Clearing The Bases

I was undecided about what to write about this column and then I did a podcast with Chris Mitchell of the Seamhead Podcast Network and we got into a discussion about the American League MVP.  Who should get the nod?  There are quite a few candidates, let’s go over them.  Not a bad starting lineup by the way.

1. Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees:  Ever since Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long fixed the mechanics in Granderson’s swing, less moving parts, Granderson has been on an absolute tear.  Doesn’t matter if it’s a lefty or righty on the mound.  Granderson has 41 HRs, 119 RBIs, 133 Rs, and 24 SBs.  Monstrous numbers by anyone’s account.  What could hurt him in the MVP balloting would be his batting average, which is sitting around .270, that is certainly not MVP like.   Voters may also feel that he plays on a great offensive team that would’ve made the playoffs even if he didn’t have a great season.

1. Robinson Cano, New York Yankees:  Cano has certainly been overshadowed by his teammate this season, but his numbers are also pretty impressive.  27 HRs, 113 RBIs, 101 Rs, .305 batting average.  Outside of the average his numbers are behind Granderson, but he does strike out less although to some people, an out is an out no matter how you make it.  In the end, Cano has had a good season, but not a great one, and his lapses on defense early in the season have to be remembered as well.  He deserves a top 10 finish, but certainly not number one.

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox:  Ellsbury has really been the one consistent force the Red Sox all season.  We all knew he could hit for average, steal bases, and play the outfield, what we didn’t know was that he could also hit for power.  That is what has brought his game to a new level this season.  28 HRs is more than any of us could have expected.  Before the season started there were some of us who thought Ellsbury should hit 9th and free agent addition Carl Crawford should hit leadoff.  Ellsbury has proven us wrong and manager Terry Francona right.  He could be hurt in the MVP balloting however by having two strong candidates on his own team.

1. Adrian Gonzalez, Boston Red Sox:  Gonzalez has had a strong first season in Boston.  True his power numbers haven’t quite been there but that is most likely due to the off-season shoulder surgery he underwent after last season.  Yeah, next year his numbers might be even better.  Still, that has to be taken into account, and when you look at his overall numbers, he’s not even the MVP of his own team more or less the league, but don’t worry, I have a feeling that’s coming, just not this season.

1. Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox:  I’m never sure how Pedroia does it.  It’s not that I don’t believe he has talent, I certainly do, it’s just that I don’t know how someone of his stature can stay so strong over the long season.  He’s the kind of player every team would like to have.  Not only is he a modest superstar, but he plays the game the way it should be played.  That being said, he is also not the MVP of his own team and the Red Sox are in the middle of a historic collapse which could certainly hurt the voting for all three players if they indeed don’t make the post-season.

1. Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers:  Let’s get this out of the way, Verlander will the the CY Young award winner in the American League.  No doubt about that as he has had a season for the ages.  The Tigers have won the American League Central and no team will want to face them and have to go against Verlander twice in a five game series, but can a pitcher be the MVP?  If there were no other qualified candidates, then yes, but in this case we are loaded with qualified candidates.  A starting pitcher can only take the field approximate 35 times, while a position player generally will play over 150 games.  That’s a huge difference which will always lead me to believe that a position players is more valuable than a starting pitcher.  I’m not saying a SP can’t be the MVP, but it would have to be in a season where no position player stood out.

1. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers:  Another problem for Verlander is that he may not be the MVP on his own team.  Cabrera certainly has the numbers to make a run at it.  26 HR, 97 RBIs, 102 Rs, 105 BB, .331 AVG, and an OPS right around 1000, pretty impressive.  Those numbers however are not equal to the other players we have discussed.  Of course the argument could be made that Cabrera doesn’t play on a team with the offensive power of the Sox and Yankees.  If he did, he wouldn’t be pitched around as much.  Hard to disagree, and the truth is I doubt the Tigers make the playoffs without Verlander or Cabrera.

1. Michael Young, Texas Rangers:  Sort of a late addition to this list.  Young seems to be the definition of a professional baseball player.  Sure he was unhappy in spring training when he found out that he would be the full-time DH and wouldn’t play the in the field on a regular basis, not to mention the trade rumors, but instead of letting these situations distract him, he went out, played whatever position was asked of him, and did nothing but rake.  The problem is he only has 11 HRs, and won’t break the century mark in runs, these are likely to keep him from being seriously considered for this award.

1. Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays: 42 HRs, 100 RBIs, 103 Rs, .301 AVG, 125 BB.  Fantastic numbers.  Bautista may be the best player in the American League, but there is one thing all of the other players have that he does not, something to play for in September.  The Blue Jays have been out of the race in the American League since June, and some of the voters don’t believe you can be an MVP if you’re on a 4th place team, all you did was keep them out of last.