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The Minutiae Number is 5

"You don't even know what a Wright-off is, do you?"
-- Jerry Seinfeld to Kramer in an episode discussing some bit of minutiae

I do!! I do!! It's what we'll call Sunday's game-winning hit against the Marlins by the man with the Magic Number.

I've provided advertisements for David Wright's MVP candidacy in this space before, but after Sunday's victory, I feel the need to supplement some of that information.

I think the appropriate definition of an MVP is someone who raises his game to another level when it matters most. How has David Wright done that?

* From Opening Day through August 31, David Wright hit .319, with a .413 on-base percentage and a .534 slugging percentage. In September, he's increased himself across the board by hitting at a rate of .333/.424/.654.

* From Opening Day through August 31, David Wright had 87 RBI, a pace that would have given him approximately 106 for the season. In September, Wright has 18 RBI in 20 games, a pace that if maintained for a full season, would give a hitter 146 RBI.

* From Opening Day through August 31, David Wright struck out a lot- 105 times, or about once every 4.7 at-bats. In September, he's struck out just 8 times, or once every 9.8 at-bats

* That gets me to my last point. One of the areas in which David Wright struggled earlier this season was his 2-strike hitting. It was the primary problem in a miserable April and something that he'd previously been good at, so you had to figure the necessary skill sets would return.

They dribbled in slowly, and by August 31, David Wright was hitting .188 this season with 2 strikes. In September, things changed, and perhaps the credit should go to Howard Johnson for reverting David Wright back to his old tactics. In the final month of the season, David Wright is 12-for-40 with a 2-strike count. That's a .300 batting average, and he should get bonus points for his hit in Sunday's victory. Perhaps, with the MVP voters, he will.

The truly Metvaluable know... That 3 of the Mets 7 walk-off RBI this season have come with 2-strike counts: Carlos Delgado's 3-2 walk against the Cubs on May 14, Delgado's 2-2 HR against the Giants on May 29, and Shawn Green's 3-2 HR against the Cardinals on June 25.

Please vote in my poll, located in upper right portion of the page!
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