Victorino as MVP?
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Victorino as MVP?
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
CINCINNATI — No one will say Shane Victorino is the National League MVP, because he isn't. But the fact that we're even having this discussion says enough.
Victorino is unquestionably the Phillies' best hitter through 130 games in 2011. In the National League, he ranks eighth in batting average, eighth in on-base percentage and ninth in slugging percentage. He is second in the league with 14 triples, a career-high. He has 15 home runs and will probably set a career-high there, too.
He missed 27 games because of two disabled list stints.
And he should still appear on a majority of MVP ballots this fall. Yes, Joey Votto, Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, Ryan Braun, Troy Tulowitzki and others are arguably having better seasons.
Voters are asked to pick the top 10 players in each league. Right now, Shane Victorino is one of them. That's an offensive transformation no one could have foreseen.
While Cole Hamels' triumphant return was the most important story of Monday's 3-2 victory, Victorino's home run ensured victory. It was easily a footnote because Victorino is having that kind of a season. His key hits are expected — even after momentary failure.
"The guy ends up striking him out," Charlie Manuel said, "threw him a couple of breaking balls on 3-1 and we had guys in scoring position. He swung at one and then took strike three. Then he comes back, gets a breaking ball and hits a home run.
"He has been getting a lot of extra-base hits and it seems like every one of them is big at the moment. He’s been getting some big hits for us."
The most impressive thing about Victorino's 2011, as I noted in a story a few weeks back, is how his game has evolved.
| Year | Age | Tm | PA | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 25 | PHI | 462 | 1.3% | 11.7% | 5.2% | 7.1% | 2.25 | 0.80 |
| 2007 | 26 | PHI | 510 | 2.4% | 12.2% | 7.3% | 7.5% | 1.68 | 0.90 |
| 2008 | 27 | PHI | 627 | 2.2% | 11.0% | 7.2% | 8.3% | 1.53 | 0.81 |
| 2009 | 28 | PHI | 694 | 1.4% | 10.2% | 8.7% | 8.9% | 1.18 | 0.84 |
| 2010 | 29 | PHI | 648 | 2.8% | 12.2% | 8.2% | 8.3% | 1.49 | 0.80 |
| 2011 | 30 | PHI | 451 | 3.3% | 10.0% | 9.1% | 11.1% | 1.10 | 0.74 |
His strikeouts are down. His walks are up. He's hitting for more power, but not just home runs — the bad pattern that marred his 2010 season.
One more table:
| Hits | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | Tm | H | Inf | Bnt |
| 2006 | 25 | PHI | 119 | 14 | 2 |
| 2007 | 26 | PHI | 128 | 23 | 2 |
| 2008 | 27 | PHI | 167 | 36 | 9 |
| 2009 | 28 | PHI | 181 | 29 | 0 |
| 2010 | 29 | PHI | 152 | 18 | 2 |
| 2011 | 30 | PHI | 123 | 8 | 0 |
His career arc has followed common sense. As a major-leaguer in his early stages, Victorino relied heavily on his speed. In 2008, when he hit a then-career-best .293, 21.6 percent of his hits were on the infield. It was his game.
Now he's 30 and his power has filled out. Only 6.5 percent of his hits are of the infield variety. His 11.1 percent extra-base hits ranks eighth in the league (ahead of such names as Kemp, Prince Fielder, Lance Berkman, Albert Pujols and Ryan Howard). It required 2010 for Victorino to realize line drives are more valuable than trying to hit long balls. With age came maturity both mentally and physically.
For that, these Phillies are quite thankful. And the rest of baseball is probably about to notice.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
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Shane has definitely made a major impact on the best team in the NL. The Phillies winning the MVP and Cy Young in the same season would be amazing, if not historic. What was the last team to win both in the same season?— wylies99
And to think that there were some (many?) who felt the Phils kept the wrong guy when they traded Michael Bourn to the Astros.
Bourn is a nice player. Victorino is a decidedly better one.
And not too shabby a Rule 5 pick-up.— FishFryFrank- Funny this was posted today. My daughter and I were watching last night's 3-2 win and she asked, "Dad, who's the best all around player?" I almost said Howard. But I said Victorino, given all that he brings to the table. I did say that Howard was the guy we'd probably miss most if he was out for an extended period.— eman
- I think he's also the heart of the team.— EL Zorro
- Ruiz is the heart of the team and sorry but shane is not even close to being an mvp. For one, Howard would be more deserving of that than shane.— psualum
- IMHO, there is any question that the flyin' Hawaiian is the Phils MVP. He is truly a 5 tool player that makes things happen and is exciting to watch. He is currently to the Phils what Rollins was during his NL MVP year. Go Phils!!!— vicpat
- Shane has raised his level of play...Such a dangerous but underutilized hitter from the right side, Shane has really tempered his batting eye and is not chasing as many bad pitches from the left side...He is taking over (from another fine player in Jimmy Rollins) the moniker of the guy who gets em going...He's been good everywhere they've used him in the lineup, and he his now hitting his stride.— bearsfriend
- Please tell me you're joking. Who cares about his career highs, or how he's improving? If I can manage 1 HR and 1 triple this year, I'll be at my career highs as well. Like everyone else, I love having Shane on our team and I get a huge kick out of watching him play, but you can't seriously mention him as even close to an MVP candidate. "Joey Votto, Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, Ryan Braun, Troy Tulowitzki and others are arguably having better seasons" ARGUABLY?? Please tell me, what's the argument that any one of them is NOT having a better season than Vic? Shane is 8th in the NL in BA, tied for 29th in H, tied for 10th in R, tied for 35th in HR, tied for 21st in SB, not in the top 40 in RBI, etc. The fact that you're "having this conversation" signifies nothing. He's a critical part of a wonderful team, but anybody who actually votes for Shane over the other candidates should lose his vote permanently.
— 1980 - First in triples and is arguably been the best player on the team with the best record. He is also a stellar defender. The MVP award is not just about who hits homeruns and drives in RBIs. Look at some of the winners lately - Jimmy Rollins, Dustin Pedrioa. I do not think Shane should win it but I say he is in the conversation.
Comment removed.- Thanks for the stats, It is great to see Shane adjust. One of the things I saw on this site in the preseason was an article where Rollins and Victorino are so valuable to this team, when they get in on base, Utley and Howard drive them in. The National League had figured out how to pitch to Rollins and Victorino, throw them junk because they get themselves out. It looks like Victorino has adjusted and that is what the team needed him to do. He may be the team MVP but he will not finish in the top 5 in the NL MVP. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Great information though. Thanks.— Bob20Philly
- Victorino is having a great year no doubt.. He is a true competitor and plays his heart out for us all the time. He is part of the winning core here and must be retained for the rest of his career.— bradco
- 1980- looking at counting stats like hits is misleading because he has missed a month. Being top 10 in all those categories is impressive, even if he's not first in any. He will finish top 10 for MVP as the article suggests, and plenty will vote him over guys like Votto or Tulo who are on non-competitive teams.— Phils Phan 28
- I'm not a big fan, but got to give him props. Awesome year.— scootch
- He's our Johnny Damon (Red Sox vintage).— frankenslade
