You might have heard me say this before, and you probably will hear me say it again before the year is over. But I might as well get the regular disclaimer out of the way:
Being the best player in a league is not the same as being the most valuable player, especially in an era when eight of 30 teams get to play in October. If you can’t get your team into the postseason, there must be someone more valuable who did.
That’s why I would give my American League Most Valuable Player award to Magglio Ordonez rather than Alex Rodriguez if the season ended today. It would pain me a little to do it because I picked Rodriguez as my preseason MVP–you didn’t have to be the second coming of Howie Haak to see this salary drive coming–but Ordonez remains a class act.
Without Ordonez, the Detroit Tigers wouldn’t have established themselves as the best team in the American League. He’s outhitting Rodriguez by 50 points (.367-.317) and has been almost as productive with his hits, delivering 70 RBIs and 13 homers. Ordonez, unlike Rodriguez, has more walks than strikeouts. That’s impressive.
Yes, Rodriguez is leading the majors with 30 homers and 86 RBIs. It’s not his fault that the Yankees are 42-43 and 10 games behind Boston in the American League East, but he’s not going to get my MVP vote unless the Yankees somehow awaken the echoes after the All-Star break.
THE BALLOT:
1. Magglio Ordonez, Tigers
2. Alex Rodriguez, Yankees
3. Vladimir Guerrero, Angels
4. Victor Martinez, Indians
5. Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners
6. Curtis Granderson, Tigers
7. David Ortiz, Red Sox
8. Hideki Okajima, Red Sox
9. Torii Hunter, Twins
10. Mike Lowell, Red Sox
NL MVP: Prince Fielder, Brewers
The kid has grown up in a hurry, becoming the biggest presence in a Milwaukee lineup that features as many weapons as any team in the league. He hasn’t been the best hitter in the league–that’s Barry Bonds, followed by Chipper Jones–but he has had the biggest impact. The question is whether Fielder can stay as loose and slump-free if the Cubs start putting some real heat on a team that has starting pitching issues.
THE BALLOT:
1. Prince Fielder, Brewers
2. Barry Bonds, Giants
3. Russell Martin, Dodgers
4. Chipper Jones, Braves
5. Chase Utley, Phillies
6. Miguel Cabrera, Marlins
7. Carlos Lee, Astros
8. Francisco Cordero, Brewers
9. Brad Penny, Dodgers
10. Alfonso Soriano, Cubs
AL MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Mike Scioscia, Angels
You could vote for about six guys for this award, but the resourceful Scioscia keeps finding ways to patch together a lineup that really hasn’t been the same since David Eckstein and Troy Glaus left. He has the instincts to go with guys like Mike Napoli or Reggie Willits even when there are more hyped prospects in front of them, and somehow his hunches pay off more times than not. The Seattle Mariners have been as pleasant of a surprise as any in the AL, so we’re not going to overlook Mike Hargrove, even if he stunned everyone by deciding to call it quits two weeks ago. He has had some rough years as a manager, but this wasn’t one of them.
THE BALLOT:
1. Mike Scioscia, Angels
2. Mike Hargrove, Mariners
3. Eric Wedge, Indians
NL MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Bob Melvin, Diamondbacks
How are these guys four games above .500? According to the Pythagorean standings, they should be two games under. That means that either Melvin’s decisions or pure luck somehow have been responsible for six victories, a huge total over 90 games. With Randy Johnson’s future uncertain, Melvin is going to need to keep dialing the right numbers if Arizona is going to hang with the Padres and Dodgers.
THE BALLOT:
1. Bob Melvin, Diamondbacks
2. Ned Yost, Brewers
3. Tony La Russa, Cardinals
AL CY YOUNG: Dan Haren, A’s
Yes, Billy Beane is good. Tony La Russa says he and his longtime pitching coach, Dave Duncan, had some harsh words after Haren was traded from St. Louis to Oakland in the Mark Mulder trade, and it’s easy to see why. Haren has been as consistently good as any starter in the AL, outshining a cast that includes Daisuke Matsuzaka, Johan Santana, C.C. Sabathia, John Lackey and the two no-hit guys, Mark Buehrle and Justin Verlander.
THE BALLOT:
1. Dan Haren, A’s
2. Johan Santana, Twins
3. John Lackey, Angels
NL CY YOUNG: Chris Young, Padres
Imagine how fans in pitching-starved Texas feel watching a hometown kid (from Highland Park High School in Dallas) blossom into a stud after being traded away. Young and teammate Jake Peavy, along with the ageless Greg Maddux and a deep bullpen, have carried a punchless San Diego team to the top of the NL West. Peavy would be a fine choice, too, as he also leads the league in strikeouts, but Young gets my vote because of his 2.00 ERA, which is just better than Peavy’s 2.19.
THE BALLOT:
1. Chris Young, Padres
2. Jake Peavy, Padres
3. Brad Penny, Dodgers
AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Daisuke Matsuzaka, Red Sox
I’m still trying to figure out how they managed to play an All-Star Game without this guy, who got halfway to 20 victories in the first half. The Japanese veteran seemed to pick up steam the last few weeks and has a track record that shows the kind of durability he will need in August, September and October. You can quibble about Matsuzaka’s 3.84 ERA, which was the result of four starts in which he allowed five earned runs or higher, but given the adjustment he faced his first half was outstanding. The feeling here is his second half will be even better.
THE BALLOT:
1. Daisuke Matsuzaka, Red Sox
2. Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox
3. Reggie Willits, Angels
NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies
You have to like young shortstops who can play like veterans. Tulowitzki, a first-round draft pick in 2005 from Long Beach State, won the starting job in spring training and has played solidly all year long, hitting .286 with nine homers. But let’s be realistic. The two best rookies in the NL are Houston center fielder Hunter Pence and Milwaukee third baseman Ryan Braun, both of whom started the season in Triple-A. Pence is having an unbelievable rookie season (.342-11-42), but Braun (.350-11-32 in only 163 at-bats) seems like the better bet to wind up as the MVP. He’s hitting third for a first-place team, and pitchers aren’t coming close to stopping his all-fields power.
THE BALLOT:
1. Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies
2. Hunter Pence, Astros
3. Ryan Braun, Brewers
