So yes, the overall end of season numbers are pretty darn close, but when you consider that Hamilton’s team made it to the playoffs (a major factor in G/9 analysis) and that Hamilton was just as valuable over 17 less games, you honestly have to give the edge to Hamilton. Plus Hamilton didn’t get to drink any champagne (though he did never dress up in the raincoat with duck tape over his mouth as he promised the media...). Accordingly, this is why I feel that he most deserves the award.
Many of you guys have written in to ask us to reconsider -- even if we just post something once in a long while. You guys are nice and awesome.I realize that FJM has reunited for one day of glory over on Deadspin.com for two-years running now, but FireJoeMorgan.com is yearning for new material. If this news is not something particularly noteworthy (though it is worth noting that the guys at FJM did not actual proclaim a desire for Joe Morgan to get fired, only that people disregard that "old baseball" knowledge that science and math has disproved), then what in the world is?
And, well, we might. We might come back here once in a while and post something particularly infuriating or noteworthy. We like this place too.
NAME DME TBO A. Bassan D. NangleCheck THT Live next week for more insight by me and three other THT writers into where we think the top FA's are going to land. At that point, we will have officially beat a dead horse.
Cliff Lee Nationals Rangers Yankees Yankees
Carl Crawford Angels Angels Red Sox Angels
Adrian Beltre Red Sox Red Sox Mariners Red Sox
Jayson Werth Red Sox Nationals Angels Red Sox
Adam Dunn Cubs Nationals White Sox Cubs
Victor Martinez Tigers Red Sox Tigers Tigers
Rafael Soriano Diamondbacks White Sox Astros Angels
Mariano Rivera Yankees Yankees Yankees Yankees
Paul Konerko White Sox White Sox White Sox White Sox
Derek Jeter Yankees Yankees Yankees Yankees
Hiroki Kuroda Rangers Orioles Pirates Nationals
Jorge De La Rosa Pirates Pirates Nationals Pirates
Carl Pavano Twins Twins Astros Rangers
Jake Westbrook Rockies Cardinals Cardinals Cardinals
Aubrey Huff Giants Giants Giants Mariners
Juan Uribe Giants Giants Orioles Giants
Carlos Pena Nationals Angels Nationals Nationals
Jim Thome Rays Twins Rangers Twins
Vladimir Guerrero Rangers White sox Rays Rangers
Manny Ramirez White Sox Rangers Athletics Athletics
Magglio Ordonez Tigers Tigers Blue Jays ---
Orlando Hudson Cardinals Cardinals Cardinals ---
Lance Berkman Rangers Yankees Orioles ---
Derrek Lee Orioles Cubs Blue Jays ---
Andy Pettitte Yankees Yankees Retired ---
Jon Garland Cardinals Rockies Mets ---
Javier Vazquez Nationals Braves Orioles ---
JJ Putz Angels Red Sox Twins ---
Scott Downs Red Sox Blue Jays Yankees ---
Hideki Matsui Mariners Mariners Mariners ---
Brandon Webb Mariners Cubs --- ---
Morgan's contract is expiring and he will not be renewedWhile I have no proof of this, I truly believe this is because of the "Moneyball" movement that has not only taken bloggers and casual fans by storm, but also the baseball community. No longer are "wins" being used to measure Cy Young voters (see Grienke, Zach) and no longer is a team making the playoffs a prerequisite to win an MVP (see Pujols, Machine)
20. The Royal Tenenbaums
This strong precursor to The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou features a great soundtrack with songs from bands like The Beatles , The Clash, Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones. The Royal Tenenbaums features a score by Wes Anderson’s friend and composer Mark Mothersbaugh (who also was a member of Devo).
19. Goodfellas
A great blend of fitting music brought to life by the colorful performances of Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta.
18. Forrest Gump
Another great movie with a solid classic rock collection, Forrest Gump is one of the most overrated (it was not the best film of 1994) and underrated (it was one of, if not the, most important and indicative films of the 90s) movies of all time. The soundtrack contains some of the best songs from the 60s and 70s from a variety of artists ranging from CCR and Bob Dylan to The Supremes and The Fifth Dimension.
17. Saturday Night Fever
This movie not only launched John Travolta’s name into superstardom, but also sent the Bee Gees career into overdrive. With songs such as Stayin’ Alive, How Deep Is Your Love? and Night Fever, Saturday Night Fever is the quintessential disco album.
16. Grease
This soundtrack does not need any reasoning nor justification as to why it’s on this list. It is common knowledge that Grease had a kick ass soundtrack. I love Frankie Valli.
15. The Harder They Come
Without Jimmy Cliff, the godfather of reggae, Bob Marley would not have become such a facet of our culture. In addition to acting the lead role, Cliff also sang all of the songs for the soundtrack. Both his songs and performance are completely solid and worth checking out if you get a chance.
14. Suspiria
Italian progressive rock/Goth rock band Goblin collaborated extensively with Italian film auteur Dario Argento in the 70s. Their work on Argento’s 1977 supernatural thriller is a breathtaking partnership. Goblin’s soundtrack is absolutely creepy, ethereal and unsettling.
13. Kill Bill Volumes I & II
Quentin Tarantino has an offbeat mind with a knack for offbeat music. As it was made evident in 1991 with Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino knows not only how to reinvent movies, but also music (case and point; the film’s use of the song Stuck In The Middle With You). With Kill Bill, Tarantino recruited RZA (of the Wu-Tang Clan) to create an eclectic soundtrack that features a wide range of music from remixes of old western themes by Ennio Morricone to Japanese pop songs.
12. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Although I don’t like this movie enough to dress up in drag, it is still one of my all time favorites. Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Richard O’Brien, Barry Bostwick and Meatloaf (yes, he’s in it too, though briefly) are utterly fantastic in this movie. Get into the mind flip, put your hands on your hips and jump to the right; Rocky Horror is a perfect rental for some campy fun.
11. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street
The latest Tim Burton/Johnny Depp flick is a big screen remake of the gory London play and although I have not heard the music to the original play (and thus cannot compare the two), I can say that I, without any doubt, utterly enjoyed the songs in the film. Although his days as singer in a rock band are long past, Depp proves he can still sing (quite well, in fact). Helena Bonham Carter, Sasha Baron Cohen, Alan Rickman and Timothy Spall all sing surprisingly well also.
10. School Of Rock
The soundtrack to School Of Rock is a fantastic collection of music, mostly from the 1970s. With tracks from rock legends such as T-Rex, The Who, The Doors, Led Zeppelin and Cream, this soundtrack is a great highlight of various classic rock classics.
9. The Big Lebowski
The Big Lebowski has a superb soundtrack that fuses avant-garde music with both folk and classic rock. The two best scenes in the movie utilize Kenny Roger’s Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) and Bob Dylan’s The Man In Me to their full artistic potential.
8. Juno
I fell in love with this soundtrack on my second viewing. What I loved about this film is it’s keen sense of artistic integrity -- Juno’s favorite bands are raw, powerful ones like Iggy & The Stooges and she thinks that Sonic Youth “is just a bunch of noise” (although, to their credit, Sonic Youth does have a fantastic CD (Daydream Nation) and a few great singles to their name). The soundtrack to Juno is every bit as pretentious as the movie itself and that, in my opinion, is what makes it so precious. The soundtrack features various singles from mainstream underground bands like Mott the Hoople, The Velvet Underground and indie obscurities such as The Moldy Peaches and Belle & Sebastian.
7. Moulin Rogue!
Moulin Rogue! is, without a doubt, my favorite live-action musical. Ewan McGreggor, Nicole Kidman and Jim Broadbent prove themselves to have superior vocal talent with the numerous songs they sing. Baz Luhrmann’s soundtrack features various original songs (Come What May, Because We Can), remakes (Children Of The Revolution, Nature Boy, Lady Marmalade), remixes (El Tango De Roxanne), and medleys of contemporary rock hits (Sparkling Diamonds, The Elephant Medley) - all of which are fantastic. In addition to the songs sung by the cast of the film, a few songs are voiced by rock stars David Bowie, Bono and Beck.
6. The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou
Wes Anderson, much like his female equivalent Sofia Coppola, has a strong ear for great music to complement his brilliant films. The soundtrack for The Life Aquatic largely features David Bowie songs and covers of Bowie songs by Seu Jorge, an extremely talented Brazilian musician who brings new life to old Bowie classics. Additionally, two other notable artists contributed their hits for this soundtrack: Iggy Pop (Search & Destroy) and The Zombies (Way I Feel Inside). Mark Mothersbaugh, again, penned the indie pop instrumentals for the movie.
5. Marie Antoinette
Attention indie music fans: the soundtrack for Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette is a goldmine of music. The soundtrack vibrantly fuses remixes of various 80s names like New Order, Bow Wow Wow and The Cure with newer, lesser-known bands such as The Strokes, Windsor for Derby and The Radio Dept.
4. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Written by Tim Burton and scored/sung largely by one of my favorite composers, Danny Elfman, this film has an excellent cult following.
3. Labyrinth
David Bowie is one of the greatest artists in rock history and his music for Jim Henson’s film Labyrinth is just as fresh and creative (albeit more poppy) as his work on his Ziggy Stardust album. Perfectly complementing Bowie’s work on Labyrinth is a magical score written by Trevor Jones.
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey
From the extended opening sequence, it is entirely clear that Kubrick’s film is a masterwork of all cinematic areas - especially cinematography and music. The soundtrack contains such powerful compositions as Thus Spoke Zarathustra and The Blue Danube Waltz.
1. Trainspotting
Danny Boyle’s soundtrack perfectly incorporates various genres (from electronica and new wave to glam rock and Britpop) to create the ultimate soundtrack. The songs so flawlessly correlate to the thematics of the script that you could easily assume that all of the songs were specifically written for this movie. Long live Iggy Pop!
