Justin Morneau

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

Your AL MVP is Der... JUSTIN MORNEAU of the Minnesota Twins. Many in Minnesota didn't even believe that Morneau was the the best player on the team they say it was Joe Mauer. Morneau finished the season strong as the Twins edged Detroit in the final game for first place in the AL Central. The Twins eventually lost to Oakland in the Divisional Series. So the Twins have the Cy Young Johan Santana, whom they picked up in a Rule V draft, and the AL MVP Justin Morneau who was a 3rd round pick in 1999 he was drafted as a Catcher. He remained a Catcher in the Twins Minor League system until some guy named Joe Mauer came along.

Dr. Giganto

Not being a homer or anything, but I think it should have been Jeter, then Mauer. But, Morneau's not a terrible choice.

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

I don't think there was a real MVP canidate. Ortiz would have been a lock if not for the colapse at the end of the Sox.

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

Ok seriously the guys at ESPN.com are bashing Morneau to the fullest. I mean I agree there was no true MVP this year, But for real the kid won it for a reason. And since the writers who are bashing him aren't on the Baseball Commission(the people who vote), they need to realize that there is a reason why they aren't on that panel. Also remember this is the MOST VALUABLE PLAYER award not the "I Had The Best Stats In The Regular Season" Award. Although sometimes it seems that way.

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

Jeter could have missed 20 games and the Yanks would have still made the playoffs without a problem. I'm not trying to take away his value to the team, but c'mon..

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

You are now my Idol, Sorry Tom Dogg

Dr. Giganto

Derek Jeter had the second highest BA in the AL, second most runs scored, 5th in on-base percentage, 7th in stolen bases, drove in 97 runs, and played good defense at a premium position for the team with the best record in baseball. He also led the AL in two sabermetric cateogries, VORP and WARP3.

There is a VERY strong argument for Derek Jeter for MVP. And it goes far beyond subjective arguments like "He could have missed 20 games and the Yankees would have made the playoffs"

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

AGAIN IT'S THE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER not the I HAD THE BEST STATS

Dr. Giganto

Why do you think those two things are mutually exclusive?

If you put up the most stats, then aren't you the most valuable? Aren't stats just a record of the things you did to help your team win? Hence, your VALUE to the team?

And if you put up those stats for a) the team with the best record in baseball and b) playing shortstop, the second most important defensive position in the game, then doesn't that just add to the VALUE of your contributions?

Look, Morneau had a very very very good year. I just think Jeter
had a better year and thus was more valuable.

Also, the people who vote on the MVP are baseball writers (more sepcifically, the Baseball Writers Association of America). They and ESPN are both members of the media.

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

That's not my only argument. If I want to go on just stats I can bring up Justin's power numbers that would dwarf anything Jeter did in those categories.

Jeter had A-Rod, Giambi, Cano, Damon, Posada, Abreu (2nd half), and others hitting in the same order..

Again, I don't think Justin was a true MVP canidate either. Howard and Pujols, those are what MVP's look like.