Rob Neyer

  (12:00 PM)

I'm you, you're me, and between us we'll figure out something in the next hour or my name's not yours.

Jim (Everett)

The M's will win 90 or more games in ____?

Rob Neyer

  (12:02 PM)

I don't have the slightest idea, because I don't have any idea where the organization is heading this winter. More of the same? It may be a long, long haul. A brand new direction, with a dynamic new GM? They could be good again as soon as 2010.

Mike (ny)

Pedroia for MVP??? are the these red sox fans on lsd??? he is a nice player and all but MVP, he is not even the best second baseman in the league.

Rob Neyer

  (12:04 PM)

Pedroia is not a worthy candidate, though he's of course having an excellent season. I'm surprised to be saying this, but I think Morneau might actually be the most worthy candidate.

Paul (NYC)

Delgado can't actually win the MVP can he? Maybe if it were called "MVP from the date that Willie Randolph got Axed", he'd have a shot, but you can't discount the first 2 1/2 months of the season, in which he was downright dreadful. Jose Reyes for MVP. Thoughts?

Rob Neyer

  (12:07 PM)

You never know what the voters will do -- at least not until the last week or so of the season -- but Delgado is just the fourth-most valuable player on his own team, after Beltran, Reyes, and Wright. And you are absolutely correct; the first half of the season DOES count (or should).

Eric J (VA)

If Morneau is the most worthy candidate, shouldn't Mauer win it to even things out?

Rob Neyer

  (12:09 PM)

In fairness, yeah. And Mauer's a solid candidate anyway. If he gets hot(ter) this month and the Twins win, he absolutely should draw some real support.

Mike (NYC)

It's the beginning of September and Mets have outscored the Philies, and the Philies have allowed fewer runs than the Mets. What?

Rob Neyer

  (12:10 PM)

Weird, huh? This is a tough game to figure out...

Mark, Milwaukee

Any chance MLB changes the 1 hit for CC into an error?

Rob Neyer

  (12:11 PM)

I doubt it, if only because it would set an awful precedent. Obviously, the scorer made a poor decision. But decisions just as poor are made almost every day.

Sarge (Lee's Summit, MO)

It's good to see the Royals committed to OBP, which is all we heard to start the season. On pace for under 400 walks in a season! Are you kidding me?

Rob Neyer

  (12:12 PM)

Rumors of the Royals' improvement have been greatly exaggerated.

Matt (Boston)

Pedroia is 6th in AL in VORP, Morneau is 8th.

Rob Neyer

  (12:14 PM)

Morneau has 27 Win Shares, Pedroia 18. Without digging in, I can't explain that huge difference, except I wonder if Morneau doesn't have more big hits this season.

Chris (Wayne, NJ)

According to Gary Cohen, when a pitcher tries to barehand a ball and fails to make the play, it is scored a hit 100% of the time

Rob Neyer

  (12:15 PM)

That was one of my points in the blog on Saturday; that scorers practically *always* score it a hit when a player tries a barehanded play. But that doesn't mean it *should* be a hit. Particularly in this case.

Birdman(Boston)

Pedroia is #1 in Hits, Runs & BA while stealing 17 bases and only being caught once not to mention playing a phenomenal 2B. I'd say he's a worthy candidate.

Rob Neyer

  (12:16 PM)

Okay. You win. I dismissed him too quickly, and when we run our various pieces about candidates over the next month or two, I'll make sure the little guy gets his due.

Bart (Cleveland)

Rob, can you try to put Cliff Lee's season into some kind of perspective? How good is it?

Rob Neyer

  (12:16 PM)

I spent a few hundred words on this subject in the blog today. Check it out!

Doug (NY)

CC goes 14-0 w a 1.50 ERA. Webb finishes 22-8 with a 3.25 ERA. Lincecum finishes 17-4 with a 2.50 ERA and 250 Ks. Who wins the CY?

Rob Neyer

  (12:18 PM)

Impossible to say, as they'll all get a great deal of support. We can usually predict Cy Young balloting with a fair degree of accuracy. But given your hypothetical and the relatively small number of voters, we just can't know what they would do.

Andy (Tampa)

What chances do you give the Rays to hold onto the division with such a tough September? They play 12 against the Yankees and Red Sox and more road games than home.

Rob Neyer

  (12:21 PM)

It's hard to blow a five-game lead in four weeks. But the schedule's even more favorable to the Red Sox than you suggest, as 16 of their last 25 games are at Fenway, where they're 46-19 this season. So I give the Sox a 25% chance of winning the East. All of which is mostly irrelevant, as both clubs are practically guaranteed to reach the playoffs.

Seattle,WA

Do you think Greg Maddux will pitch next year?

Rob Neyer

  (12:24 PM)

I think a great deal depends on how well he pitches this month. If he finishes 8-13 or something, it'll be easy to call it quits. But if he goes 10-12 and the Dodgers come back and win the West? I figure he's back in '09.

Todd (Philly)

Joe Morgan suggests FRod should be Cy...how much should breaking the record really count for?

Rob Neyer

  (12:28 PM)

I figure the award is for the best pitcher in the league. I would have a hard time making a case for Rodriguez as the best *relief* pitcher in the league.

Matt (Chicago)

How is Dempster not in the Cy Young discussion? Better numbers than Webb, more wins than CC, I mean he could end up 20-5 if he ends up 5-0.

Rob Neyer

  (12:30 PM)

Sure, he *could* do just about anything. But at this moment there are two great candidates: Webb and Lincecum.

Dave (NYC)

Who do you have winning the NL East. I think with the comeback win the Mets are showing the heart that they were lacking last year and earlier in the season.

Rob Neyer

  (12:31 PM)

Twist my arm and I'll pick the Mets, but the race will be determined by so many random events that it's sort of arrogant to suggest I have any idea.

Rachel (Boston, MA)

Hi Rob! How come no one is talking about the fact that once the first hit is made in a potential no hitter, the pressure is essentially off the pitcher. No one can say for sure how Sabathia would have responded under the 9th inning pressures that often end no-hit bids.

Rob Neyer

  (12:34 PM)

Does he seem to you like a guy who's terribly bothered by pressure? I mean, the 2007 ALCS notwithstanding? We have to go with the best information we've got, and that suggests Sabathia would have pitched an official no-hitter if not for a very questionable scoring decision.

Greg (Lethbridge, AB)

Is there some sort of statistal formula that uses a pitchers stats to predict what a pitchers W-L SHOULD be, rather than is? What shound Halladay's record be?

Rob Neyer

  (12:36 PM)

Indeed there is, Greg. Courtesy of Baseball Prospectus ... Halladay "should" be 14-9; Cliff Lee, 16-5. Takes a lot of luck to win 20.

SteveFitz (Cicero, IL)

What? Webb and Lincecum are the only candidates? Dempster is 15-5 while Webb is 19-6. Dempster has a better ERA, better BAA, equal amount of Ka??s in less innings, bette ERA+, less HR given up and .02 higher WHIP. What a joke that Dempster isna??t in the mix. Lets not forget that the Cubs have the best record in baseball and Dempster was a closer last year.

Rob Neyer

  (12:37 PM)

What the $&@# does last year have to do with anything?

Brian (Brooklyn)

What makes Webb a more deserving Cy Young candidate than Santana? Is it Johan's fault that the bullpen has blown a ton of leads for him?

Rob Neyer

  (12:38 PM)

Santana's having a great season, but there's a big difference between their home ballparks. And the difference favors Webb in these discussions.

Rich (NJ)

Will it really make a difference to anyone if the scoring decision is changed? Isn't a huge part of the no-hitter the celebration immediately afterwards? I can't imagine CC celebrating after mlb says, 'By the way, you pitched a no-hitter last week'. Point is, right or wrong, its over.

Rob Neyer

  (12:39 PM)

Gee, that's funny ... I was under the impression that Don Larsen's been enjoying his no-hitter for the last 52 years. I could be wrong...

Brandon (NY)

So those replays are really slowing the game down! Has it been used once yet since being implemented?

Rob Neyer

  (12:40 PM)

I don't believe so; if it has, I'm upset with myself for missing it. I think people who were worried about this were really worried about what comes next ...

Brad(NM)

You don't like the chances of the Chi-Sox and Twins both getting in?

Rob Neyer

  (12:41 PM)

I do not. Rays too far ahead, Red Sox too many home games.

Bobby (Atlanta, GA)

I know you believe that the outcomes of 1-run games should more or less even out, but what explains the Braves' 29 consecutive 1-run losses on the road? Does this indicate poor managing, a leaky bullpen, or just really bad luck?

Rob Neyer

  (12:42 PM)

Mostly the last of those.

Ben (Omaha, NE)

How do you think playing in an outdoor stadium will affect the Twins in the next few years. Does not having the Metrodome advantage cost them a few wins for a couple years?

Rob Neyer

  (12:44 PM)

Great question, Ben ... Yeah, I think it probably will. And maybe more than just a couple years. Haven't the Twins sported one of the biggest home/road differentials for a long time? (I don't know; I'm asking.) It's always been difficult for visiting teams, probably because of the roof.

SteveFitz (Cicero, IL)

You just like Buster. He said no Cub is strong enough to be an MVP candidate and completely ignored the fact that Aramis Ramirez is probably the most clutch hitter in baseball and his stats across the board beat Delgado yet Delgado was an MVP candidate. Is it the Cubs or just being misinformed?

Rob Neyer

  (12:46 PM)

Yes, Ramirez is probably having a slightly better year than Delgado. But MVP voters give extra credit to players on teams that just barely win, and they also give extra credit to players who do particularly well in the second half. Like it or not, Delgado beats Ramirez on both counts (if the Mets win).

Bill (Toronto)

On the subject of replays. Do you think it's right that the crew cheif decides when yo review the replay or not? IMO it should be an arbitrary 3rd party (MLB official) in the stadium or back at HO. Seems kind of questionable to let the same guy who may have made the call review it.

Rob Neyer

  (12:48 PM)

Well, we'll see. But MLB didn't have much of a choice on this one. Maybe if the union gets busted again MLB can take control of this thing, someday.

Bill W (Brooklyn NY)

Right now Webb is NINTH in the NL in VORP (park-neutral, yes?) behind Lincecum, Santana, Sheets, Dempster, Hamels, Peavy, Haren and Billingsley. Isn't what makes him the Cy co-favorite right now nothing more than that lucky ol' W-L figure?

Rob Neyer

  (12:52 PM)

Sure. As always. I do think Webb's better than the ninth-best pitcher in the league; for one thing, he's third-best in innings pitched and might finish No. 1. But yeah, he's been lucky.

Chris (Broadview Heights, OH)

I'm sure people in Minnesota will not be applauding the outdoor stadium in April or early to mid May when it's 40 degrees outside for a night game. Why are people so against domes?

Rob Neyer

  (12:53 PM)

Domes are a drag and retractable roofs cost an extra $200 million. Those seem like pretty good reasons to me.

Jon (Mad-town)

All consequences aside, would you rather watch a bunch of juiced up players, or "organic" players?

Rob Neyer

  (12:54 PM)

I don't find the "power game" as interesting as the other. Baseball's better when more balls are in play, when runners are running, etc.

Steve (NY)

AL ROY goes to _________?

Rob Neyer

  (12:54 PM)

It's still Longoria's to lose, assuming he comes back soon and doesn't stink.

Andre GA

I really don't get why everyone is quick to dismiss Delgado as an MVP, but want to throw in CC Sabathia's name as the CY or MVP when he was dreadful as well his first 2 months of the season ... or does nobody remember this??

Rob Neyer

  (12:58 PM)

Andre, I'm afraid you're missing many key facts here ... For one thing, those first two months came in the American League, so are irrelevant when talking about National League awards. For another, it wasn't two months; it was about three weeks. Which, as I said, is irrelevant anyway. I don't believe Sabathia is a deserving candidate simply because he won't do nearly as much to help his team win as the other candidates.

Brandon, MN

How do you feel Liriano has done since his return? He needs to last longer, keep the pitch count lower, but overall I think he's looked great. He's much more of a "pitcher" now then he was two years ago.

Rob Neyer

  (1:00 PM)

I don't know about that, but he's certainly different. I watched some of his last start, and I wouldn't have known I was watching the same guy without the name on the uniform. He looks bigger, and he's not throwing anything like his old nuclear slider. But he's still really, really good.

Brandon, MN

Ok, so with someone who looks like he can be an ace, what do you think about the twins staff? All have winning records with ERA's under 4. As a fan,I feel comfortable with all of them.

Rob Neyer

  (1:03 PM)

It's truly amazing, what they've done. You can't rely on young starting pitchers? Tell them that. Thanks for all the questions. Until next time, remember: "Patriotism is supporting your country all of the time, and your government when it deserves it."