Picking the Red Sox first half MVP. Too tough for me!

[bosoxmal]

So might we all (change our minds)If popularity was the most important factor, I would call it Ortiz beating Betts by a nose. From the MOST VALUABLE angle, I'd call it a Bogaerts/Wright dead heat.

 

But you're right, a lot can happen between now and the all-star game!

[bosoxmal]

Right on!

[mvp 78]

By the numbers it's Bogaerts and it's not close.

 

Good thing that MVP voting rarely comes down to numbers.

[robert vonhalle]

So might we all (change our minds)If popularity was the most important factor, I would call it Ortiz beating Betts by a nose. From the MOST VALUABLE angle, I'd call it a Bogaerts/Wright dead heat.

 

But you're right, a lot can happen between now and the all-star game!

 

i go with wright because of the weak sox pitching.

[Station 13]

Ortiz is still the greatest hitter in this Red Sox lineup.

 

Runner up is Mookie for me.

[royf19]

It's tough but ...

 

Ortiz

Wright

Bogaerts

Bradley

Betts

 

I reserve the right to change my mind.

[Jasonbay44]

Allen Craig. He has a .937 OPS and has been a key contributor for Pawtucket in the 6 games he's actually played

[Spudboy]

Allen Craig. He has a .937 OPS and has been a key contributor for Pawtucket in the 6 games he's actually played

 

Excellent choice!!!!1!1:p

[Maxbialystock]

Love the young guys, especially Bogaerts, but gotta go with Big Papi, who leads the team in rbi's and in key rbi's as well. mvp78 makes a good point about Wright--only pitches every 5th day. However, as Kimmi would say, I can't disagree with anyone picking Wright.

[sk7326]

Papi is a fair choice. He has been the best offensive player in baseball by a mile. The gap between him and #2 is bigger than the gap between #2 and #29. Bogaerts moves a little above once you consider position and the total package. But Papi is surely on the podium. Definitely in contention for a podium spot with Betts, Bradley and Wright. Price, Pedroia, Kimbrel all get honorable mentions.

[Kimmi]

When I think of the meaning of 'Most Valuable', I could see our offense getting by or being lets say 'respectable' without Ortiz considering our young emerging core. But I shudder with horror to think of what our pitching rotation would be like without Wright this season.

 

This is a very good point. 'Most Valuable' should be the player whose absence would hurt the team the most.

[Kimmi]

Wright has been outstanding - probably #3 on my ballot. Fortunately baseball's individual contributions to the team are easier to glean than others. Bogaerts has been arguably the league's best player - and that trumps the rest for me.

 

Being the best player does not necessarily mean being the most valuable player. This is something that is often overlooked with MVP voting.

[sk7326]

Being the best player does not necessarily mean being the most valuable player. This is something that is often overlooked with MVP voting.

 

well, by the definition you imply, most valuable becomes a commentary on your teammates. I think value creation in baseball is appreciably more straightforward.

 

Wright has been an enormous surprise.

Edited June 21, 2016 by sk7326

[User Name]

Premium defense at the SS position plus immense offensive value should be a no-contest when considering Bogaerts. We're talking about an up-the-middle guy putting up video game numbers.

[Slasher9]

Premium defense at the SS position plus immense offensive value should be a no-contest when considering Bogaerts. We're talking about an up-the-middle guy putting up video game numbers.

 

this. the kid is putting in the work and is turning into a superstar right before our eyes.

 

if we could only support Wrights off the charts 2 ERA with some run support his W-L would be eye popping.

[mvp 78]

Premium defense at the SS position plus immense offensive value should be a no-contest when considering Bogaerts. We're talking about an up-the-middle guy putting up video game numbers.

 

He's great. My vote is still for Papi because his numbers are out of this world and I believe he provides valuable leadership. He's often counseling the younger guys on the bench and they seem to really look up to him.

[a700hitter]

1. Ortiz

2. Big Papi

3. Big Papi Ortiz

[Slasher9]

1. Ortiz

2. Big Papi

3. Big Papi Ortiz

 

lol. i like that. there have been many posts when i simply refer to him as God.

[Bellhorn04]

Or the Large Father.

[a700hitter]

How about Hitting Allah?

[Kimmi]

well, by the definition you imply, most valuable becomes a commentary on your teammates. I think value creation in baseball is appreciably more straightforward.

 

Wright has been an enormous surprise.

 

Perhaps I should have said that being the best player, as determined by the stats, WAR in particular, does not necessarily mean being the most valuable player. If Wright were to have a season ending injury, would that hurt the team's season outlook more than if Bogaerts or Papi were to have a season ending injury? IMO, it's a tough call, even though Bogaerts is the clear winner by WAR.

 

There are intangibles and 'indirect effects' that others have mentioned, such as mentoring teammates and saving the BP, that are quite valuable that don't show up in the stats.

 

Also, there have been players with MVP type numbers in the past who have missed considerable time due to injury, and their teams didn't miss a beat while they were out. That begs the question about how valuable they really were.

 

This is not meant to say that Bogaerts is not the MVP so far. As I posted earlier, there are several names that could be mentioned and I really couldn't argue against them.

[Kimmi]

Premium defense at the SS position plus immense offensive value should be a no-contest when considering Bogaerts. We're talking about an up-the-middle guy putting up video game numbers.

 

I can understand your choice of Bogaerts, but I disagree that it's a no-contest. Strong cases can be made for a handful of other players.

[User Name]

If Bogaerts did not play SS, I would agree. But he's playing SS at a very high level while providing elite offense and excellent baserunning. He's like one of those players you create in video games and make them crazy good.

[bosoxmal]

For what it's worth, it seems to me that the phrase, as "Betts goes, so go the Red Sox" is a real truism. I am not going to waste my time scrounging through the records of the games already played, but when Betts is 2-4, 3-5, going from first to home on a swinging bunt, etc, etc, that we win. When he's hitting ground balls to the 3rd baseman all day, we lose. Anybody else noticed?

[southpaw777]

Itll probably be Papi, but Id vote for Xander