robinson's season stats. This guy was the original Greek God of Walks. And this almost looks like a misprint:

         SB   CS
1947   29   0
1948   22   0
1949   37   0
1950   12   0

I don't recall the Cy Young competition. I would have voted for Dazzy Vance in 1928.

But that train has left the station.

They don't have CS totals for him for 1948 and 1950.

Plus Besides Beltre and Piazza, I was too young to remember anyother Dodgers.

Wynn had the best season by any Dodger player in the 1970's (measured by WARP3), in what may be the best season by the Dodgers in that decade, I think that should deserve a mention.

8 - you double-voted for one guy.

#1-Piazza-97 no doubt in my mind
#2-Robinson-51
#3-Robinson-49
#4-Beltre-04
#5-Gibson-88 For sentimental and chemical purposes only, of course.

iz

Finally, Pedro Guerrero can get the recognition he deserves for single-handedly carrying the Dodgers offense through most of the 80s! Anyone who followed those teams knows what I'm talking about, despite his injuries or alleged sub-par seasons. He was a force in that lineup like no other LA Dodger has ever been. Not even Piazza. Only Gibson comes close.

1. Robinson 1951 could suck the life out of the opposition.
2. Piazza '97 - just a great year
3. The Duke '55 delivered their 1st Championship
4. Gibson '88 - refused to lose
5. T. Davis '62 - a quiet leader who spoke with his bat.

thanks Jon, this was fun.

I know the vote for Wheat doesn't count, but I had to vote for him somehow because I remember his card from a baseball simulation game I played as a kid.

After crude numerical analysis of rank orders of WARP3 and Eqa in the above list, I would have to replace Beltre 2004 with Brouthers 1892 as my #5. Also, I would have to move Guerrero 1985 above Robinson 1951. On the other hand, it's hard to vote for someone from the 19th century, and Robinson seems to beat Guerrero in the character department.

It was Guerrero who in the 90s had OJ Simpson call the cops on him. This does not entirely speak to his character, but he was acquitted on drug selling charges on the defense that he is too dumb to engage in drug sales. All the same, he was by far my favorite Dodger in the 1980s and I love the way he would wave his index finger after a home run to honor his wife, Denise. I only know that because Vinny mentioned it every time. (I know I'm not the only one here who remembered Pedro's wife's name. Right?)

1. Mike Piazza 1997
2. Kirk Gibson 1988
3. Adrian Beltre 2004
4. Pedro Guerrero 1985
5. Mike Piazza 1996

Not on the ballot consideration: LoDuca's 2001, eqa of .311 and WARP-3 of 7.7 are reasonably competitive to the seasons here, with the additional bonus of off-the-charts scrappiness and clutchiness.

It's unfortunate enough that none of us are 120 years old and will naturally tend to vote for more recent players, but this will skew the results even further. Not that it's life or death, but it seems unnecessary to do this.

If you are using stats at all to evaluate the more recent players you've seen, you can probably use them to evaluate those you've only read about or seen clips of, right?

1. Mike Piazza 1996
2. Mike Piazza 1995
3. Ron Cey 1975
4. Kirk Gibson 1988
5. Dolph Camilli 1941

Based on The EQA and WARP3 given, and also OPS+ and the team's OPS+ (Team OPS+ is what got Gibby on this list). Piazza 96 blew everyone else out of the water. Here're 6-10 if anyone is interested:

6. Shawn Green 2002
7. Adrian Beltre 2004
8. Shawn Green 2001
9. Mike Piazza 1993
10. Mike Piazza 1997

Not one Dodger from the 50's on the top 10. Campanella 51 was the first appearance at 15. The LVP of the group provided by Jon is Duke Snider 1955.

Somehow, I know that Sandy Koufax was the greatest lefthander in Dodger history, even though I was born a year after he retired.

Look, this vote meant to be fun, not scientific, and I don't want to step on the fun in the slightest. In fact, the thing about voting only for players you've seen struck me as taking things too seriously.

2. Mike Piazza, 1997 (A funny note about this season. In the fall of 1997, I was a senior at a Catholic high school. I received JUG [Judgement Under God -- ie, detention] on the first day of school for showing up with a t-shirt that read, "Mike Piazza is God.")

3. Robinson again, 1951

4. Duke Snider, 1995

5. Gibson, 1988. A sentimental choice. Sue me.

4. Duke Snider, 1955

2001 - .372/.598/.970
2002 - .385/.558/.943

He also hit .297 with 49 HR's in '01, compared to .285 and 42 in '02

The other player is in the Hall of Fame and it's....?

For me, Piazza, and Beltre are off the list. Jackie didn't have creatine, muscle-mass-boosters, GNC labs, or The Clear.

It helped Green 02's case that Dodgers 02 were a little less offensively capable. #'s 5 through 9 were extremely close. One or two home runs from a couple players could've totally restructured 5-9.

Removing Green's 4 HR game (or that insane week for that matter) would've dropped him a couple slots possible, but I don't see the need for faulting a player for having a good game or a good week.

There will be days when a player hits a HR when the team is up by 10, and there will be days where he sacrifices in the winning run. That said, Green definitely had a reputation of hitting them when they didn't count.

Beltre '04 (4.8)
Gibson '88 (4.3)
Green '02 (4.1)
Guerro '82 (4)
Piazza '97 (3.9)

He was injured a lot, but look at his career OBP.

Max "Camera Eye" Bishop
http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/bishoma01.shtml

And Roy Cullenbine
http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/cullero01.shtml
who walked so much that the St. Louis Browns traded him away because they thought he was lazy and just didn't want to swing.

And former Dodger Elmer Valo
http://www.baseball-reference.com/v/valoel01.shtml
Who holds the MLB record for most walks as a pinch-hitter (91!)

When the good pitchers came back from the war, his walk total "plummeted" to 137.

The L.A. Dodger high is 110 by Jim Wynn in 1974. Brett Butler had 108 in 1991.

There's a certain rationale to that. I mean, why enforce the same penalty for making contact (with the ball going foul) as for not making contact at all? Maybe fouls should only count as half of a strike...

That and McGraw was an extraordinarily irritating man to boot.

Players can currently do that, can't they?

(See: Alex Cora)

You are just making the pitcher work harder and the pitcher doesn't gain any advantage in the count.

So you basically you object to the fundamental nature of the batter-pitcher dynamic and favor a system where teams will score twice as many runs as they do now?

In 1901 when the NL had the foul strike rule, teams average 4.63 runs a game. The AL didn't have it and teams average 5.35 runs a game.

Jesse Burkett led the NL in BA at .376 while Nap Lajoie led the AL at .426.

Each of the Dodger teams on this list made the post-season. That was the x factor for me.

The 1924 New York Giants are going to be really ticked off about losing their pennant that year.

1) Piazza 97
2) Guerrero 85
3) Robinson 51
4) Sheffield 00
5) Brouthers 1892

2) Piazza 1997 (Walker in Col playing RF? A CRIME)

3) Beltre 2004 (phenomenal season)

4) J.R. 1951

5) Guerrero 1985

#1, Robinson 1949
#2, Campy, 1953
#3, Beltre, 2004
#4, Piazza, 1997
#5, T. Davis, 1962

Carl Furillo had a really good year in Brooklyn. I think it was 1954. He hit 340 something and was always regarded as a standout right fielder. Led the league in hitting I do believe. Tommy Davis in 1962 might be underrated on my list. He was a terrific hitter in a home ballpark that was not that friendly to offense. Not a very good outfielder though, and his poor baserunning ruined a possible Hall of Fame career. Though I don't like him, Jeff Kent had a really good year last year for a team that gave him little protection in the lineup. I don't think it was a top 5, but it should get at least a mention.

Stan from Tacoma

But like as they would in 1951 and 1962, the Giants would lose the World Series in 1924. In Game 7. In extra innings.

No, Hubbard isn't Mexican. But he was on the Mexican League champ.

Jimmy Sheckard 1901 0.24
Zack Wheat 1924 0.22
Shawn Green 2001 0.21
Mike Piazza 1995 0.20
Mike Piazza 1996 0.20

Seems like any way you evaluate these guys numerically, Piazza's name finds a way to get on the top 5, and (Jon might want to ignore this) Guerrero 85 seems to find his way to the bottom 5.

MVP, Gold Glove, set all-time SB record in a run-scoring environment in which these incremental bases were extremely valuable. Lead-off hitter. Played 165 games.

I wouldn't vote for him #1 and may not put him in my top five, but he is absolutely worthy of being in the top 34.

I wasn going to comment on the Nationals blockbuster move today, but it wouldn't seem right.

1) Piazza 97
2) Robinson 49
3) Campanella 53
4) Beltre 04
5) Gibson 88

I'd have to vote for Piazza four times and Robinson three times before I ever got to Garvey or Guerrero.

As far as Kobe, I believe that if you took him off of the Lakers, LA would have the least talented team in the NBA. To think that one player can take the supposed least talented team in the NBA to a 24-21 record I think he should definitely be a top candidate. Of course, I entertain "must make playoff" requirements.

http://tinyurl.com/9ygfu
http://tinyurl.com/dfct2

rgds, will

ESPN is what they say too.

1. Piazza 1997
2. Jackie 1951
3. Jackie 1949
4. Kirk Gibson 1988
5. Pedro Guerrero 1985

I'd give Beltre a vote except for the stigma currently associated with his 2004 season. If he can come close in the next few years after testing to 2004 then I'll consider 2004 a real season, until then it is under a cloud.

If I go could back and watch one player, it would have been Jackie during 1949. For those who don't think speed has an impact on a baseball game I just figure they never saw Rock Raines or Rickey or Maury in their prime destroy teams. I figure Jackie had the same impact but I'll never know from 1st hand experience just hearsay.

Jackie Robinson 1949
Jackie Robinson 1951
Mike Piazza 1997
Jimmy Wynn 1974
Duke Snider 1955
If only Pistol Pete Reiser had learned to stop running into brick walls I wonder how many times he'd have been on that list.

The second game is supposed to be shown on tape delay at 9:30, but I'd skip that one.

Most days, the games will be on at noon and 4 pm.

62. Regfairfield, you had to know I was going to join you in the Shawn Green vote.

1. Robinson 1949.
2. Padre catcher 1997.
3. Gibson 1988. Let's face it he won a WS
4. Roy 1951
5. Green 2001. 49 HRs

http://tinyurl.com/bgpjw

Hopefully Whisenhunt will be coaching the Raiders because if he turns us down we will be screwed.

ASU is shooting better than UCLA in the game.

Which doesn't help UCLA's case very much.

The MWC is pretty lame this year. The interesting question is whether the committee will hand out three or four invitations to the MVC or whether it will let in a bunch of lame, undeserving, 10 loss PAC-10 teams.

San Diego State and Air Force lead the MWC. That's not a good thing is it?

thanks for the tip, but i dont gamble on college sports for some reason.

i guess thats wrong, i do enter in a bracket pool for march madness but other then that, i dont gamble on college sports.

The Missouri Valley will get at least three bids and maybe four.

ESPN's Bracketology gives the Pac-10 and Missouri Valley 4 bids each.

Arizona lost again tonight, so they are sinking.
Stanford appears to be coming back to life although they are escaping by the skin of their teeth.

UCLA will get a fairly good seed if they keep up their good road record. They are 5-0 on the road. They still have to go to USC, the Bay Area schools and the Washingtons.

Cal is listed among "Last Four In".

I find perverse satisfaction in that.

Snider's season in 55 and the position he played competing also with Mays deserves in my mind much recognition. While some like to question Beltre's 04 season, especially based on what happened in 05, it seemed in addition to having the numbers, the key hits and the defense Beltre played in 04 was amazing. Robinson's 49 and the monster numbers Piazza put up as a catcher in 97 were astounding.

NL West Standings
Standings
Team..........W....L....GB....Streak
PD Dodgers..14....7....._.....Won 4
DBacks.......13....8.....1.....Won 7
NC Dodgers.12....9.....2.....Lost 5
Rockies......9.....12....5.....Lost 3
Giants........9.....12....5.....Lost 1
Padres.......6.....15....8.....Won 1

DodgerSims.BlogSpot.Com
Series #7
NC Dodgers vs PD Dodgers
Pitching Matchup ... Results ... Game MVP
J.Seo vs O.Perez, PD Dodgers win 10-3, J.Drew was game MVP.
B.Tomko vs D.Houlton, PD Dodgers win 2-1, A.Perez was game MVP.
B.Penny vs B.Penny, PD Dodgers win 2-1, H.Choi was game MVP.

DBacks vs Rockies
B.Halsey vs B.Kim, DBacks win 3-1, B.Halsey was game MVP.
M.Batista vs S.Kim, DBacks win 5-3, J.Estrada was game MVP.
B.Webb vs J.Jennings, DBacks win 6-4, J.Estrada was game MVP.

Giants vs Padres
M.Cain vs S.Estes, Giants win 3-2, M.Matheny was game MVP.
B.Hennessey vs C.Park, Giants win 3-2, M.Matheny was game MVP.
J.Schmidt vs J.Peavy, Padres win 6-4, B.Giles was game MVP.

Robinson 49. Most incredible... and important.
Gibson 88. Most fantastic.
Snider 55. Most finally.
Piazza 96. Most wowsome.
Wills 62. Most surprising.

Robinson, Snider, and Piazza all played premium, up-the-middle positions. I don't think you can go wrong picking Robinson in '49 or '51, Snider in '53, '54, or '55, or Piazza in '97.

But if I had to select one, I would have to choose Piazza in 1997. A .362/.431/.638 season with 201 hits and 40 HR is sick for a catcher. He was robbed of the MVP that year.

1. Piazza, 1997
2. Robinson, 1951
3. Snider, 1954
4. Robinson, 1949
5. Snider, 1955

From the nationals.com article on Royce Clayton:

Some real gems from the nationals.com article:

"Clayton said playing for a winning team mattered the most." And so he signed with the Nationals? Right.

"Robinson even once made the statement, 'If Jamey Carroll goes, I go.'" !!!

Honorable mention Karros 99. It is hard for me to vote single season MVP for players I never had the chance to watch play.

(I can change anything, such as head to head vs roto or player numbers etc)

normal categories butI added OBP, SLG, OPS k/9, k/bb

(ID# 10110)

Password: 4815162342

.Funny how reading about a teams futility in the WS actually bothers you emotionally even when you weren't alive and how 55 felt so good to read about. People are strange because I know I'm not alone.

My Angel friends laugh at me because I root for the Orioles to make the WS so the Dodgers can avenge 1966. My parents hadn't even met in 1966. My friends can't understand why I would care.

thanks. i'm in.

Both Piazza and Beltre should have been NL MVPs in their respective years. I've watched the Dodgers since 1958, and never saw two better offensive years.

1- Piazza '97
2- Snider '55
3- Beltre '04
4- Robinson '49
5- Gibson '88

(Interesting how four of those five names have six letter last names!)

In 1997 I was having a debate with a Canadian friend who supported Larry Walker's win for MVP, and I spent the time trying to isolate Walker's home field advantage (Coors) from his performance to prove that Piazza had a better year. Turns out I wasn't far off: EQA/WARP3 of .357/12.4 vs. Walker's .341/10.5.

Beltre gets a nod because I can vividly recall him turning it on in the second half (again) after his monster first half, and doing so while hurt. It seems sentimental, now.

And Gibson was another guy who seemed to carry the team (alongside Hershiser, of course). Also, gotta seem sentimental, there.

Very tough when crossing eras, and I only got to see two of these players at work. If I could squeeze one more on, it'd be Piazza 1997, and he's deserving, though I never sensed he really elevated a Dodger team he played for.

I had a real hard time with the middle three. I think Snider needs more recognition, but I've heard so many things said about Gibson in 1988. And I saw/heard so much of 1997.

I learn so much from everybody. This place really is amazing!

Beltre would be on the list if there weren't "questions" lingering about his breakout year. Piazza and Guerrero were the most dominating Dodger hitters I ever saw.

Wynn '74 started out that way, but once he hurt his right elbow in mid season, he was never the same player.

Man, Pedro in 1985 was just amazing to behold. I'd love to find room for Piazza, Gibson, Wynn, Reiser, and Reese in here, but it's a tough call.

Regards to Campy in 1951 (considering position)

Voting a straight WARP-3 ticket. Boring, I know.

Criterion: Team had to make the post-season (including playoffs), so no Piazza '97. Great year though.
Other notes: 1) I know many people consider Wills the MVP of the '62 team but I just think Davis' year was one of the great unappreciated seasons of all time. 2) I think Wynn was more instrumental getting the '74 team past a great Reds outfit than was Gibson getting the '88 team to the postseason. I've always thought Gibson got more credit than he deserved.

Since Piazza's '97 season was tops on the list in EQA and Robinson's '51 season leads in WARP-3, but because Piazza's EQA performance was far above Robinson's, he leads the list. Wills in '62 built up only 74% of of the top performances, and becomes last on that list. Here the result:

Rank: Player :Year: EQA %: WARP-3%: (EQA%+WARP3%)/2
1: Mike Piazza: 1997: 100%: 96%: 98%
2: Jackie Robinson: 1951: 92%: 100%: 96%
3: Jackie Robinson: 1949: 91%: 95%: 93%
4: Roy Campanella: 1951: 91%: 91%: 91%
5: Duke Snider: 1955: 94%: 88%: 91%
6: Duke Snider: 1956: 92%: 89%: 91%
7: Roy Campanella: 1953: 90%: 91%: 91%
8: Adrian Beltre: 2004: 92%: 88%: 90%
9: Dan Brouthers: 1892: 94%: 86%: 90%
10: Pedro Guerrero: 1985: 98%: 82%: 90%
11: Jackie Robinson: 1952: 92%: 86%: 89%
12: Mike Piazza: 1996: 94%: 81%: 88%
13: Pete Reiser: 1941: 93%: 81%: 87%
14: Mike Piazza: 1993: 89%: 83%: 86%
15: Lefty O'Doul: 1932: 94%: 77%: 86%
16: Shawn Green: 2002: 90%: 79%: 85%
17: Gary Sheffield: 2000: 97%: 72%: 85%
18: Gil Hodges: 1954: 87%: 81%: 84%
19: Dolph Camilli: 1941: 93%: 76%: 85%
20: Jimmy Wynn: 1974: 88%: 79%: 84%
21: Kirk Gibson: 1988: 92%: 75%: 84%
22: Duke Snider: 1953: 93%: 74%: 84%
23: Duke Snider: 1954: 96%: 71%: 84%
24: Jimmy Sheckard: 1901: 91%: 74%: 83%
25: Pedro Guerrero: 1982: 90%: 74%: 82%
26: Mike Piazza: 1995: 95%: 70%: 83%
27: Ron Cey: 1975: 85%: 78%: 82%
28: Reggie Smith: 1977: 94%: 69%: 82%
29: Shawn Green: 2001: 91%: 72%: 82%
30: Babe Herman: 1930: 95%: 65%: 80%
31: Pee Wee Reese: 1949: 82%: 78%: 80%
32: Zack Wheat: 1924: 91%: 65%: 78%
33: Tommy Davis: 1962: 89%: 64%: 77%
34: Steve Garvey: 1975: 83%: 70%: 77%
35: Maury Wills: 1962: 81%: 67%: 74%

Interesting how Robinson, Campy and Snider take the next six spots, and then we see Beltre again.

I didn't use this approach at all when I cast my ballot, but I might have changed a few things had I done so. It just makes Robinson's '51 season and Piazza's '97 season so much more obviously the best offensive seasons by a Dodger that it can justify the votes, even if those teams didn't win the pennant.

Career numbers for "Big Dan" are sublime:
AVG. OBP. SLG.
========================
.342 .423 .519

He was a Groom for only 2 years, but my goodness, what a year he had in 1892! Apparently triples were all the rage in the 19th century.

Not bad for a 1B with 19 seasons under his belt... and, I think, a decent sample size. Consider him my "Old School" favorite.

For example, Piazza is a great hitter, but face it, he isn't a very good catcher. I would take Campanella any day. Hodges was far better than Karros or Garvey, and Garvey was far better than Karros. Cey is the best 3B in Dodger history. Russell compares to Reese. Robinson and Wills belong here, too.

And then there is Snider. Snider is the all-time greatest Dodger position player, and up there with Koufax for all-time period. In NY in the mid-50s, there were heated arguments as to who was best, Snider, Mays or Mantle. Guess they knew something: all three are in the HOF. What was especially good about all three was that they played CF, the toughest OF position, and they all played it at a gold glove level. And I would say that fielding plays a significant role in an MVP.

My list:

#1: Snider's 1954, which gets no votes, is probably his best, but the fact is, 53-55 were virtual carbon copies and you could rank any of them up there. '56 was not that good a year. '52 was better. Snider was also an RBI machine and, as noted, a great fielder. In fairness, I won't name Snider more than once, but he could get two or three of the top five.

#2: Campanella in '53. Piazza-level hitting, but could catch. I won't name Campy more than once either, but he could get one more.

#3: Tommy Davis in '62. Check the RBIs. Batting title, too. I don't think his RBI totals for this year have been topped since then. Maybe Sosa in one of those juiced years.

#4: Wills, '62. An absolutely amazing year. Davis couldn't even get the MVP because of Wills's year. You could make a case for this being the all-time best year for any Dodger, any time.

#5: Robinson, '49. Did everything. Like Wills.

One of my favorite players, and one of the most amazing hitters I've ever seen is Pedro Guerrero. One of his years would rank in my 6-10 positioning. Garvey in '74 and Piazza in a couple of years would also be there. I would also have to put Babe Herman's 1930 in there. Based on statistics alone, he might deserve #1.

2) Robinson 1949

3) Hodges 1954

4) Snider 1954

5) Davis 1962

2) Robinson 1949

3) Piazza 1997

4) Beltre 2004

5) Wills 1962

I understand the reasoning in ranking performance in a season relative
to team average but prefer to think about this more in terms of
statistically best seasons. I'm excluding the 1800's; Brouthers's
1892 would be in contention otherwise.

Piazza's 1997 is a clear #1. The next 4 and maybe a couple of others
(Robinson, Sheffield) could be reordered without much difference. I'm
also limiting my list to one appearance per player. Piazza and Snider
might make it twice.

I'm surprised that it took into the second day of postings for Herman
to make anyone's list and that there are so few mentions of his 1930
season. I've always had him in the top 5 on these lists because of
his great numbers that year--Dodger all-time bests in hits, extra-base
hits, and total bases (in only 152 games), and OBA, SLG, and BA. I'm
also surprised how many votes there are for Gibson's 1988.