The Moonshot: AL MVP race, elite closers, Bryce Harper and more
Well, we believe in exit velocity, bat flips, launch angles, stealing home, the hanging curveball, Big League Chew, sausage races, and that unwritten rules of any kind are self-indulgent, overrated crap. We believe Greg Maddux was an actual wizard. We believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment protecting minor league baseball and that pitch framing is both an art and a science. We believe in the sweet spot, making WARP not war, letting your closer chase a two-inning save, and we believe love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too.
1. Gunnar Henderson or Bobby Witt Jr. — who ya got?
Zachary Rotman: This is a question without a clear answer, but if I have to pick one, I’ll say Henderson for now. Sure, it’s only late May, but he leads the majors with his 16 home runs and is in the top ten with 34 RBI despite hitting out of the leadoff spot. Oh, he also leads the AL in total bases too. He’s defended at a high level, has seven stolen bases, and even hits lefties better than righties. There is not a single weakness in his game. Again, there’s no wrong answer, but it’s hard not to be blown away by what Henderson is doing for the Orioles.
Terrence Jordan: Henderson has elevated his game to a stunning new level after unanimously winning the AL Rookie of the Year award last season, so for all the reasons Zach elucidates above, he has to be the pick. It would be foolish, however, to overlook Witt, who is the biggest reason that the Royals are suddenly relevant again. Kansas City hasn’t finished over .500 since winning the World Series in 2015, but behind Witt’s five-tool game, the Royals are currently 30-19 and just behind the Guardians in the AL Central. The 11-year, $288 million contract Witt signed this offseason turned a lot of heads, but he’s more than living up to it. Suffice it to say that any team in the league would be lucky to have either of these guys.
Cody Williams: So I can’t fence-sit and take Bobby Henderson? Alas, I’m going to be the outlier answering after Zach and Terrence and say Bobby Witt Jr. As Zach mentioned, there truly isn’t a wrong answer in this equation given how damn good both youngsters have been through the first 50-ish games of the season. But Witt’s contributions feel a bit more impactful. Even with how tremendous Henderson has been, my hunch is that the Orioles would still be a surefire playoff team with a replacement-level player at shortstop. Are we sure that’s the case with Witt and Royals? He’s been the sparkplug for a franchise that’s been overall dormant since getting a ring in 2015, and as someone who’s always a glutton for narratives, that’s my deciding factor.
Robert Murray: The “Who would I rather have” debate when it comes to two great players is really difficult. They’re both great who have different skillsets. But I’ll go with Witt Jr. for a similar reason to Cody: if Henderson was taken off the Orioles, they would still be a playoff team. If Witt Jr. was taken off the Royals, their ceiling drops dramatically. It’s why they extended him early to a franchise-record contract extension: they believe he’s a superstar and at age 23, will only get better. The same, of course, can be said for Henderson. But I lean slightly toward Witt Jr.
2. You’re managing on the road against the Dodgers — up by 1, two outs, bases loaded, bottom of the ninth, Shohei Ohtani at the plate. You can pick any closer on any MLB team right now to come in and get the final out. Who gets the ball?
Zachary Rotman: Can anyone seriously not say Mason Miller right now? Yes, I get that he doesn’t quite have the experience that some of the best closers in the game have, but c’mon. The man is completely unhittable right now. Since allowing two runs in his first appearance of the season, he’s kept the opposition of the board in his 14 outings since. He’s done so while allowing just eight base runners and striking out 37 in 18.1 innings of work. Not only is he the most fun pitcher to watch in the majors right now, but he’s been untouchable. He has a negative FIP! Mason Miller has the best shot of anyone in the league right now to get Ohtani out in this spot.
Terrence Jordan: In today’s world of A.I. and deepfakes, I have not yet been convinced that Mason Miller is a real human. Nobody is at A’s games to confirm, and his stuff looks like it was lifted straight from a video game. Until I get that proof, give me Emmanuel Clase. The Guardians closer has given up exactly one earned run this year, and that was over a month ago. He’s tied for the league lead with 14 saves, and his .58 WHIP is actually even better than Miller’s, thanks to the fact that he’s only walked two batters this year. That matters with the bases loaded. He’s faced Ohtani five times before, and he’s retired the modern-day Babe Ruth three of those times. Against someone like Ohtani, I’ll take those odds.
Cody Williams: Mason Miller is probably the right answer here just simply because he’s been nigh-unhittable as a whole this season. The guy has a -0.15 FIP on the year. Considering FIP is an ERA-based measurement independent of fielding, he’s actually broken the stat because of how dominant he’s been on the bump. But I’m actually inclined to agree with Terrence in regards to Clase right now for every reason he laid out and one more number I found. Ohtani only has a negative Run Value in 2024 against two pitch types according to Baseball Savant: Cutters and Sweepers. Given that Clase features his cutter far more than any other pitch, I’m going to bank on the data and the let the Guardians’ ace out of the pen take the ball.
Robert Murray: Mason Miller. We’ve seen what he’s done against elite hitters. He’s made them look silly. His stuff is absolutely electric and he appears headed toward being the best closer in baseball before too long. To me, this answer is relatively easy. He’s been that dominant.
3. Bryce Harper showed up to help one lucky Phillies fan with a promposal. What else does he need to do to earn a key to the city of Philadelphia?
Zachary Rotman: Has he not already earned it? I mean, since signing his deal to join the Phillies, all he’s done is win over the city of Philadelphia. He’s led them to two straight NLCS appearances and a World Series berth. He’s hit clutch home runs in the postseason. He’s won an MVP. I guess all he hasn’t done is win the whole thing. If he wins a World Series, there’s nothing Harper wouldn’t have done since joining the Phillies. With how well they’re playing right now, this could be the year that happens.
Terrence Jordan: Outside of knocking out Clubber Lang or fixing the crack in the Liberty Bell, I’m not sure what else Harper can do. His time in Philly has been a wild success on the field, and his personality has been a perfect fit with the people of the city. Maybe he could help Daryl Morey trade Tobias Harris or find a way to help the Eagles’ pass defense, but outside of that, Harper has done everything Phillies fans have hoped for and more. Somebody get Cherelle Parker, the 100th mayor of Philadelphia as of this past January, on the phone to make this happen.
Cody Williams: In no particular order, boo Santa Claus, prove he can properly order a cheesesteak and climb a Crisco’d telephone pole. That’ll get us closer to the keys of Philadelphia, for sure, fully embracing the culture in such a way. On the baseball field and even, like with the promposal, off the field as well, he’s done everything to become a legend in Philly and, as Zach noted, winning a World Series is just about the only thing left that he has to do in order to get the keys and maybe even get the Rocky statue a pal to stand with.
Robert Murray: As an Eagles fan, I take offense to that Santa Claus mention, Cody. That was in 1968! But anyways, Harper is what every Philadelphia fan wants: gritty, works hard, accountable and not to mention an elite player. He’s the kind of player and person, both on and off the field, that every championship team needs. He’s more than earned a key to the city — and when he eventually delivers a championship to the Phillies, he’ll finally get one.