Mauer = MVP
by 0157H7 on Nov 23, 2009 7:00 PM EST
in News
79 comments
Ladies and gentlemen, your BWAA Most Valuable Player is Joe Mauer. With all the wealth and recognition from this award, he should be able to finally buy some consonants for his last name (or at least donate the surplus vowels to Eastern Europe). The BWAA deserves props for making the right choice, as Mauer is clearly the best player in the American league, and, by extension, in the game. His .365 / .444 / .587 line led the league in AVG, OBP, and SLG, and he suddenly became a huge power hitter, clobbering 28 homers (previous high was 13 in '06).
Unfortunately, the BWAA's choices for the rest of the slots, 1-10, were less defensibly. Mark Teixeira and Derek Handbag as 2nd and 3rd? Miguel Cabrera (4th) with a 1st place vote?! Kevin "The Beard" Youkilis and Jason "I'm Too Good for $15 mil a year" Bay as low as 6th and 7th? The Yankees committed over $420 million in payroll to just three players this past offseason - the only MVP votes should be going to the Steinbrenner's checkbook. Detroit didn't even make the playoffs (although they were close to making them). Morales was a good choice, but not ahead of Youkilis.
But enough of my thoughts? How would you have voted if you were one of the brilliant, chosen people who compose the BWAA? Have at it in the comments!
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Who in the hell needs or has any dignity these days?
Release Jason Varitek before ST is over !
Do not pay Jason Bay !!
Trade Buchholz !!!
by gizmosandy on Nov 23, 2009 7:04 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I got to admit
the BWAA got all the awards right this year…maybe not the AL ROY (should be Andrus) but this is debatable.
"That was a lot of fun… You just keep pounding balls into the gap. The one thing you don’t want to do is hit a home run. That’s a rally-killer." Jeff Francoeur
by radiohix on Nov 23, 2009 7:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Obviously Mauer in the best choice
Then maybe Jeter then it’s a crapshoot from there based on WAR.
by Lolmoarpl0x on Nov 23, 2009 7:27 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Youk got screwed
He deserved second place
by Randy Booth on Nov 23, 2009 7:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
No way is Teixeira better than Youk this year
by Ben Buchanan on Nov 23, 2009 7:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on Nov 23, 2009 8:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
NO
DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT: TEX IS LEADING TEH AL IN RBIs!!!! TEIXIERA IS CLUTCH YOU IDIOTS AND HE PLAYS THE GAME THE RIGHT WAY!!!!
"That was a lot of fun… You just keep pounding balls into the gap. The one thing you don’t want to do is hit a home run. That’s a rally-killer." Jeff Francoeur
by radiohix on Nov 23, 2009 8:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
haha
nice
Homer: Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.
by DougieWentDeep on Nov 24, 2009 7:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Esp. given that it's basically what donny said.
@bs_uf15bosox9be 12 pieces of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get 'em; Learn to use SB Nation
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 24, 2009 8:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Eh, I don't know if you can demonstratively say that.
Tex was better with the stick , 149 ops+ vs 145. I personally don’t put much credence into 1b UZR numbers as they don’t take into account scooping throws and saving errors which IMO is more important than range (for a 1b). That being said, Youk is still clearly a very good fielder as well and has Tex smoked in UZR which gives him a higher WAR. If you want to bring positional versatility into the mix then I’ll give Youk a clear advantage as that increased his value. But If you’re only talking from a 1b perspective it’s a wash at best, I definitely wouldn’t say he was “screwed” or that there’s no way he was better.
Strikeouts are boring- Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.
by CasanovaWong on Nov 23, 2009 9:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
.413 wOBA vs. .402 wOBA
And Youkilis is very good at scooping balls out of the dirt and picking them out of the air too. Tex can’t nearly make up the issues in range by the difference there, because as good as he is at the other parts Youk isn’t too far behind. Add in the 3rd base ability and I’d say it’s a big advantage Youk.
by Ben Buchanan on Nov 24, 2009 1:02 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Especially the 3rd base play. That kind of versatility is extremely valuable, especially this year when Lowell was hurt and we desperately needed to keep V-Mart’s bat in the lineup on days he couldn’t catch.
by RSNexile on Nov 24, 2009 5:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Well if you want to give a bonus to positional versatility
then the real guy who got screwed was Ben Zobrist. I don’t know why you chose wOBA as a comparison point but Zobrist had a .408 and played plus defense at 3 different positions.
Strikeouts are boring- Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.
by CasanovaWong on Nov 24, 2009 10:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Oops
You mentioned him a few posts down, duh, my bad. Gotta open my eyes more.
Strikeouts are boring- Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.
by CasanovaWong on Nov 24, 2009 10:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I was going to say, this is just a debate about who is better between Youk and Tex.
Even Jetes was probably ahead of them this season.
@bs_uf15bosox9be 12 pieces of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get 'em; Learn to use SB Nation
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 25, 2009 1:01 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
the fact is
That the award is “most valuable player”, not “best player.” I think that (after Mauer, who was hands down obvious), Youk deserved it because he kept the team (which other than him really had no one capable of playing 3rd base apart from lowell) in the running.
I do agree Tex had a great year, and if he can keep it up is well worth what the yankees got him for (I will continue to be jealous for at least a couple of years), but I do feel like Youk was more valuable to the Red Sox having a successful year than Tex was to the Yankees.
Either way is irrelevant because anyone who thinks mauer wasn’t the MVP is factually incorrect. Factually I say.
by wolf9309 on Nov 24, 2009 1:08 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I really think Longoria deserved 2nd over both of them.
by Gnick on Nov 24, 2009 1:32 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
This.
"That was a lot of fun… You just keep pounding balls into the gap. The one thing you don’t want to do is hit a home run. That’s a rally-killer." Jeff Francoeur
by radiohix on Nov 24, 2009 1:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Nah, Mauer deserved second.
Greinke = 1st.
@bs_uf15bosox9be 12 pieces of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get 'em; Learn to use SB Nation
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 24, 2009 2:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I'm against pitchers ever winning the MVP,
because Pedro did not win it and i Pedro didn’t win it no one ever should.
"Ninety percent [of my salary] I'll spend on good times, women, and Irish whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."
-Tug McGraw
by BTLove on Nov 24, 2009 1:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, apparently the BBWAA decided to make that clear this season.
Greinke and Lincecum both robbed.
@bs_uf15bosox9be 12 pieces of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get 'em; Learn to use SB Nation
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 24, 2009 8:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
tex was way better.
led in HR and RBI, and congrats to maure he deserved all 1st place votes.
"Yes we lost and yes we are upset. But like all Champs we will bounce back."
Osi umenyiora
by donnybaseball23 on Nov 23, 2009 9:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
More RBIs? Maure?
You FAIL son!!
<img src=“”http://www.epicfail.com/2009/11/23/parenting-fail-31/">
Submitted by Patrick F.
"/>"That was a lot of fun… You just keep pounding balls into the gap. The one thing you don’t want to do is hit a home run. That’s a rally-killer." Jeff Francoeur
by radiohix on Nov 23, 2009 10:17 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
HR and RBI?
How about the 30 point difference in OBP?
by Ben Buchanan on Nov 24, 2009 1:03 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
So you must think Mark Reynolds was about as valuable as Tex, right? Because he hit even more homers.
by RSNexile on Nov 24, 2009 5:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
reynolds was nice for my fantasy team
Homer: Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.
by DougieWentDeep on Nov 24, 2009 7:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Ks don't matter?
@bs_uf15bosox9be 12 pieces of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get 'em; Learn to use SB Nation
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 24, 2009 8:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
nope
but his .892 OPS certainly mattered to my team…I am speaking strictly on Reynolds as my fantasy player and not compared to Youk or Teixeira
Homer: Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.
by DougieWentDeep on Nov 25, 2009 5:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
i got him in the 17th round of a keeper league
i’ll be happy with half of that production next year
Homer: Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.
by DougieWentDeep on Nov 25, 2009 5:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I picked him up off waivers in year one of a keeper league. My problem is that all of my good keepers play the same damn positions (Reynolds, Sandoval, Votto, Beckham).
"Ninety percent [of my salary] I'll spend on good times, women, and Irish whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."
-Tug McGraw
by BTLove on Nov 25, 2009 6:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I don't do fantasy, so I was just wondering if the biggest issue with Reynolds applied.
@bs_uf15bosox9be 12 pieces of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get 'em; Learn to use SB Nation
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 25, 2009 10:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Wait, is the second option applicable if you had no plans to do so anyways?
/thinking like a lawyer
/also thinking like a huge nerd
@bs_uf15bosox9be 12 pieces of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get 'em; Learn to use SB Nation
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 23, 2009 9:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
SEX!?!?!?!
….yes, please?
"Hating the New York Yankees is as American as apple pie, unwed mothers and cheating on your income tax." -- Mike Royko
by sox-inda-south on Nov 23, 2009 10:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, see, that's EXACTLY what I'm trying to avoid.
I’d rather be able to think about other things.
@bs_uf15bosox9be 12 pieces of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get 'em; Learn to use SB Nation
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 23, 2009 10:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Riiiiight, bs.uf
a baseball blogger intentionally avoiding sex?
Haha I’ll believe it when I see it bud.
Strikeouts are boring- Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.
by CasanovaWong on Nov 23, 2009 11:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Then you should probably check out
this.
"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.
by 0157H7 on Nov 24, 2009 12:14 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
bs is like George from that one episode of Seinfeld
He’s intentionally quitting sex as to be a genius in other areas.
by Gnick on Nov 24, 2009 1:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah.
Or I could believe that recreational sex isn’t for me. Gotta keep’em guessing.
@bs_uf15bosox9be 12 pieces of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get 'em; Learn to use SB Nation
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 24, 2009 2:53 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
bs, if you’re going to keep up this abstinence nonsense, just don’t go getting married when you’re 20 like most people who go that way end up doing.
"Ninety percent [of my salary] I'll spend on good times, women, and Irish whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."
-Tug McGraw
by BTLove on Nov 24, 2009 1:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yessir.
Didn’t plan on it anyways, but sure.
@bs_uf15bosox9be 12 pieces of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get 'em; Learn to use SB Nation
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 24, 2009 8:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
At least find a nice girl so you can get some experience in....
….by that I mean relationship, dating, kissing, second base, third base experience. :)
"Hating the New York Yankees is as American as apple pie, unwed mothers and cheating on your income tax." -- Mike Royko
by sox-inda-south on Nov 24, 2009 4:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Meh.
If I find the one I’m supposed to be with before I get a lot of experience, she’ll put up with me.
@bs_uf15bosox9be 12 pieces of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get 'em; Learn to use SB Nation
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 24, 2009 8:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
hooray
WoW
Homer: Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.
by DougieWentDeep on Nov 24, 2009 7:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Much like
marriage in Texas, the second option can be interpreted in several ways.
Let’s look at the sentence, word by word:
“What would you…”
this is a simple interrogatory
“…trade…”
Barter or exchange
" / give up"
OR abstain from / relinquish
“for Joe Mauer?”
The key is the sentence can be interpreted as either giving something up, or trading it. So it could mean abstaining from sex for three years, OR it could mean committing to three years of continuous sex.
"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.
by 0157H7 on Nov 24, 2009 12:11 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
So I need to vote #4 then, since I'd be giving up nothing.
Sweet deal.
@bs_uf15bosox9be 12 pieces of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get 'em; Learn to use SB Nation
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 24, 2009 2:56 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
And, in unrelated news, Randy's crazy plan to sign Capuano scared the Brewers.
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/71879627.html
@bs_uf15bosox9be 12 pieces of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get 'em; Learn to use SB Nation
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 23, 2009 9:52 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
There goes that rebuilding project...
by Randy Booth on Nov 24, 2009 12:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
May as well pack up the whole team.
Not winning anything without the Cap.
by Ben Buchanan on Nov 24, 2009 1:07 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Hey! Hey!
I hear that sarcasm in your voi— typing!
by Randy Booth on Nov 24, 2009 1:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Not to nitpick, but
why is “Detroit didn’t even make the playoffs” the argument against Cabrerea?
by JitteryJoe on Nov 24, 2009 10:22 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
hows about
“detroit didn’t make the playoffs because Cabrera showed up drunk to the field the day after getting a DUI before one of the last games of the season”?
by wolf9309 on Nov 24, 2009 1:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
you're right i misread that
because they kept saying 3x the legal limit for driving in articles I read.
However, this doesn’t change the fact that he was off getting wasted before one of the most important games of the year to the point where he came to the field drunk.
by wolf9309 on Nov 24, 2009 5:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
Had he hit .400 with 50 homers and 150 RBI and played Gold Glove defense, the fact that his irresponsibility all but guaranteed his team would lose the game to determine whether or not they got to the playoffs would make it impossible for me to vote for him for MVP. Offensive player of the year, sure, but keeping your own team out of the playoffs by being an idiot makes you a candidate for least valuable player.
by RSNexile on Nov 24, 2009 6:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
seriously, who does Cabrera think he is
david wells?
Homer: Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.
by DougieWentDeep on Nov 24, 2009 7:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
My argument against Cabrera is that he was a worse player than Joe Mauer in every way possible.
"Ninety percent [of my salary] I'll spend on good times, women, and Irish whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."
-Tug McGraw
by BTLove on Nov 24, 2009 1:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Cabrera is probably a slightly better righthanded hitter.
by RSNexile on Nov 24, 2009 6:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
The insane thing is, BOTH OF THEM ARE 26.
@bs_uf15bosox9be 12 pieces of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get 'em; Learn to use SB Nation
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 24, 2009 8:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
but not this season.
"Ninety percent [of my salary] I'll spend on good times, women, and Irish whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."
-Tug McGraw
by BTLove on Nov 25, 2009 1:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Speaking of Cabrera
I know he should not have gotten that vote over Mauer, that is just stupid. However, I have heard some recent speculation that the Tigers need to shed payroll and that Miguel could be on the block.
Anyone think this is legit? I don’t, but I sure wish it was.
by drabidea on Nov 24, 2009 3:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I'm sure they'll listen to offers
They have one of the highest payrolls in MLB but don’t have the wealth in the fan base or local businesses to support it with the economy the way it is, and Cabrera is due $126M over the next six seasons.
That said, there’s a nice article at FanGraphs showing his projected value, salary-wise, over the next six years is less than that. And I tend to think their estimates of player value, based on WAR, are inflated given that so many players are paid far more than their performance would warrant on any scale. So it’s not a great investment unless the Tigers eat a hefty chunk of the contract — which kind of defeats the purpose of cutting payroll — or throw in some good prospects to add value.
The only way I could see the Sox making that trade is if the Tigers took Mike Lowell and no more than one or two mid-range prospects, and that would be a horrible deal for the Tigers.
by RSNexile on Nov 24, 2009 6:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
I think they will shed payroll via other outlets and hold onto Miggy. That being said, I don’t really know how much salary relief they really need. Are they in the situation where they HAVE to trade Miggy. If so, it seems perfect for us.
by drabidea on Nov 24, 2009 10:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Their owner is the founder of Little Caesar's Pizza.
Crap, I just supported the Tigers the other night then…
@bs_uf15bosox9be 12 pieces of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get 'em; Learn to use SB Nation
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 25, 2009 1:03 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Fangraphs just came out with an article about Miggy's Trade Value
While I don’t believe it is nothing as stated. I do believe it is very low. If we could only trade Lowell and a Mid Level Prospect and get Cabrera.
That would solve all our problems. We get the big bat, we get rid of Lowell’s contract.
by drabidea on Nov 25, 2009 10:38 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Fangraphs' article is pretty flawed, though.
They talk about trading for Cabrera in comparison to buying a house. Which it shouldn’t be. The housing market has nearly limitless sellers. If you can’t find a good price on a house in place A, you can find it in place B.
In the MLB, for high-payroll teams, WAR is at a premium. If you can find someone who brings a lot at one position, it’s my opinion that their value should actually go up exponentially because it’s A) not always possible to get another good player at position X for any amount of money and B) not always possible to pick up the same amount of WAR elsewhere with the same amount of money.
It’s not like you’d be adding Miguel Cabrera and ignoring a bunch of low-cost, crap starting pitchers who could be replaced with 3 mid-level options for a much better boost at WAR. You look for places you CAN improve, and when you find an option like Miggy Cabs, that’s gonna be worth a LOT.
by Ben Buchanan on Nov 25, 2009 1:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Good Point
What do you think we would have to get rid of to get him?
by drabidea on Nov 25, 2009 3:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
You know what's hilarious?
Miggy got 4 times as much for finishing 4th as Mauer got for winning the MVP.
@bs_uf15bosox9be 12 pieces of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get 'em; Learn to use SB Nation
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 24, 2009 8:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Cabrera
clearly won the contract negotiating game of the two of them
by wolf9309 on Nov 25, 2009 1:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Mauer get his new deal in a year and $25M per year is probably the starting point.
"Ninety percent [of my salary] I'll spend on good times, women, and Irish whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."
-Tug McGraw
by BTLove on Nov 25, 2009 1:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
and he should
seeing how he is a much more valuable player to have on a team. But he doesn’t need to negotiate for that, his playing is enough that they’ll start there
Apparently though, either that report or Cot’s is wrong. Cot’s says he gets $50,000 for getting between 3rd-5th place in the voting. hmm.
by wolf9309 on Nov 25, 2009 9:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Hmm.
I misremembered the tweet, but here’s it:
http://twitter.com/LaVelleNeal/status/5985103656
@bs_uf15bosox9be 12 pieces of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get 'em; Learn to use SB Nation
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 25, 2009 10:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
My WoW characters
Would probably be laughed at in any sort of offer for Mauer
Homer: Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.
by DougieWentDeep on Nov 24, 2009 7:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
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