Most Valuable Papi
There are too many writers out there who think that a DH is not worthy of MVP consideration. According to these people, the DH does not play the field; therefore they only contribute to half of the game and are not worthy of the award.
It’s time to take that stigma, smash it to the ground, and vanquish it from the game forever. That’s what David Ortiz has done with it, and now the baseball writers need to follow suit.
Part of the problem here is how the award is defined. If it were an award to commemorate the best player in the game, then Big Papi shouldn’t be considered, because clearly he is not. But that is not what this award is about. It is about the Most Valuable Player, the player who has contributed the most to the success of his team.
Arguments can be made for quite a few players out there this year. Miguel Tejada is having yet another MVP like season, but unfortunately for him, he is no longer with the A’s, and his Orioles are not even close to being in the hunt. Mark Teixeira is putting up almost identical numbers as Papi, and he plays a very good defensive first base, but he plays for a mediocre team in Texas that is no longer in it.
Vladdy is putting up MVP type numbers again, although not quite as good as last year, or as good as some of these other players, but he has the advantage of playing for a contender and being one of the best right fielders in the game. He won it last year by putting the Angels on his shoulders in September and almost single-handedly dragging them to the playoffs.
The Yankees are still in it despite all of the pitching problems, and A-Rod is having a typical MVP-like A-Rod season, both on offense and defense. As long as that’s the case, he’ll always get votes, as he should.
All four of the above mentioned players are very good if not great defensive players who will either win, or be in the running for gold gloves at their positions. They’re all having great offensive seasons, with Teixeira and A-Rod practically matching Papi in offensive output. Vladdy and A-Rod are playing for playoff contenders and are both big reasons why their teams are in contention.
I’m sure all of these players have made great plays in the field to save their team a run, and possibly a loss. I’m sure they’ve all had their share of big hits to either put their team ahead, or get them back into a game.
But I also feel that if you ask any big league manager, coach, scout, or player (except for maybe the ones involved with the other players teams) who they want at the plate late in the game with the outcome on the line, Big Papi would get more votes than the other 4 combined. I think most of the writers who will be voting for the MVP would vote for him in that situation also.
The reason for this, obviously, is because of the recent history he has in those types of situations. He’s come through so often that we’ve come to expect it. He’s done it so often that I’ve lost track of how many times he’s done it. He’s done it so often that he has gained the reputation of being the greatest clutch hitter in the game right now. He’s done it so often that without him hitting on this team, we would not be in first place in the East, and might not even be in the hunt.
And as I’ve mentioned before, he’s done it against anyone and everyone, lefties, righties, good pitchers, great pitchers, starters, closers, specialists, it doesn’t matter. No team has been able to find the answer. All they can do is put in their pitcher and hope for the best. Or, as has been done many times this year, avoid pitching to him altogether.
I think that that performance absolutely has to be considered when the MVP vote goes in. These writers should be making their vote by asking themselves one question. What player has contributed the most to the success of his team? Whatever player they come up with for that answer should be the player they vote for MVP.
If they truly believe that A-Rod’s all-around play has contributed the most to the Yankees success, or Vladdy’s to the Angels, then I will accept that. But I think they at least have to consider that what Big Papi has contributed to the success of his team with his bat alone, is at the very least, just as valuable to the Sox as what the other players have contributed to their teams.
It’s time to take that stigma, smash it to the ground, and vanquish it from the game forever. That’s what David Ortiz has done with it, and now the baseball writers need to follow suit.
Part of the problem here is how the award is defined. If it were an award to commemorate the best player in the game, then Big Papi shouldn’t be considered, because clearly he is not. But that is not what this award is about. It is about the Most Valuable Player, the player who has contributed the most to the success of his team.
Arguments can be made for quite a few players out there this year. Miguel Tejada is having yet another MVP like season, but unfortunately for him, he is no longer with the A’s, and his Orioles are not even close to being in the hunt. Mark Teixeira is putting up almost identical numbers as Papi, and he plays a very good defensive first base, but he plays for a mediocre team in Texas that is no longer in it.
Vladdy is putting up MVP type numbers again, although not quite as good as last year, or as good as some of these other players, but he has the advantage of playing for a contender and being one of the best right fielders in the game. He won it last year by putting the Angels on his shoulders in September and almost single-handedly dragging them to the playoffs.
The Yankees are still in it despite all of the pitching problems, and A-Rod is having a typical MVP-like A-Rod season, both on offense and defense. As long as that’s the case, he’ll always get votes, as he should.
All four of the above mentioned players are very good if not great defensive players who will either win, or be in the running for gold gloves at their positions. They’re all having great offensive seasons, with Teixeira and A-Rod practically matching Papi in offensive output. Vladdy and A-Rod are playing for playoff contenders and are both big reasons why their teams are in contention.
I’m sure all of these players have made great plays in the field to save their team a run, and possibly a loss. I’m sure they’ve all had their share of big hits to either put their team ahead, or get them back into a game.
But I also feel that if you ask any big league manager, coach, scout, or player (except for maybe the ones involved with the other players teams) who they want at the plate late in the game with the outcome on the line, Big Papi would get more votes than the other 4 combined. I think most of the writers who will be voting for the MVP would vote for him in that situation also.
The reason for this, obviously, is because of the recent history he has in those types of situations. He’s come through so often that we’ve come to expect it. He’s done it so often that I’ve lost track of how many times he’s done it. He’s done it so often that he has gained the reputation of being the greatest clutch hitter in the game right now. He’s done it so often that without him hitting on this team, we would not be in first place in the East, and might not even be in the hunt.
And as I’ve mentioned before, he’s done it against anyone and everyone, lefties, righties, good pitchers, great pitchers, starters, closers, specialists, it doesn’t matter. No team has been able to find the answer. All they can do is put in their pitcher and hope for the best. Or, as has been done many times this year, avoid pitching to him altogether.
I think that that performance absolutely has to be considered when the MVP vote goes in. These writers should be making their vote by asking themselves one question. What player has contributed the most to the success of his team? Whatever player they come up with for that answer should be the player they vote for MVP.
If they truly believe that A-Rod’s all-around play has contributed the most to the Yankees success, or Vladdy’s to the Angels, then I will accept that. But I think they at least have to consider that what Big Papi has contributed to the success of his team with his bat alone, is at the very least, just as valuable to the Sox as what the other players have contributed to their teams.
posted by Bob at 9/13/2005 10:08:00 AM
1 Comments:
He has my vote.
-CC
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