Brett Myers: MVP?
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Brett Myers: MVP?
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Every night, after I have completed whatever drivel it is I have written for the next day's paper, I sit down to compose a short box previewing the next night's game. You may have seen it in the Daily News. The bulk of it is a breakdown of the two starting pitchers: their recent successes and failures, their performances against the other team's hitters, various statistics and trends. Well, while composing today's box and keeping an eye on the Redskins-Giants game last night (Jim Zorn's got some serious work to do), I came to the realization that Brett Myers has been pretty darn good since returning from his professional sabbatical.
True, it wasn't much of a revelation. Anyone who has watched the guy pitch could have figured it out. But a look at the numbers re-inforced just how good this guy has been. In fact, you could make the argument that this team would already be out of contention - or pretty close to it - without him.
Consider:
1) The Phillies have won six of his last seven starts, and six of eight overall since he returned from the minors.
2) His 1.78 ERA since the All-Star break is third in the National League behind only two players many hoped the Phillies would acquire to replace him: C.C. Sabathia (1.23) and Rich Harden (1.66). On that note, the Phillies are one of two NL teams with two pitchers in the top 10 in ERA since the All-Star break (Hamels is ninth at 2.69; The cubs' Harden and Ryan Dempster are both on the list).
3) Myers has averaged 7.44 strikeouts per nine innings since the ASB, best on the Phils.
4) Myers has averaged just 14 pitches per inning, the fourth fewest in the NL. The only players with fewer are Roy Oswalt, C.C. Sabathia and Greg Maddux.
Let's take this one step further.
Brett Myers might be the Phillies' second-half MVP to this point.
Here's a look at some other names you'd think might be in consideration and their numbers in the 40 games since Myers made his first start of the second half.
Chase Utley: .295 BA, .399 OBP, six HR, 20 RBI, 24 RS
Ryan Howard: .237 BA, .328 OBP, 10 HR, 31 RBI
Jimmy Rollins: .280 BA, .350 OBP, four HR, 18 RBI, 22 RS
Pat Burrell: .196 BA, .287 OBP, five HR, 19 RBI, 12 RS
Jayson Werth: .291 BA, .412 OBP, 19 RBI, 23 RS, nine HR
Shane Victorino: .287 BA, .344 OBP, five HR, 19 RBI, 28 RS
Cole Hamels: 3-2, 2.75 ERA, 41 strikeouts, 10 walks, 52 1/3 innings.
You could make a compelling case for Jayson Werth as second-half MVP. Utley, of course, merits consideration. Victorino might have had a case a week ago, but he's tailed off slightly.
So you are left with either Myers, Hamels, Werth or Utley.
As good as Hamels has been this past month-and-a-half, Myers' numbers are even better. So it's hard to pick Hamels over Myers. Remember, we're only talking about second-half MVP.
The only argument you can make against Myers is that he isn't a position player. But keep in mind that the Phillies have won six of his eight starts since the ASB. And in those eight starts, they've provided him with just 3.88 runs of support, which ranks in the bottom 20 of all NL starters during that stretch. So there is a good chance that if Myers hasn't been as good as he's been -- the average margin of victory in the Phils' six wins in his starts has been 2.5 runs -- the Phillies would have at least a couple more losses. And five games behind the Mets with 22 to play is a lot different than three games.
"Myers has averaged just 14 pitches per inning, the fourth fewest in the NL. The only players with fewer are Roy Oswalt, C.C. Sabathia and Greg Maddux." - I'd be interested in hearing what that stat is if you throw out his first start, where he walked 5 in 5 innings against the Mets. Since then, he's averaging a little over 1 walk per start, and has gone less than 7 innings only once.— tjc- TJC - According to my calculations, he has averaged 13.5 pitches per inning since that clunker against the Mets in his first start back.
- "...if Myers hasn't been as good as he's been...the Phillies would have at least a couple more losses. And five games behind the Mets with 22 to play is a lot different than three games. Come on David-You must be smarter than this? From the end of April to July, the Phils lost 12 out of 13 Myers starts. If he was just average before being sent down, the Phils would have been 5 games up no matter what he did in the second half.— NMPartners
- How's that number compare to Oswalt, CC and Maddux (I tried looking myself but just found full season numbers)? And NMPartners, Murphy was focusing on "second-half MVP" - not the full season. So you can throw out April-July starts. We can all agree that Myers was absolutely terrible when he was sent down - thus making his complete 180 turnaround that much more impressive. Face facts - he has been the best pitcher on this team (starter or reliver) since his return from the minors.— tjc
- David --> put away the gangia during working hours....— zeezuma
Comment removed.- Good stuff today David. I'm officially putting you on my 40 man roster, but you're going to have to really step up this winter to make the team in the spring! Front-runner...jeez that still stings.— bigredmachinefan
- What explains Myers' remarkable 180? Hidden injury? Simply fixing fundamental mechanics? It's hard to imagine that a trip to Lehigh would have been that "remarkable".— randy_w
- Wonder why only Chris Coste has caught Myers since his return?— Dull
- Comment removed.
The MVP should be a leader. We ain't got one of them guys.— lgroniko
If Myers did his job all year like he is paid to do, this series with the Mets would be an oh-by-the-way instead of do-or-die. It starts in spring training. Myers showed up with the wrong attitude and out of shape. It shouldn't take a professional pitcher til the All Star breeak to get his act together. And then there's Adam Eaton...— RAS- Big Red - It's more fun when you are ripping me, though I'm honored to be a September call-up. Am I eligible for the postseason roster?
are you stating that someone needs to create brettmyersfacts.com?— dpcoz- Myers' 2nd half has been incredible, but if we are going to ignore the whole 1st half of the season, you gotta put CC far above him.— djsaitta
- whoops missed the 'PHILLIES' mvp part— djsaitta
- If you are looking for a gutty performance Myers is the guy you go to over Hamels. Just keep you fingers crossed he doesn't challange the right guy at the wrong time tonight or we all could be watching the Eagles this weekend— Wally 24
- I just hope that SOMEONE on the Eagles besides Shawn Andrews wears a 'FroHawk this year.— Bake McBride
- MVP? Myers and Eaton killed the bullpen for half of the season with their 3-5 inning outings. Durbin, Romero, Madson have all suffered because of their awful pitchingin the 2nd half of the season. 5 good starts since he was brought back up does not make him an MVP. Ship Myers and Eaton out as soon as possible that can only make them bettre next year.— C Alb
- Comment removed.
- Second half TEAM MVP, djsaitta (as much as we all would've liked to have CC on the Phils)...— tjc
- C Alb, brilliant post. 1) SECOND HALF MVP - as in, based on post-All Stat Break performance. 2) EIGHT good start, not 5 (ok, more like 6 GREAT starts, 2 GOOD starts). 3) 8 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 10 K - ARGUMENT OVER.— tjc
agreed lgroniko. myers may be pitching amazing since the break, but RAS put it perfectly.— MPatt24- Brett Myers gets my vote......He has made a great turnaround...GO PHILLIES!!!!!!— mick
