Film Director Title Belt: That's a Wrap

Some summary comments.

Belts

Since 1970, 19 different directors rose to the challenge and earned a Title Belt.

Six of those directors only managed to earn one Belt - Denis Villeneuve, JJ Abrams, Brad Bird, Ang Lee, David Fincher, and John Carpenter.

Six more only got two: Alfonso Cuarón, Quentin Tarantino, the Coen Brothers, Michael Mann, Robert Zemeckis, and George Lucas.

Three earned three - Peter Jackson, Stanley Kubrick, and Francis Ford Coppola.

James Cameron earned four.

Christopher Nolan and Martin Scorsese got five.

Steven Spielberg led all directors with eight.

Five decades meant five "Decade Belts" were awarded. They went to Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg twice, Peter Jackson, and Christopher Nolan.

Spielberg led all involved with 19 hits, Scorsese was next with 13 and Tim Burton was the only other director in the double digits with 10.

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Money

Financially the top 10 (in non-adjusted, domestic gross) over the period studied were:

10. George Lucas ($1.744b)
9. David Yates ($1.789b)
8. Tim Burton ($1.839b)
7. Christopher Nolan ($1.867b)
6. James Cameron ($1.949b)
5. Robert Zemeckis ($2.096b)
4. Peter Jackson ($2.105b)
3. Ron Howard ($2.107b)
2. Michael Bay ($2.327b)
1. Stephen Spielberg ($4.552b)

All of those directors scored at least one hit with Michael Bay being the only one not to qualify for a Belt due to only having one hit.

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Awards

Ranking system - 1 point for a nomination, 2 points for a win (Razzies negative points)

Oscars

5. Stanley Kubrick: 13 noms, 1 win = 15pts

5. Alejandro Iñárritu: 7 noms, 4 wins = 15pts

3. Stephen Spielberg: 16 noms, 3 wins = 22pts

2. Francis Ford Coppola: 13 noms, 5 wins = 23pts

1. Coen Brothers: 16 noms, 4 wins = 24pts

*Alfonso Cuarón has 14pts with "Roma" a favorite to win at least one this year which would put him ahead of Kubrick & Iñárritu.

Globes

5. Alejandro Iñárritu: 4 noms, 2 wins = 8pts
5. Ang Lee: 4 noms, 2 wins = 8pts
4. Quentin Tarantino: 7 noms, 1 win = 9pts
3. Martin Scorsese: 9 noms, 2 wins = 13pts
2. Stephen Spielberg: 13 noms, 2 wins = 17pts
1. Francis Ford Coppola: 11 noms, 4 wins = 19pts

BAFTAs

5. Ang Lee: 10 noms, 3 wins = 16pts
5. Coen Brothers: 14 noms, 1 win = 16pts
4. Martin Scorsese: 12 noms, 3 wins = 18pts
4. Stephen Spielberg: 14 noms, 2 wins = 18pts
2. Peter Jackson: 11 noms, 4 wins = 19pts
1. Alfonso Cuarón: 15 noms, 3 wins = 21pts

Saturns

5. Bryan Singer: 8 noms, 2 wins = 12 pts
4. Christopher Nolan: 9 noms, 6 wins = 21pts
3. Peter Jackson: 14 noms, 4 wins = 22pts
2. Stephen Spielberg: 14 noms, 5 wins = 24pts
1. James Cameron: 12 wins, 8 noms = 28 pts

*Tarantino & del Toro both nominated for 9 without a win.

Cannes

5. Coen Brothers: 4 noms, 1 win = 6pts
4. Martin Scorsese: 5 noms, 2 wins = 9pts
3. Steven Soderbergh: 7 noms, 2 wins = 11pts
2. Francis Ford Coppola: 6 noms, 4 wins = 14pts
1. Alejandro Iñárritu: 7 noms, 4 wins = 15pts

Razzies

5. Roland Emmerich: 5 noms, 0 wins = -5pts
4. Brian De Palma = 6 noms, 0 wins = -6 pts
4. George Lucas: 4 noms, 1 win = -6pts
2. Michael Bay: 7 noms, 2 wins = -11pts
1. M Night Shyamalan: 9 noms, 4 wins = -17pts

I find it really unfortunate Shyamalan is treated this way. I think "Lady in the Water" and "The Village" are highly underrated and "Signs" is my favorite movie all-time. So now that I've destroyed my credibility we'll continue.

Total Awards

10. Quentin Tarantino: 29 noms, 4 wins, 0 R's = 37pts

9. Ang Lee: 23 noms, 8 wins, 0 R's = 39pts

8. Alejandro Iñárritu: 27 noms, 13 wins, 0 R's = 53pts

8. James Cameron: 27 noms, 13 wins, 0 R's = 53pts

6. Alfonso Cuarón*: 33 noms, 9 wins, 0 R's = 51pts

5. Coen Brothers: 39 noms, 7 wins, 0 R's = 54pts

4. Martin Scorsese: 40 noms, 8 wins, 0 R's = 56pts

3. Peter Jackson: 37 noms, 12 wins, 0 R's = 61pts

2. Francis Ford Coppola: 35 noms, 15 wins, 0 R's = 65pts

1. Stephen Spielberg: 59 noms, 13 wins, 0 R's = 85pts

*As noted before Cuarón likely to add to wins total at this coming Oscars ceremony, Coens also have a nominee, as well as Adam McKay although even a sweep of his three nominations would only give him 21 total points.

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Honorable Mentions

The following directors were missed, neglected, or ignored during the "research" portion of this little project and might have contended for a Belt or at the very least have recorded at least a one-hit wonder. If you have any others in mind, suggest them or do your own analysis to see if they'd be Belt contenders.

Kathryn Bigelow - "The Hurt Locker" ('08), "Zero Dark Thirty" ('12)

Mike Newell - "Four Weddings and a Funeral" ('94), "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" ('05)

Richard Curtis - "Love Actually" ('03)

Patty Jenkins - "Monster" ('03), "Wonder Woman" ('17)

George Miller - "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" ('82), "Happy Feet" ('06), "Mad Max: Fury Road" ('15)

Woody Allen - "Annie Hall" ('77), "Interiors" ('78), "Broadway Danny Rose" ('85), "Hannah and Her Sisters" ('86), "Crimes and Misdemeanors" ('89), "Bullets Over Broadway" ('95), "Midnight in Paris" ('12)

Spike Lee - "She's Gotta Have It" ('86), "Do the Right Thing" ('90), "Jungle Fever" ('91), "Blackkklansman" ('18)

The following directors plied their craft before the time period I looked at, but likely would be Belt holders in the '30s, '40s, and '50s:

Alfred Hitchcock, John Huston, Frank Capra, Orson Welles, William Wyler, and others

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I hope you enjoyed reading these as much as I enjoyed compiling them. To conclude matters, I'll make Oscar picks, although my track record in Award prognostication is notoriously horrible. So bet your house on these picks:


Best Picture - "Roma" Alfonso Cuarón

Lead Actor - Rami Malek "Bohemian Rhapsody"

Lead Actress - Lady Gaga "A Star Is Born"

Supporting Actor - Mahershala Ali "Green Book"

Supporting Actress - Regina King "If Beale Street Could Talk"

Director - Alfonso Cuarón "Roma"

Animated Feature - "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman

Animated Short - No Clue

Adapted Screenplay - "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs" Coen Brothers

Original Screenplay - "First Reformed" Paul Schrader

Cinematography - "Roma" Alfonso Cuarón

Best Documentary Feature - No Clue

Best Documentary Short Subject - No Clue

Best Live Action Short Film - No Clue

Best Foreign Language Film - "Roma" Alfonso Cuarón

Film Editing - "Vice" Hank Corwin

Sound Editing - "Black Panther" Benjamin A Burtt, Steve Boeddekker

Sound Mixing - "A Star Is Born"

Production Design - "Black Panther" Hannah Beachler

Original Score - "Mary Poppins Returns" Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman

Original Song - Shallow "A Star Is Born" Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando, Andrew Wyatt, Benjamin Rice

Makeup and Hair - "Vice"

Costume Design - "The Favourite" Sandy Powell

Visual Effects - "Avengers: Infinity War"

There was a house on 2nd street

Not sure where this came from, getting back to work introduces more structured free time into my day, strangely enough, so I started writing. Started from nothing ended up with what follows. The only changes were spelling and grammar adjustments as I went along. I don't think its quite how it should be, but I want to leave it raw. So here it is:

There was a house on 2nd street. I believe it was number 4. Could've been 6, I'd have to check. In any case, its number is not the reason I remember it.

It was a dark color, brown perhaps, with fading black shingles, and a red door. I really remember the door, it was bright, too bright it seemed, especially next to the dark walls.

I wish I could forget it. But that red door will never leave my mind.

2nd street is quiet, no more than the usual number of cars ever enter its sanctum. 14 little houses sit on each side with a simple T-stop at both ends.

In the winter, 2nd street was aglow with beautiful colors, each house like a kindergartner hopping up and down with his hand stretched as high as he can reach trying to get the teacher's attention.

But the beauty and the serenity and the joy were all hollow.

2nd street was home to a monster.

Not a "dragon with wings" kind of monster, not a "from the depths of the deepest ocean" kind of monster, not even a "hiding in your closet eating your socks" kind of monster, just a simple suburban creature of the darkness.

Now this creature had particular habits. A way of doing things which it had an affinity for; it hated change. Even the slightest inconvenience was to be avoided at all costs.

Of course, on a street like 2nd, such inconveniences never happened.

This creature, I prefer to call it "Oz", rose every morning at the crack of dawn after precisely 6 hours of sleep. It immediately set about to achieve its daily goal and always completed it in time to return to bed.

It never stopped.

The story of my encounter with it begins several years ago, in a hospital.

Hospitals are by nature paradoxical. They provide life, happiness and health, but you'd never want to go to one if you're alive, happy and healthy.

I was none of those however, so the hospital was a perfectly pleasant place at which to be.

I believe white is supposed to represent cleanliness and wholeness, that is, something without blemish, but instead I find that our perception of white has shifted.

Many hospitals have begun introducing colors into the wardrobes of their nurses, doctors and techs in order to promote activity, feelings of joy or comfort, and of course, to break the monotony a white-out inevitably introduces to an area.

This particular hospital had just started the transformation, so I sat in a white room, with white walls, a white ceiling and white sheets but was attended by a black doctor in a brown coat and tanned nurses with multicolored scrubs.

To describe my stay at the hospital as successful is rather missing the point. Anytime you leave a hospital you have succeeded. Many do not. However, there were certain goals that needed to be reached when I entered.

First, I needed to be able to breathe. While most of the time breathing is involuntary, if you're lucky enough to be born with less than ideal lungs, it's the not breathing which seems more involuntary.

Second, I needed to be alive.

Most of the time, especially for humans, "being alive" has more than just a few working definitions. The brain, the supercomputer of nerves and receptors, is the primary source of what we call "life."

However, the heart, lungs and soul also play a part. Scientifically, someone can have no brain function and be "alive" because their heart, lungs and other basic processes are being managed by someone else's brain, in most cases the inventor of the heart-lung machine.

I was in another grey area, the one in which my brain was fully functioning, quite well in fact if you ask me, while my lungs were not. In this case, death would be when the lungs stop providing oxygen to the perfectly good brain and it stopped working.

And that death would be soon.

Since I'm obviously telling this story, and you've supposed that things will be happening after what happens in the hospital, it comes as no surprise that I did not experience what we so flippantly call death.

Until one does experience it though, it's hard not to imagine that some of the things we do experience are vastly more horrible and unbearable than that mystery of perpetual rest.

Dying, or the sensation that one is going to die, has been documented as the most exhilarating experience a human can endure. It has been shown to provide a high thousands of times more overwhelming than the most potent narcotics or hallucinogens.

Ignorance is never blissful, but it is often comfortable.

Fortunately for me, my story has just begun and it would be a dreadful story if it ended on page 2. I was healed. I received the touch of the healers and breathed anew. The doctor administered a treatment which solved the symptoms and the cause. The breath of life coursed through me once again.

But there was a cost.

I was no longer who I had been. My original state was altered. The lungs which had forced out my first cry were now alien to me. My own body had set itself on my destruction and it had been thwarted. Recompense was due.

In some paradoxical sense, I had been given a new body. I hadn't had a brain transplant or even a lung transplant. But a whole new set of abilities, sensations and limitations were pressed upon me.

Something was different.

That's when I met Oz. He insists he was there all along. That I hadn't noticed him, but I have no memory of him prior to that day.

He also persisted in referring to me as his, some sort of delusional ownership. No matter how much I disagreed with him he wouldn't budge on that fact.

You're probably wondering how I could just meet a monster. The first day I met him there was little indication of what he would become. Over time it became abundantly clear my safety and the safety of those around me was in jeopardy.

Oz wouldn't leave me alone. He possessed an uncanny ability to blend in with his surroundings, so much so, some people didn't notice him at all, but I always knew he was there. So did my closest friends, some of whom actually enjoyed his shenanigans, while most tried to ignore him.

My wife had a difficult time dealing with Oz. She tried at times to accommodate him, give him a chance to have his way thinking it might encourage him to move on. Of course that didn't help, it merely allowed him to entrench deeper into our lives.

Other times she would plot to kill him. Unwittingly, I usually foiled the plans with my lack of awareness, but at least once she got a clean shot off. Instead of felling the beast, he grew to an enormous size and threatened to destroy our family. Thankfully, we managed to talk him down.

Living with a monster is easier than it sounds. While Oz was tireless, he avoided getting in our way as long it didn't interfere with his designs.

Being in good health, I launched out on the adventure that each of us is afforded. Family, fun and a feverish pursuit of freedom filled every inch of my life, every inch except Oz's.

We started a family, planting and growing two wonderful human specimens. We watered their minds and groomed their attitudes until we had a couple excellent products for society. When they had ripened, the Dream Weaver plucked them and set them on their paths.

Nothing tastes better than the fruit of your labor.

All the while Oz went about his work. I couldn't help but wonder what our little morsels could've been had he not been around. Despite our best efforts, he managed to bruise them both on numerous occasions and even tried to start a colony of worms in one of them.

We stopped that nonsense right away, but not without considerable strain.

At times I wondered if Oz had an ally in the home. A counterpart I wasn't aware of, I mentioned it to my wife on several occasions, but it wasn't until much later my fears were confirmed. Nonetheless, Oz was plenty of trouble on his own.

With success comes possibilities and 2nd street was our resting place.

The Dream Weaver had visited both of us when we were young and given us our portion. While satisfying every craving is virtually impossible, we felt our adventures had neared their zenith.

That's when the hideous creature began to take its nastiest shape. It became bulky, odorous and intimidating. Nobody could ignore it and even the ones that may have enjoyed his company began to lose interest.

His rank cloud of putrescence began to consume me.

A simple, pleasant address like number 4 2nd street can become such a dark place.

Appeasement failed as the beast became more and more gluttonous with each new concession. Resistance was met with overwhelming force and hopelessness began to set in.

Would we ever be rid of this monster?

The view ahead grew hazy, and each day our progress shrank as his empire grew.

It had to be stopped. But it never stopped.

I had an idea. The first time I met the creature was at the hospital. Maybe if I returned there, they would have an idea on how to contain the beast. Or even possibly destroy it.

Convincing Oz that I needed to go to the hospital was no easy task. It had become so powerful, that at times I almost regretted my hatred of it. It was all I knew, all I could see, and the fear of the unknown is paralyzing.

When I arrived, it took some time before anyone would see me. You see, I was healed, I already had been fixed and there were loads of sick people to be taken care of. Eventually, a doctor took a few minutes to see me.

"What's the problem?"

"This creature, Oz, he first appeared here, so I thought maybe you'd know a way to get rid of him."

"Oz? Oh, that. Did you get your lungs repaired?"

"Yes, that was when he came."

"Kind of, did your doctor send you any medicine home, for your lungs?"

"Yeah, but my lungs are fine, he fixed them."

"Right, but have you been taking the medicine?"

"No. I just said my lungs are fine."

"Try taking the medicine, and here are some refills. The same thing that opened your airways can also clear away dangerous pollutants. Your friend, Oz was it? He shouldn't last long, although you'll have to kill it every morning."

"Every day, don't you have another treatment, something that would wipe him out for good?"

"Yes, but you wouldn't like that."

I didn't understand it at the time, but just as the doctor said, daily doses of the same meds which cured my lung defect fought back Oz. He ever went away and he never stopped working. But his potency decreased with every dose.

Other people started noticing his weakness. Some missed him, pining for his mischievousness. But my wife and I were glad to be rid of him.

His story doesn't end with me though. You see, Oz lives on. Every day he tirelessly presses towards his conquest. Every day, individuals medicate to fend him off.

My story ends though. It ends in a hospital, just where it began. This time my body will not be stopped. Death's mysteries will be revealed.

Oz doesn't get to come.

As I closed my eyes and the machines stopped beeping I felt his grip slip off.

Humans are forever trapped on the runaway train of his life, flying headlong off a cliff, always dangling over our impending deaths. Death is the breaking of the chains, the opening of the eyes to the freedom that fills our dreams.

As I closed my eyes, they opened and I saw him. The doctor, the one who healed my lungs and drove away the monster, stood before me. He reached out and took me.

I was free.

There is a monster on 2nd street. But his clock is ticking.

No Pain, No Gain

I'm in a fair amount of pain so its been on the mind recently. I'm doing Physical Therapy twice a week and each time my therapist asks what my pain is on a scale of 1 to 10. Anyone who's been in a Dr's Office, Hospital or watched a Hospital Drama knows what the 10-point pain scale is. It is the most frustrating, arbitrary and yet important concept in Health Care. There is no way, as I've mentioned before, for a person to experience another person's pain. My experiences, nervous system and focus all contribute to the amount of pain I tolerate, all three things which will be different from yours. Because of this I've tried different ways to decide which number to assign to whatever pain I happen to be in the office to complain about. Usually I go by the little faces on the little poster you all know I'm talking about. I usually say a number between 4 and 8. In my mind a 10 would be 1000 volts of electricity or a gunshot wound while a 1 would be no pain at all. However, as I've thought about it, I think a more descriptive method would be describing this pain in relation to the other pains I have experienced.

As I've thought about this, I've decided I've had an extremely easy life. I've had one surgery which is inextricably linked to my one broken bone. I was born with 2 "conditions", one of which I grew out of (asthma) and one which is under control (allergies). Never been electrocuted, never fallen more than a few stories, never passed out or been shot (other than paint balls). So, here are the most painful things I've experienced in order.




Least - Well, anytime I haven't been in pain

1 - Sprained my ankle pretty bad this one time and had to use crutches at work

2 - Had some pretty nasty migraines which my mother falsely attributed to video games and candy but were actually a result of dog hair and pollen allergies

3 - Got hit about six inches above the knee on the inside of my right leg by a 58-60 mph fastball

4 - I had infected lymph nodes when I was like 8, my ear canal felt like it was going to explode

Middle - I sprained/tore my left oblique (my current injury)

6 - A Hornet stung me on the upper lip at my mom's grandparent's house and it swelled up so big I could see it

7 - After my nasal surgery I developed a sore throat which two vicodin and a constant stream of lausanges couldn't hold down, absolute misery

8 - Got drilled in the face when I missed a toss from my dad (most likely broke my nose leading to the aforementioned surgery)

9 - Nearly burned by thumb print off on a chipper shredder's muffler, but I was 6 or something so the memory is pretty hazy, If I had a better memory of this it would probably be the most

Most - I dropped a rock on my right foot. I'm not talking a skipping stone, this solid piece of granite was at least 75 lbs and I was wearing sandals. I was probably around 13-14 yrs old and my dad had to carry me several hundred yards to our car. Apparently it didn't break the toe, but it shattered the nail and it still hasn't healed entirely (neither has the other leaving me with some gnarly big toenails)



Pretty easy life I've had so far.



Braves magic number is 19 with 31 to go and still have the best record in baseball.

The Flexoril Diaries

So, I'm pretty out of it. I have a strained oblique which is possibly squeezing a sciatic nerve. In the simplest terms I hurted. Through a series of events only possible with the inevitable and ubiquitous red tapedness which is associated with a government employment I am on a 10 lb work restriction, taking drugs which make me loopy with a capital loop and still driving to work tomorrow for an 8 hour day. Equally as surprising but not really surprising at all, I took off most of last week on Dr's orders but as of right now will be receiving no compensation due to injury because I knew I wasn't going to be able to avoid working at all so in being able to work some I must be able to work all and therefore am not entitled to compensation. I'm surprised I understand what I just wrote, if you understand it, kudos all around.

In short, this is less than fun.

Maybe Thursday I'll have good-er news.

PS Braves are the all-time greatest and have a lead over the Gnats of n^millionth power games which is actually like 14 but still a whole bunchedy bunch

Home Sweet Home, VA trip '13

     It's always good to be home even when you've had a great vacation. 10 days is way to short a time to spend with close family, but it was time well spent. Primary highlights included my Uncle and I getting a "Boston" against our wives in Spades (where you win all 13 tricks and automatically win the game), introducing my son to the beach, walking down the "Bloody Lane" at Antietam, standing in the game room at "Games and Stuff" in Glen Burnie, MD basking in the furious tempest of "nerd" in the air, and of course seeing my grandparents. My little man gained at least 2 lbs and discovered he could play with toys. It was fascinating how tangible the change was. One day he would stare blankly at the wall while waving around the little ball and the next he was studying it and trying to shove it in his mouth.

     Our little family set out intending the trip to be a cursory exploration of the possibility of exchanging WI for VA as our place of residence. Anytime you can exchange WI for VA you have to do it. We came away with a renewed desire to get the thing done, however challenges still loom. The primary questions center around employment which is no surprise given the economic climate which has beset our fair country the past decade or so. However, while finding work in a county like Dodge, in which the largest cities barely touch 30,000, is always a miracle, the Tidewater area is both teeming with humanity and commercialism. People go where the stuff is and there is loads of stuff in the quasi-metropolis of the Hampton Roads-VA Beach-Norfolk-Portsmouth-Suffolk-Newport News-Chesapeake urban sprawl. That being said its still whole lot a divine intervention to make a massive life-altering relocation, so here's to that.

      Over the next few weeks I'm going to wax political, addressing DOMA, Trayvon, the Arab Spring and maybe have a guest writer. Then I'll start a yearly tradition with a series of sports posts, the NBA summer transactions, the MLB postseason awards and predictions and an NFL primer. Stay tuned for interruptions of that schedule cuz I'm getting closer to finishing "The Fall and Decline of the Roman Empire" and it deserves a review as well as any movies my wife and I absorb that get my gears spinning. Also, I would love to get some good conversation going on any of these posts, even old ones, don't be scared just talk to me. It's ok, I sign my name with an initial meaning I'm something like a doctor.

Anyway, the greatest sporting event of the year is tonight, coming in just ahead of the Super Bowl and the NBA All-Star weekend.

--- Side Note --- Sporting Event Power Ranking:

1. MLB All-Star Game
2. NBA All-Star Game
3. Super Bowl (and Playoffs)
4. World Series (and Playoffs)
5. NBA Finals (and Playoffs)
6. Braves Playoff Game
7. Summer Olympics
8. March Madness (and Tourney)
9. Vikings Playoff Game
10. Reg Braves Game
11. Clemson Bowl Game
12. Stanley Cup (and Playoffs)
13. Reg Clemson Football Game
14. NBA Regular Season
15. MLB Regular Season
16. World Cup Final (and Tourney)
17. Reg Vikings Game
18. Wimbeldon Final (and Tourney)
19. NFL Regular Season
20. Winter Olympics
21. UEFA Cup Final (and Tourney)
22. NCAAF Championship
23. College World Series
24. French Open Final (and Tourney)
25. Either Brother Football or Basketball
etc etc etc etc......in case you're wondering, any Major Golf Tourney comes in around 35 and any Major NASCAR race is down around 50, at best.

Thanks for reading.

Braves hit the break with the 9th most wins in Franchise History, that's a long time folks. However, they got super snubbed for the All-Star game with only Craig Kimbrel getting in initially, Freddie Freeman being selected on the last-spot ballot and Brian McCann replacing him during to injury. Outrageous.

Look at Chris Johnson's credentials:
.330/.470/.841 (BA/SLG/OPS)
The batting average is 4th in the NL (because of an early platoon he's still a little under the qualifying line)
1.0 War, meaning he's worth a full game more than the replacement level 3rd basemen, which was all the Diamondbacks thought he was when they threw him in the Upton-Prado deal
He's smacked 6 dingers and driven in 31 while playing 3rd, 1st and batting 3rd, 5th, 7th and 8th at different times during the year, aside from Freeman he's my first-half Braves MVP and because his production is more surprising the best story of the year so far out of Atlanta (barely edging out El Oso Blanco)
DEFINITELY BELONGS - weakness: Platooned earlier, hits a lot of singles
Now Mike Minor's
9-4 with a 3.02 in 122 innings
115 K's, 1.08 WHIP, and a most impressive 4.42 K/BB
This comes out to a whopping 2.2 WAR (which is a compiled stat, the best of the best ending up around 7)
He's also homered, driven in 4 and has pitched himself into the position of Ace of a 1st place ballclub
BELONGS - weakness: NL pitching is really strong this year
Now Evan Gattis'
One of only 7 players in MLB history whose name starts with GAT... (its true)
14 Homers in 167 ABs (1 every 12...not far from Ruth, Bonds..etc)
Has played 54 Major League games and already is the most feared pinch hitter in the last 20 years
1.7 WAR!?!?!?!?
Has a ridiculously amazing story of overcoming adversity and going from Janitor to Brave and stuff
PROBABLY BELONGS - weakness: oblique injury a week before voting started
How about Justin Upton?
16 homers (12 in May) 1.1 WAR
3 hitter for a 1st place team (I know numbers before status but its got to mean something)
Has a decent shot at a 20/20/20 2B/HR/SB and should walk more times than ever before in his career
Seamlessly shifted from RF to LF after the trade and has made some slick plays
MAYBE BELONGS - weakness:went into an icy cold slump and is on pace to K 200 times for the 1st time
I'm pretty upset, but it won't tarnish my enjoyment of the game at all. Nothing possibly could. It is the greatest few hours of athletic entertainment available. Don't even consider calling or texting me during it.