10:10 AM Eastern
The last of baseball’s major post-season awards will be handed out today and tomorrow, with the American League MVP first, followed by the National League, and there are clear, clear favourites (and really only one choice) for each.
Twins catcher Joe Mauer HAS to be the Most Valuable Player in the A.L., and for a while there I was afraid he might not get the nod. After all, the Twinkies went into the second week of September trailing the Tigers by seven games in the Central, and a lot of MVP voters get hung up on where a team finishes in the standings.
Usually, a player has to have a season that’s simply head and shoulders above everybody else in order to win an MVP with a second-division team, but the Twins got themselves back in the race and eventually won the division in a one-game playoff, allowing voters to not have to worry about whether or not Mauer put up his numbers in a race.
Mauer didn’t lead the league in home runs (finishing 11 behind league leaders Mark Teixeira and Carlos Pena), RBIs (26 behind Teixeira) or runs scored (21 behind Dustin Pedroia). The counting stats didn’t suit him all that well because he missed the first month of the season recovering from a back injury.
What did show his value was the fact that he led the league in batting average (.365 – his third batting title in four years), on-base percentage (.444) and slugging percentage (.587). That’s it, right there, plain and simple. You lead the league in those three categories, you’re the MVP, period. Add to that the fact that he’s a catcher and now you’re just being silly. And Mauer’s not a Mike Piazzic catcher, either – the guy can actually play defense. He threw out 26% of runners who attempted to steal on him and only made three errors. He also won a Gold Glove, but then, so did Derek Jeter.
Not only should Mauer be the MVP, he should be the unanimous choice. He probably won’t be, though, because Jeter is in the game.
In early September, before the Twins caught fire and most people woke up to the kind of sensational year that Mauer was having, there was a major groundswell going on to give Jeter the same kind of “lifetime achievement” MVP that Kobe Bryant got in the NBA two seasons ago. The notion was that Jeter was having a really good year and that it was “his time” to win an MVP, since he’d never done so before (though he almost stole one from Justin Morneau three years ago).
The notion certainly was pervasive through the fanbase, who ludicrously voted Jeter the 2009 Hank Aaron Award as the American League’s best hitter. He had a good year, no doubt, hitting .334/.406/.465 with 18 homers and trailing Mauer in every category but hits, runs and stolen bases, but to suggest that he was the league’s best hitter in 2009 is beyond idiotic.
Teixeira should be Mauer’s closest competition for the MVP, having led the league in RBIs and shared the league lead in home runs while hitting .292/.383/.565 to finish third in the league in OPS (only 83 points behind Mauer) but really, the only drama there should be right now is whether or not Mauer gets all the first-place votes.
Tomorrow – Uncle Albert!
Rational, reasonable comments are always welcome.
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michael,
oh ya. absolutely mauer for president.
and the fact that he’s a catcher (as you mention) & a very very good one at that is the clincher indeed. has to be…..
and you know what i sometimes ponder michael?
if young mauer happend to be in the pin stripe uni with all that hitting protection up above & down below if he might not be the first (dare i say it?) .400 hitter since ted w.
heck, he might be the 1st .500 hitter who knows.(but just spitballin’ on that one of course michael)
MW: That’s a lot of spit to ball. Justin Morneau provides pretty solid protection, if you believe in that stuff.
- darrell bishopGreat blog Mike usally I can’t stand reading or listining to you on radio,But I got to say you hit it out of the ballpark with this one.Also Mike do you get to vote.
MW: Usually you can’t stand reading, but you’re here? Interesting.
- scott mayoWhose contract will look worse in 2014 – VW’s $23M or Alfonso Soriano’s $18M?
MW: Wells will only make $21 million in 2014, the only season in which he makes $23 million is 2011. Both contracts look awful, but right now Wells’ is worse. In five years, they may be equally bad, or Soriano’s could well be worse.
- NeilHey Mike,
Could you see a possibility of packaging up Halladay, and Vernon Wells and sending them to the Cubs for a combination of Starlin Castro, Josh Vitters, and one of Jake Fox/Micah Hoffpauir, while counteracting VW’s contract by also taking on Alfonso Soriano?
Hear me out, I believe that swapping VW with Soriano might be good for both guys, Wells is just going to be further abused in Toronto, and the Cubs could use him in centerfield. Their numbers are pretty close over the past 5 years, and if anything, it is an opportunity for each guy to get a change of scenery. Wells’ contract still is heavier than Soriano’s; therefore maybe taking on a Milton Bradley as well might entice the Cubs a little more. This gives the Jays prospects at SS, and third base, while substituting one bad contract with another (maybe 2 if they agree to take Bradley).
Just a thought, as I know you already dismissed my suggestion of swapping VW for Soriano earlier in the year.
MW: I don’t think you get the Castro/Vitters/Fox or Hoffpauir package (which is a very good one) if Vernon is involved, even if you take Fonzie back.
- bootyMike….Nice McCartney connection with Uncle Albert…But if the unforseen happens, will the voters be saying: “We’re so sorry, Uncle Albert, but if anything should happen, we’ll be sure to give a ring.”…Venus and Mars still the best post Beatles McCartney album, I think.
- chris m.Hey Mike,
Two quick ones:
1) There was some talk that Russell J Martin is available. Any chance in a “buy low” type of move for the Jays?
2) The Jays catching worries me next year. But, there’s the school of thought that you can have one pure glove position in your line-up, but just one.
In your line-up would you go catcher? Or SS? Or Jose Lind at second?
Thanks
MW: 1 – If they can buy him low, they’d love to. 2 – That school of thought doesn’t really apply in the A.L., especially in the East, unless the other eight guys are major bangers. If I had to choose, I’d probably go with shortstop or centre field.
- WilDerek Jeter was the MVP ..period
please comment on Roy/ Jays which is why I check the blog. Who do you think he goes to? analysis much appreciated….
also who is the Jays MVp 2009?
big fan
MW: Very obviously, Jeter wasn’t the MVP. Nor should he have been. Good case you make for him, though. What is there to say about Halladay? He’ll go to whatever team ponies up the most. The Jays’ 2009 MVP? I’d have split my vote between Halladay, Hill and Lind.
- louisHey Mike, your old friend chiming in because it has been a while and your hair could be greyer.
Now that we know that 27 of 28 voted Mauer first place, what do you think is in the mind of the person who voted Cabrera first? Cabrera always has good seasons, he’s always overshadowed by someone and I agree he is worthy of some recognition, but picking him over Mauer, a guy who plays C and carried that team on their backs to a playoff berth, how can that be rationalized?
I say there should be a vote every year to boot one (or more) voters from being allowed to vote. It seems like this voter just picked Cabrera so he’d be the one who didn’t make it unanimous thereby gaining attention.
Of course, if Pujols isn’t unanimous I’ll be much more vehement with whoever didn’t vote him first.
Do you think voters are voting against the obvious to seek attention? What’s your take?
Your favorite blogger – Wyatt. I’ll be back next season!
MW: I don’t think people vote against the grain simply for the attention (although the Chuck Swirsky-Andrea Bargnani thing kind of flies in the face of that). I think that guy honestly thought Cabrera deserved it because he had a great year for a team that finished tied for a division title. But yes, I think he probably should be called on the carpet by the BBWAA to explain what he was thinking.
- Wyatt BaileyOne more thing – thank GOD it wasn’t Jeter who got that other first place pick!
- Wyatt BaileyCouldn’t agree with you more Mike on the MVP choice of Mauer – hands down he should be the AL MVP. However, my gut tells me it will be Jeter. Not only because of the life time achievment scenerio but also because I think some of the voters will be thinking Jeter got robbed for the MVP in post season. It will be a joke if Mauer doesn’t win, and win outright!
I have a lot of respect for Paul Beeston. However I don’t understand why he has been going on in the media about Doc not re-signing with the Jays. Obviously this is something Jays fans and everyone else in baseball already knew.
To keep on harping on about this fact I would think may just diminish his trade value. Unless of course a couple or three teams get into a bidding war for Docs’ serices. I still say the Red Sox have the inside track on Doc. If the Yankees get him, it will be a sorry day for all of us.
I can’t figure out, nor understand why Bay turned down again the Bo-Sox latest offer. Looks to me like he just wants out of Boston for whatever reason. If he is thinking of playing in Toronto, he best think again as the Jays are not about to pony up that kind of dough for anyone in 2010.
Thanks Mike – take care and keep on doing what you do best.
MW: This comment came in about 18 hours after Mauer won the MVP. Also – votes are cast before the start of the post-season, so that doesn’t factor in at all. I can guarantee that there will be way more than three teams in on the bidding for Halladay. And Bay isn’t holding out so that he can come to Toronto.
- Bob (from Burllington)I agree Albert will win in the NL, but it will be interesting to see how close Prince Fielder and Chase Utley are in the voting.
Both of these guys had great years, but Albert is deserving.
- A PriceThe hack writer in Seattle that voted for the 4th place finisher in 1st to deny Mauer a unanimous victory should have his vote taken away. Not as bad as the morons who made sure Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken weren’t unanimous for the Hall of Fame but pretty close. Considering Cabrerra got 200K for finishing 4th I think we should have someone find out if that writer got a cut.
MW: I’m pretty sure he didn’t. When it comes down to it, though, MVP is MVP. In ten years no one will remember whether or not Mauer’s selection was unanimous. Do you remember the last unanimous MVP?
- JeffHi Mike
The interesting and curious fact was that apparently, the lone 1st place vote fro Cabrerra came from a Japanese writer who happens to be a member of the Seattle chapter.
I wonder how many times he watched these players??
MW: Probably just as much as any other Seattle writer, no?
- Richard from AR“Derek Jeter was the MVP ..period
please comment on Roy/ Jays which is why I check the blog. Who do you think he goes to? analysis much appreciated….
also who is the Jays MVp 2009?
big fan
MW: Very obviously, Jeter wasn’t the MVP. Nor should he have been. Good case you make for him, though. What is there to say about Halladay? He’ll go to whatever team ponies up the most. The Jays’ 2009 MVP? I’d have split my vote between Halladay, Hill and Lind.”
My vote would go for Hill. Compare his 2B numbers to other 2B’s. He was extraordinarily productive in a position that is weak that way (much like Mauer and C). Halladay obviously is a deserved candidate. Lind, however, would be a distant third for me.
- Wyatt BaileyWilner: You’re right on with Maurer and Albert as MVP’s. Good to see the Mercenaries split the vote. Serves them right.We should remember the NY media don’t have all the votes. Maybe there are voters in under-privileged markets who would not vote for those mercenaries under any conditions. They have enough advantages.I would like to see other voters boycott them…don’t give them any awards. There must be some penalty to hurt the evil empire. I guess Ichabod (Bud Lite) Crane likes his $18 mil payola for extending an uneven playing field to the baby Steinbrenners.
MW: How is there an uneven playing field? Every team has the opportunity to spend as much as it wants.
- CarlosMW: 1 – If they can buy him (Martin) low, they’d love to
What do you think the dodgers would “settle” for ?
MW: I don’t know. I’m not sure how motivated they are to move him.
- Dilson