The Anthony Rizzo DongFest Thread

[Saul Goodman]

Thank the baseball Jesus for Tony Ballgame.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

2nd Cub left-handed hitter to have multiple 30 HR seasons.

I understand that this says more about the Cubs' historic dearth of LH power hitters through the years than anything else but still--yay Tony!

[Quality Start Machine]

2nd Cub left-handed hitter to have multiple 30 HR seasons.

I understand that this says more about the Cubs' historic dearth of LH power hitters through the years than anything else but still--yay Tony!

Just wait until we have two at once.

[SKO]

The world is a much better place when Tony isn't slumping.

[Oleg]

He's a fucking god.

[Quality Start Machine]

He's a fucking god.

30 HR and a K rate under 15%...I'm not as versed in statfaggotry as some, but that seems good.

[Eli]

He's a fucking god.

30 HR and a K rate under 15%...I'm not as versed in statfaggotry as some, but that seems good.

It's very good. Second-lowest K rate among guys with more than 25 homers. Pujols is the winner at 35 homers and 11.5%, which is amazing (though not as amazing as when he used to hit 40+ homers with 7-8% K rates every year).

[Canadouche]

One has to think his MVP chances improve when his top competition is busy getting into fist fights with Papelbon.

[Tonker]

One has to think his MVP chances improve when his top competition is busy getting into fist fights with Papelbon.

Not really, no.

[Quality Start Machine]

One has to think his MVP chances improve when his top competition is busy getting into fist fights with Papelbon.

Yeah, everyone's been hitting Papelbon lately.

[Canadouche]

One has to think his MVP chances improve when his top competition is busy getting into fist fights with Papelbon.

Not really, no.

You're right. Arrieta will probably get more votes than Rizzo. But as far as Harper goes, MVPs don't get into dugout fights with teammates. Maybe he'll win it anyway, but his antics can't be helping him.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

One has to think his MVP chances improve when his top competition is busy getting into fist fights with Papelbon.

Not really, no.

You're right. Arrieta will probably get more votes than Rizzo. But as far as Harper goes, MVPs don't get into dugout fights with teammates. Maybe he'll win it anyway, but his antics can't be helping him.

Is this a bit?

If not, please be aware that Papelbon is a well-known asshammer who ATTACKED Harper. This will--and should-- have no effect on Harper'a MVP chances.

[Tonker]

One has to think his MVP chances improve when his top competition is busy getting into fist fights with Papelbon.

Not really, no.

You're right. Arrieta will probably get more votes than Rizzo. But as far as Harper goes, MVPs don't get into dugout fights with teammates. Maybe he'll win it anyway, but his antics can't be helping him.

Is this a bit?

If not, please be aware that Papelbon is a well-known asshammer who ATTACKED Harper. This will--and should-- have no effect on Harper'a MVP chances.

Yes.  Perhaps I should have been more explicit, but: this.

[Canadouche]

One has to think his MVP chances improve when his top competition is busy getting into fist fights with Papelbon.

Not really, no.

You're right. Arrieta will probably get more votes than Rizzo. But as far as Harper goes, MVPs don't get into dugout fights with teammates. Maybe he'll win it anyway, but his antics can't be helping him.

Is this a bit?

If not, please be aware that Papelbon is a well-known asshammer who ATTACKED Harper. This will--and should-- have no effect on Harper'a MVP chances.

Yes.  Perhaps I should have been more explicit, but: this.

I am often wrong. I hope I'm not totally off in this case. Papelbon may be a douche, but I'm not sure about Harper, either.

[SKO]

One has to think his MVP chances improve when his top competition is busy getting into fist fights with Papelbon.

Not really, no.

You're right. Arrieta will probably get more votes than Rizzo. But as far as Harper goes, MVPs don't get into dugout fights with teammates. Maybe he'll win it anyway, but his antics can't be helping him.

Is this a bit?

If not, please be aware that Papelbon is a well-known asshammer who ATTACKED Harper. This will--and should-- have no effect on Harper'a MVP chances.

Yes.  Perhaps I should have been more explicit, but: this.

I am often wrong. I hope I'm not totally off in this case. Papelbon may be a douche, but I'm not sure about Harper, either.

Kurt may not be wrong on this, if Nitkowski's article is any indication. Papelbon's a turd but he's the kind of turd baseball insiders approve of. He beans players who admire home runs and he enforces the unwritten rules. Harper's reputation as a cocky d-bag seems to be entirely fueled by the fact that he's A) very well aware that he's 22 years old and yet better than basically everyone and B) as indicated by his public shitting on Papelbon for beaning Machado and his failing to sometimes run out pop ups and stuff, Harper has no time for the unwritten rules.

If the baseball media wasn't still largely full of mealy mouthed idiots who think it's fine and dandy to choke out a teammate for not running out a pop up or to use a 97 MPH fastball as a weapon to adjust someone's attitude, I'd say this would have no effect on Harper, but the response has been enough to give me pause, though.