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- lebe0024, on 10/12/2007, -2/+28Horray for players making close to the league minimum! ($327,000)
AL MVP: Justin Morneau ($385,000)
NL MVP: Ryan Howard ($355,000)
Losers:
Derek Jeter: $20,600,000!
David Ortiz: $6,500,000!
Albert Pujols: $14,000,000! - doctorperv, on 10/12/2007, -11/+23Hurray! Jeter didn't win!
- DaveMN, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10Disable the sports section if you don't like it, dumb-ass.
- Sharp, on 10/12/2007, -6/+13Jeter had a higher VORP, WARP3, EqA, etc. Ryan Howard winning over Pujols was bad, but this is awful. Like others have said, Mauer and Santana deserved it more than Morneau did. The jeter-haters (I don't like the guy at all, either) will be happy, but Jeter actually deserved the recognition and fame this time.
- flyhunnie7, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9Whoa, someone's a little bitter about getting picked last in high school gym class...
- Doubledown, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Thank you... someone with common sense spoke calmly and collectively. I am a New York fan, and I do feel that Mauer would have deserved this more than Morneau. Now all the Yankee Haters are gonna bash me, but when the Yanks lost Matsui for 130 games, then lost Sheffield as well as Cano. Giambi saw some time off as well.... So how did the yanks make the playoffs? Jeter took the team on his shoulders. I don't see Morneau having done the same for his team, but Mauer and Santana definately stepped up.
- PunkFenixJT, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8Hmm, so, how would those "100+ RBI" guys get to that number without Jeter getting on base for them? Remember, jeter is a number TWO hitter, not 3, 4 or 5. He's not going to even GET many opportunities to get an exceptionally high RBI total. Though, when he did, he made the best of them. For example:
(ave/obp)
With Runners in Scoring Position: .381/.482
With based Loaded: .455/.647
in comparison, here's Morneau:
With Runners in Scoring Position: .323/.401
With bases Loaded: .389/.364
if you want to compare the frequency on which the two players drive runs in, its obvious in the numbers that when given the opportunity of having guys on base, Jeter is more productive. - DaveMN, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5As a Minnesotan, I agree with you that they've been a fun team to watch. You're also right about the Metrodome sucking ass, but we should have a brand new open-air stadium ready for the 2010 season.
What troubles me is that the Twins have been notoriously frugal over the years. They bring great talent up from their farm system, but then when they reach their true potential, we're too cheap to pay them and they go elsewhere. We're essentially a farm club for teams with bigger pockets. We have an unbelievable core group of young players right now (Morneau, Mauer, Santana, Liriano, etc), and I hope we can keep them together for awhile. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -11/+16Jeter sucks A Rod.
- Jonsey, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6I'd still take the minimum....
- Doubledown, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4oh... and don't forget how many of those 100+RBI guys were on the DL this year for the yanks
- thorbergdt, on 10/12/2007, -7/+11Justin was awesome this year! Glad he got the respect he deserves, I cant believe they actually gave it to the deserving player and not to the popular NYY-jeter..... You can't tell me if you arguing that Jeter should have got it that the Yankees would have been completely terrible without him all year. They have so many good players it didn't matter.
go TWINS (cy-young winner, batting champion, and now MVP!) - duerra, on 10/12/2007, -5/+8He had tremendous numbers for a power hitter. 130 RBI's with a .320 batting average and 34 home runs is incredible. I never expected him to beat out the east-coast media favorite Jeter, but I'm so glad that he was able to beat out Jeter.
- Trids, on 10/12/2007, -6/+8I just used VORP as an example. In this case I thought it made sense to use it. It defines how much value a player has over an average replacement player at his position. To me that is pretty important when choosing MVP
Don't like VORP? how about
EQA. EQA doesn't look at defensive position, just looks at offense. That should help Morneau right? after all jeter plays a harder defensive position, so Morneau should be better offensively. Oddly enough the numbers are
Jeter:.316
Morneau:.308.
So more contrived formulas? let me guess, you still think Megahertz is the most important thing when comparing processors? - lebe0024, on 10/12/2007, -7/+9I can't believe Jeter was even a front-runner. He had his best year ever, but his numbers were just okay, and he's an average short stop at best. Ortiz really was the only other person deserving of AL MVP. Dye crapped out at the end, along with the other white sox. Mauer is not nearly clutch enough to win MVP. High average, but incredibly low average with RISP, and he led the team in hitting into double plays.
- trutwin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I guess what makes this an acceptable MVP choice in my mind is that he literally propelled the Twins out of the major funk they were in after 1-2 months into the season. He carried the team, Mauer played well certainly, but his hits were much less frequently difference makers like Morneau's. His game winner again Mariano comes to mind.
Nothing again Mauer/Santana, but if you watched the Twins on a regular basis you know Morneau was the stud on that team. - trutwin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3The Twins are very fun to watch, though their last few appearances in October are the stuff of nightmares.
www.savethemetrodome.com isn't registered to anyone - I wonder why.... - Doubledown, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3and I guess you did not read my post... Where was the middle part of the yanks batting order most of the season?... Jeter did not have a good year, he had an outstanding year that made up for Matsui, Sheffield, the slump of Arod, and the time Cano spent on the DL. Its not only my opinion, but others that Mauer should have been a more worth choice for MVP instead of Morneau.
So let me guess your point.... Since the yanks have an allstar lineup, the MVP should not be given to anyone of them because they have hitting around the line-up (even though most of the threat was on the DL for most of the year). And what do I mean by threat... Lets say the combined totals of 250RBI's, 60HR's, OBP of .400, about average of 4 pitches per plate appearance. Give me a break. Jeter was more of a outstanding player than Morneau. - SamCatLu, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5You're a dope. Having good players on your team has nothing to do with hitting .340 - which is an excellent season by any standard. Most of the posts here rag on Jeter for being on a big spending large market team. That's not fair at all. DJ is consistent, year in and year out he is one of the best SS in baseball.
- kirbyk, on 10/12/2007, -5/+7One of the worst MVP picks of all time. He had good power numbers, but lacks premiere on base skills, and makes a minimal defensive contribution.
And lest you think I'm anti-Twins, I think Mauer should've won, with Jeter #2. Santana also has a better argument than Morneau, in my mind.
It's amazing that professionals still pay attention to RBIs. They've been thoroughly discredited time and again as a meaningful metric. - lostradamus, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Way to go! Another Canadian. First Steve Nash in basketball and now Morneau. Now all we need is for a Canadian to win NFL MVP honors.
- CameronHigh, on 10/12/2007, -4/+6Morneau winning is great. He had to outplay Jeter and overcome the small/big market to win. The Twins are one of the funnest teams to watch in baseball. Too bad their dome blows ass.
- Sharp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@Trids: I think we're fighting a losing battle when it comes to using VORP, EqA, etc.
To people arguing against those metrics: They are not formulas simply contrived to show that Jeter was better. They are legitimate means of showing who is better. If you want detailed explanations of the stats, check out these sites:
https://baseballprospectus.com/about/
https://baseballprospectus.com/glossary/index.php?context=all&category=true
http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/statpages/glossary/ - elcoqui121, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Jeter had so much to do with keeping the Yankees afloat while Sheff, Matsui, and Cano were on the DL. Yankee's pitching was weak and their offense was really streaky. Jeter had more to do with our success than JM had to do with the twins. The Twins road Liriano, Santana and that great Bullpen. Also the Twins got swept, yes Yankees only won one game in the playoffs, but Jeter had 5 hits in that game.
- kurrent, on 10/12/2007, -3/+52006 MVP's went to Canadians in Baseball, Hockey, and Basketball
Canadians are the new "black" in sports - trutwin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2"Next year it's Minnesota's. Quote me on it."
As much as I'd love to jump on that bandwagon, without Liriano (out for the season with Tommy John I think) - very doubtful.
I do think I remember reading long ago that the Twins are the only MLB team with a change to win the series in the 80's, 90's and current decade. There's a stat for everything... - Knightshadow23, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I don't understand why people think pitchers should get League MVP awards. Pitchers have the Cy Young award which only pitchers can win so I don't believe pitchers shouldn't be eligible for the MVP award. Also I love how every only looks at a players offense when it comes to the MVP award, you always hear people saying no this guy should win because he has 100 RBIs and 40HRs and a .3xx batting average. You don't always come through in the clutch at the plate you can do it in the field as well. So I think a player that has stats similar to say Jeter and then goes and wins a Gold Glove for probably one of the hardest positions in baseball and goes and looses to a player that has nothing but offensive stats to back him that aren't that much better than Jeter is just wrong.
I also love how people are cheering for a low paying players winning, what does money have to do with the MVP award. I bet the next time Morneau gets a new contract its going to sky rocket because he is an MVP. That is why players like Jeter, Pujols, and Ortiz have big contracts, they are excellent players so they get the money. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5it's so funny that Boston fans rooting for Oritz...I thought they would cheer for a white guy since they're all racists!
- Acer, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I agree that there are many other meaningful stats out there, but let's not forget what actually wins games - RUNS. To think that RBIs are a meaningless stat is like thinking that wins and losses are a meaningless stat.
Sometimes it seems like the stats mean more to people than the games. If you had watched this kid play on a regular basis this year, you would see why he deserved it. - howski, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Thanks for weighing in on a sport you don't like.
Go baseball! Go college hoops! - schwit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This makes up for him getting a Gold Glove and not deserving it. Jeter's 15 errors were third fewest behind Texas' Michael Young and Chicago's Juan Uribe (14 each) among all AL shortstops who played in at least 130 games. Young (.981), Cleveland's Jhonny Peralta (.977) and Uribe (.977) were shortstops with a better fielding percentage(.975).
- datastorageguy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Total BS...the MVP doesn't preclude a DH from winning the award. The MVP is just that, the most valuable player to an organization as compared to other players.
- mattmaison, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Mauer would've been better choice
Mauer had a 54-point edge in OBP over Morneau, which overwhelms the advantage Morneau had in slugging percentage (a 52-point edge), and he is arguably the best-fielding catcher in the game when you consider all aspects of catching. Catchers who field and hit the way Mauer does are extremely valuable, just as shortstops who hit like Derek Jeter does and play passable defense are extremely valuable. First basemen who hit like Morneau just shouldn't win MVP awards in years when there are Mauers and Jeters and other candidates to choose from.
Even going by the stats that the voters have favored for as long as the MVP award has existed, Morneau's season wasn't all that impressive. He tied for 12th in the AL in homers. He was second in RBI -- seven behind David Ortiz -- and just nine ahead of the least clutch player to ever be clutch, Alex Rodriguez. He was seventh in batting average, a few miles south of Mauer and Jeter, the other major MVP candidate. I have a hard time fathoming why any voter would put Morneau at the top of his ballot with so many obviously better candidates -- Mauer, Jeter, Ortiz, Jermaine Dye, unanimous Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana or the criminally neglected Carlos Guillen (the best player on the AL pennant winner) -- and in reality, more than half the voters did just that.
Thanks Keith Law:
http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=law_keith - Lax32, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I have nothing against Morneau, he is a good player and MVP worthy, however I kind of get the feeling that votes for him were votes against Jeter more than anything else.
- splammo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Ortiz should win some sort of super MVP. Like one that recognizes the MVP of the last 3 years. No one else is even close to being that consistent. He is in the hunt every year.
- Coolwave, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Go Twins!
- Democritus2, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Hypocrites. East-Coast bias this, Big money bias that. Yet you are solely cheering because the guy who won was NOT those things. You do not see the problem with that? You are supporting the thing you are hating on.
You are not judging him, you are judging the Yankees and the East coast. Nice.
Ridiculous. If you heard the voter who had Jeter SIXTH on his list, he slammed Ny city itself twice in his comments while trying to say he was being fair. He was a Chicago guy who clearly hated the east coast.
If Jeter was on any other team, he would have won it hands down. He carried his team. Most of you are hurraying are Yankee haters and are just judging based on some pre-conceived bias and not looking at how important Jeter was to his team this year.
Some twins fans rightly point out that he was real hot in the latter months and he helped his team in the late-run. You fail to point out that he had a pretty bad couple of early months, thus helping his team get that way in the first place.
Jeter has always played with ALL of his heart. He never leaves anything on the field. Hat e the Yanks all you want, but Jeter is what is good with baseball. Is it really his fault he dates supermodels and make mad cash? Absolutely not. Good for him. Its not like he has EVER mailed in a performance.
Bah to (most) all of you. - Doubledown, on 10/12/2007, -2/+35-7 other guys? Matsui, Sheffield, Cano all saw extended time on the DL. Therefore the yanks had a not so normal Arod season. Bernie Williams saw extended playing time for an old timer. Giambi did not have a great season either Therefore, we had to rely on Damon, Melky (which displayed a terrible 2005 season), Jorge, and Jeter. Not something you expect out of a $200mm payroll, but who was the one player that truely stepped up and carried the team. Only Jeter hit above .300 (.343 if you did not hear), stole 34 bases, had an unbelievable OBP and drove in close to 100 runs FROM THE #2 SPOT IN THE ORDER. Yeah, I guess he had just an okay season.....
- Doubledown, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Outplay Jeter? Do explain
- Smoktiludy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Next year it's Minnesota's. Quote me on it.
- Doubledown, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3or the AL Championship.....
- Doubledown, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Last I checked, the twins didn't do so well in the playoffs either
- Frozenpython, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2I didn't say he had an OKAY season.... READ! I agree he had a good season. But he was not the main factor of them getting to the playoffs and here you go throwing out stats like it's the only thing that matters. Because he damn near 100 RBI's at the #2 proves that that team top to bottom can hit. Mauer had a pretty damn good year at the plate and he was #3 in the order and he had fewer RBI's what's that mean.... well Twins had less hitting at the mid-bottom to bottom of the order. Jeter had more help then Morneau that's all there is to it. Morneau = MVP
- wolfmanp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Uh Donovoan Bailey, 9.84??
- yankeeman515, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0JETER deserves the MVP award! Not Justin Morneau. Morneau is a DH that is it nothing else. Moreneau is not the captain, does not play the field, and does not bat second. Jeter hit 340. 340 not 320 and he played the field. How can you be the most valuable player if you do not play the field. Morneau perhaps the offensive MVP arguable, but league MVP B%$L S@!T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Even if you were to somehow outlandishly say that jeter did not deserve the MVP. You can not say that morneau should win it. Please there is another Twin you should be thinking of named Mauer. Not only does this man play both sides of the field he is a catcher. The first in heck of a long time to win a batting title. Please morneau is diddly squat compared to these two.
I a yankee fan may even go as far to say that David Ortiz. Yes David Ortiz deserves the award more then morneau. The redsox proved they were nothing when Ortiz was gone. He got hurt there playoff hopes got shattered
How can anyone say that Morneau is a more valuable DH than ortiz. Arguably one of the most valuable in the game.
Morneau winning the MVP is the biggest Load of S--T that has ever happened in the game of baseball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jeter should be the MVP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - yankeeman515, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0How can anyone not Like Derek Jeter? And don not give me that load of crap about how you do not like big market teams and the yankees or new york media is why you do not like him. I really want to hear a good reason that speaks ill of Derek Jeter because personally I can not find anything Jeter has done wrong.
- Revel07, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I thought that Ortiz should have taken the title this year, I mean don't take me wrong Morneau was a great player but I just thought Ortiz stood out more. Anyways congrats to Morneau for taking the title.
- schwit, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1When was the last time somebody of African decent won the hockey MVP? If you mentioned a Canadian that could run the 100m in 9.9 I would be impressed.
- yankeeman515, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0On a different note. The money argument is a load of crap. Your kidding write. Wake up who ever wrote and agreed Howard and Morneau may be making 300,000 now but when there current contracts expire both will be making over 10,000,000 a year. Odds are you boy Howard will move to a big market team. Look at pujols and how much his salary shot up after winning the MVP. Take my word for it Morneau and howard are not gonna settle for anything less then 5 mill a year for there next contract.
- joerod, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Jeter was robbed thats it and thats all. Its one thing to be good, and its another to be good and play in NYC.
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