Nellie Fox Jersey , Mike Trout, Jose Ramirez, Francisco Lindor or J.D. Martinez among its position players. That's helped three ace pitchers a consistent presence atop the league's wins above replacement leaderboards at Baseball Reference and FanGraphs.The NL MVP voters should arguably gravitate toward one of those three pitchers. But while WAR is a helpful guideline in awards races, it hasn't and shouldn't determine who ultimately wins. That's too easy and, frankly, lazy.Indeed, the traditional measures of an MVP work fine. These aren't explicitly stated anywhere, but they generally require that an MVP be:1.A great player2. An important player on a contenderThrough the first five years of his major league career, Yelich was a great player on bad Miami Marlins teams. But with the Brewers in 2018, he's now checking both boxes with ease.Among NL position players, the 26-year-old ranks first in WAR at FanGraphs (6.7) and second in WAR at Baseball Reference (6.6). Brewers teammate Lorenzo Cain is the only position player ahead of him for the latter, mostly because of a huge gap(19 to 1) in defensive runs saved. Their defensive difference is less hugeinultimate zone rating(7.1 to 0.2) andStatcast's outs above average(16 to 3)metric.What can be taken at face value, meanwhile, are Yelich's offensive numbers.They include NL-best marks in batting average (.321), slugging percentage (.583), OPS (.973) and OPS+ (157). Factor in his 33 home runs, 21 stolen bases, 110 runs scored and 104 runs batted in Harold Baines Jersey , and there isn't a more well-rounded offensive player in the National League.This is curiously good stuff for a guy who had previously peaked with an .859 OPS and 21 homers back in 2016. But it's also befitting of a natural-born hitter with low-key explosive power. To wit, Yelich hit fly balls and line drives at the same average speed (95.4 mph) between 2015 and 2017 as Yoenis Cespedes.At long last, Yelich's power has been unleashed in 2018.Some of that is due to him swapping Marlins Park for Miller Park, resulting in a career-best.627 home slugging percentage. Otherwise, it has to do with him pushing his ground-ball rate closer to the MLB average.Rather than fold under pressure, Yelich is only getting hotter as October approaches. He has an MLB-best 1.168 OPS and 22 homers since the All-Star break, and a 1.242 OPS and eight homers since August 29.That's the day after the Brewers found themselves in dire need of a spark upon sinking to a season-worst six games behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central race. Yelich has provided it while mostly hitting in pressure spots (see his 1.13 average leverage index). In so doing, he's helped cut the Brewers' NL Central deficit to 0.5 games while also elevating them into the NL's top wild-card spot."He's doing special things," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. "This is what guys in [the MVP] conversation do."What might matter most is how all of this compares to fellow MVP candidate Javier Baez. He deserves credit for how he's carried the Cubs amid down years by Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, but he only has Yelich beat in homers (34) and RBI (110). With an .897 second-half OPS and an .850 OPS since August 29, he also hasn't dominated the stretch run like Yelich has.By way of a 1.046second-half OPS, Atlanta Braves wunderkind Ronald Acuna Jr. comes the closest to being Yelich's peer in stretch-run hitting. He nonetheless hasn't been quite as good. And like Baez, his overall numbers don't measure up to Yelich's.If the season were to end today, Yelich could offer everything that MVP voters typically look for. Because the seasonends in only a few days, it's safe to conclude he'll keep it that way.So, what the football dude said: Christian Yelich for NL MVP. Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant. PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — As workouts began to wind down Chris Sale Jersey , word began spreading across the San Diego Padres‘ practice fields at Peoria Sports Complex.The Padres, a team stuck in a 12-year playoff-less rut, were on the verge of making their biggest free agent splash ever.Manny Machado, the big-hitting, slick-fielding infielder, was going to be paid $300 million to play for the Padres for the next decade.The news Tuesday put noticeable pep in the players’ step for the remainder of the workouts.“There was definitely a buzz yesterday in the practice,” first baseman Eric Hosmer said Wednesday. “Toward the last couple drills, the rumors were getting a little more true that Manny was likely coming here. The buzz is here and everyone is excited.”The buzz continued Wednesday as the Padres waited for the deal to finalize and Machado to arrive in the desert, which could come as early as Friday.The Padres agreed with Machado on a $300 million, 10-year deal, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced.The second-largest deal in baseball history signified a significant shift in direction for the Padres.San Diego lost 96 games last year and hasn’t had a winning season since 2010. This season looked like it would be another in what seemed like a never ending string of rebuilding seasons.Machado’s deal changes expectations. The goal of winning was no longer something three, four years down the road. The Padres want to win now.San Diego made a bit of a splash last season, signing first baseman Eric Hosmer to a $144 million, eight-year deal.Adding Machado locks down the corners of the Padres’ infield at least through the next five years, when Machado can opt out of his contract and become a free agent again.“What we’ve talked about is if the right guys are out there, guys we feel are a fit in a long-term plan, we want to build it as we get going and add the right piece at the right time,” Padres general manager A.J. Preller said. “You can wait for some of the young talent we’ve built up and maybe in three or four years try to get the right guys who are out there at that time, but we feel as a group the pieces that fit short term Rusney Castillo Jersey , long term are out there and that’s how you build a club.”The upgrades at the corners, along with the young talent already on the roster, have excited a long-suffering Padres fan base that’s never experienced a World Series title nor seen a playoff series victory since the 1998 NLCS win over Atlanta.Machado gives San Diego one of baseball’s best players still in his prime.The 26-year-old is a four-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner. He’s a career .282 hitter with 175 homers and 513 RBIs in seven big league seasons.Machado hit .297 and set career bests with 37 homers and 107 RBIs last season with the Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers.Even if San Diego’s brass couldn’t talk about the deal because it wasn’t finalized, Padres players couldn’t contain their excitement.“It’s going to be very special,” said shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., who is listed as the No. 2 prospect in baseball. “He’s an awesome guy, a great player and will be a great teammate.”Machado’s addition strengthens San Diego’s foundation for the future, particularly in the infield.Hosmer had an underwhelming first season with the Padres, but two years ago hit .318 with 25 homers and 94 RBIs with the Kansas City Royals.Tatis, son of a former major league player, is considered San Diego’s shortstop of the future, though he has played just 2 1/2 months above A-ball. His major league debut will likely come this season and he could even crack the opening day roster with a stellar spring.Rookie Luis Urias, who was called up last season, could be the starting shortstop if Tatis opens in Triple-A and the Padres added veteran second baseman Ian Kinsler in the offseason.“We came into this year hungry to win,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “That message was there before any news leaked yesterday and is going to be there the rest of the season.”That leaked news should only strengthen Green’s message.