Winner Of AL MVP

[empirestrikesback26]

Biased here but i would say Sheff

[element1151]

If i was non biased i would say I-Rod, but i said Ortiz.

Tigers would be nothing without Pudge.

[Tek04]

Deff not sheff, even a-rod before sheff....id say Manny and I-rod as my top two

[empirestrikesback26]

yea I rod helps every team he goes to, so it probably should be him.

[YanksHater213]

manny. he has the best all around stats of any player. only guy with a triple crown shot...

[empirestrikesback26]

it deffinetly is not manny, hes not helpin his team anymore than A rod who isnt the MVP either. Plus manny likes to jump in front of balls for no reason. That was the funniest play this season next ken harvey gettin hit in the back by a throw from an outfielder. That manny play though i think the only person not involved was the right fielder.

[CrespoBlows]

It's got to be a player who's carrying his team, Alfonso Soriano is a thought,

[empirestrikesback26]

whos team? alfonso soriano carries all teams he goes to.

[Beaneater]

Empire, are you admitting that the 2003 Yankees were pretty much lousy, but that Soriano made all the difference? That's what carry means in this context, I think. And as much as I enjoy the mental image of the Yankees being pathetic, they were clearly a good team last year, with or without Soriano.

 

Anyway, it's got to be Pudge. Tigers would not be within smelling range of .500 without him. Obviously he's a pretty good hitter, and he's not a bad catcher either. This is anecdotal evidence, and it dates from a few years back, so maybe things have changed since then. But I sort of followed the Rangers a while back when I lived in TX, and I remember that he basically shut down opposing teams' running games. He's just an all around stud. I think he makes a bigger difference for the Tigers than any other single player for any team.

 

On the other hand, if it were the Most Valuable Players award... can you imagine where we'd be without Ortiz and Ramirez? We as fans would be occasionally checking the Wild Card standings just out of curiosity, working on our golf swings, waiting for the Patriots to start playing again-- instead of agonizing and obsessing over every game the way we do now. Hmmmm...

[CalvnHobs6]

Great post Beaneater. I couldn't agree more.

[noonanberg]

I'd say Ortiz. He is going to eclipse his career highs again and that will be even with the five game suspension. Manny should finish second because he is putting up similar numbers to Ortiz, but without Ortiz this team would be lost. Ortiz gives the Sox a double threat and pitchers can no longer just pitch around Manny. Also consider that he wasn't even a well known player until this year, Ortiz should get the nod. Steal of the century (so far) for the Sox.

[elsrbueno]

Last year I thought Ortiz was carrying this team down the stretch (and he may do so now, which is why it's a little early to be voting on this), but in the spirit of the poll, I voted Vladimir Guerrero. I think he's really helped transform that team into a very real World Series contender. He's the best all-around player on the list.

 

I-Rod is a great player, and he has helped out Detroit immeasurably....but I just can't vote for an MVP on a sub-.500 team. I didn't agree with A-Rod getting it last year either.

 

I am of the opinion that the MVP has to be on a CONTENDING team. It was between I-Rod and Guerrero for me, and I went with Guerrero.

 

That being said, I think the last six weeks of the season could DRAMATICALLY turn my vote around. If Guerrero one of these guys really carries his team down the stretch (like Ortiz did last year) or if Guerrero and the Angels falter....I could change my tune. As of right now....I stand by my vote of Guerrero.

[YanksHater213]

look at the difference pudge has made though. he has brought them up to only about 10 games under .500 (not sure, too lazy to find the real stat)

[elsrbueno]

Yankshater,

One could argue, however, that even without Pudge the Tigers would improve in 04, because, frankly, they couldn't possibly play THAT bad again...

 

I agree that Pudge has proven his value by bringing Detroit into respectability....and Pudge last year turned a good team great (Florida).

 

The Tigres have also picked up Jason Johnson, Fernando Vina, Rondell White, and Ugueth Urbina in addition to Pudge...So that's got to improve that team also.

 

Granted, Anaheim also picked up Escobar, Colon, and Guillen, so the same argument can be made against Guerrero.

 

As I said, it's close between the two...and I picked Guerrero

[youkilis rules]

please tell me what queer voted for sheff and arod.

[element1151]

empirestrikesback26

[element1151]

Don't know who voted A-Rod tho.

[empirestrikesback26]

i voted for sheff because hes more likely to get it then the other canidates, it wont be either of those two because they'll cancel theirselves out. If it was MVPs, then yes they would get it, MVP is who helps your team the most, you could live without manny, and you could live without ortiz. If sheffield was gone, all we would have is A rod.

[Yanks Own]

i dont understand what you said . . . sox without manny are ortiz, yanks without sheff are arod? so whats wrong with that, they "cancel out too"

 

anyway...i would exclude manny from the vote just because of that ball he cut off in right field from johnny damon where he dove to get it.

[empirestrikesback26]

i think it should really be vlad but you cant ignore how sheff has a bad shoulder, bad thumb and got kicked in the face recently, and has played through all of it while manyy takes himself out of the lineup for smaller things. If vlad wasnt on the angels they would be about the team of the tiger as far as wins, the only reaspn they re not like the d backs is because of their excellent bullpen.

[schillingouttheks]

its not gunna be a yankee from the above list for this reason:

 

before they had arod and sheff, they still got to and won championships.

 

i can understand sheff playing with the love of the game of baseball he has through pain, but he doesnt have as much of an impact on a team as ortiz or manny do. manny may have taken himself out of lineups, fine. ortiz has heart just like sheff, and i think if we didnt have ortiz this club wouldnt be as good as it is. but my vote goes to vlad, hes just an all around great athlete, is ranked as the best arm in the game (i know this because my baseball coach is a mets scout), and hes just an all around great player. he picked up anaheim and made them contenders...and i think he is going to deserve it most. i-rod excluded because hes not on a contending team, and as it has been said before, the tigers would improve without him because repeating a horrible season like they had is almost impossible.

 

in the list, vlad should win it.

[empirestrikesback26]

in the list, vlad should win it.

who out of the list?

[schillingouttheks]

actually....i think vlad should win it period. i could also think, dont kill me for sayin because i know it prob wont happen, but i think travis hafner DESERVES a spot on the list, but SHOULDNT win it.

[schillingouttheks]

hes done very well for cleveland and has brought them back into contention.

[empirestrikesback26]

Ive heard hafner mentioned before in MVP votings but theres no way it could happnen, when hes with names like Vlad,I rod and sheff

[schillingouttheks]

o no doubt he wouldnt win, but he deserves to be a candidate for it.

[empirestrikesback26]

yea he will be, how about NL? bonds or pujols?

[schillingouttheks]

not sure...i thnik rolen. best in rbis, great glove, great bat, consistent every day. pujols/rolen i think is most dangerous combo out there. between bonds and pujols its pujols, im sorry, im just sick of barry getting all this hype and s***...he wont get an mvp award because people dont pitch to him to often...meaning he doesnt do too much.

[empirestrikesback26]

I think thats exactly the reason he'll get it, out of fear they don't pitch to him. Its not exactly fair.

[schillingouttheks]

true, but he just doesnt do anything to help the team. i know its not fair, but there are a lot of things that arent fair.