Question of the week: Who is your first-half MVP?

[Brock Beauchamp]

I chose the top position players by fWAR, then the top starting pitchers also by fWAR. If there was an outstanding reliever in WPA, I also included them. Relievers don't get enough love, particularly non-closers.

With that said, who is your 2025 first-half MVP?

[Kimmi]

I chose Narvaez over Crochet, just because he is an unexpected huge contributor.  We knew what we expected to get from the other three candidates.  Narvaez has been a very pleasant surprise.  He will likely regress some offensively, but his defense should remain strong.

[notin]

No mention of Ceddane Rafaela?  His 2.8 bWAR trails only Crochet (3.7) and Bregman (2.9)…

[moonslav59]

MVP: Crochet

Rookie of the Year: Narvaez

Comeback of the Year: Rafaela (Giolito closing in)

Offensive Player of the Year: Bregman (Abreu closing in)

Best Pen Arm: Chapman (nobody closing in)

[TheSplinteredSplendor]

devers forevers!

[Bellhorn04]

16 hours ago, notin said:

No mention of Ceddane Rafaela?  His 2.8 bWAR trails only Crochet (3.7) and Bregman (2.9)…

He has really stepped up his game.

[cp176]

Narvaez for me.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Crochet has been as good as advertised, but Chapman has been better than anyone expected.

Crochet leads the AL in games started, innings pitched and strikeouts: 2.26 ERA, 1.032 WHIP, 11.2 K9.

Chapman has pitched in twice as many games but in 30% of the innings: 1.13 ERA, 0.794 WHIP, 13.2 K9.

Crochet: 18 games started. Chapman: 21 games finished.

The question is: who has been more valuable? WAR assigns numbers for performance, but there are no stats for positive effects like conserving the bullpen, setting examples, eating innings, providing confidence and inspiring teammates in the dugout, clubhouse, hotels, planes and busses.

Both are the best Red Sox players at their positions. Like WAR, I have to give a slight edge to the guy who pitched more innings and retired more batters... so far.

 

[Hugh2]

12 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

MVP: Crochet

Rookie of the Year: Narvaez

Comeback of the Year: Rafaela (Giolito closing in)

Offensive Player of the Year: Bregman (Abreu closing in)

Best Pen Arm: Chapman (nobody closing in)

Wait, hold on a second.....how does Rafaela get comeback player of the year?

[notin]

2 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Wait, hold on a second.....how does Rafaela get comeback player of the year?

Agreed.  I think they will be Comeback award too often goes to a breakout player, as opposed to a player reverting to superior performance after a prolonged career slide. 

Justin Wilson is the clear Red Sox candidate.  And if he keeps it up, he should be considered for the AL Award (which he will never win)…

[Hugh2]

1 minute ago, notin said:

Agreed.  I think they will be Comeback award too often goes to a breakout player, as opposed to a player reverting to superior performance after a prolonged career slide. 

Justin Wilson is the clear Red Sox candidate.  And if he keeps it up, he should be considered for the AL Award (which he will never win)…

If Trevor Story can put together a few good months as he's looked good in flashes recently he'd be the type of candidate I could like to see get it.  It also means a lot to the team to have him get going. 

[Maxbialystock]

18 hours ago, notin said:

No mention of Ceddane Rafaela?  His 2.8 bWAR trails only Crochet (3.7) and Bregman (2.9)…

Heckuva point.  I forgot him too.  

[TheSplinteredSplendor]

All the other answers are cut but they are wrong.

You guys can hate on devers forevers all you like now that he's gone, but he was clearly the team MVP of the 1st half.

[Bellhorn04]

2 minutes ago, TheSplinteredSplendor said:

All the other answers are cut but they are wrong.

You guys can hate on devers forevers all you like now that he's gone, but he was clearly the team MVP of the 1st half.

Based on what?

[TheSplinteredSplendor]

1 minute ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Based on what?

Most consistent bat after his tough start, rbi's, only real threat in the line-up.

Could you imagine what their record would have been without him after bregman went down?

46 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Crochet has been as good as advertised, but Chapman has been better than anyone expected.

Crochet leads the AL in games started, innings pitched and strikeouts: 2.26 ERA, 1.032 WHIP, 11.2 K9.

Chapman has pitched in twice as many games but in 30% of the innings: 1.13 ERA, 0.794 WHIP, 13.2 K9.

Crochet: 18 games started. Chapman: 21 games finished.

The question is: who has been more valuable? WAR assigns numbers for performance, but there are no stats for positive effects like conserving the bullpen, setting examples, eating innings, providing confidence and inspiring teammates in the dugout, clubhouse, hotels, planes and busses.

Both are the best Red Sox players at their positions. Like WAR, I have to give a slight edge to the guy who pitched more innings and retired more batters... so far.

 

A starter only impacts the game every 5 days and chapman has appeared in less than half of the sox games.

[notin]

33 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

If Trevor Story can put together a few good months as he's looked good in flashes recently he'd be the type of candidate I could like to see get it.  It also means a lot to the team to have him get going. 

You’re right.  He’s an excellent candidate so far…

[Bellhorn04]

23 minutes ago, TheSplinteredSplendor said:

Most consistent bat after his tough start, rbi's, only real threat in the line-up.

Could you imagine what their record would have been without him after bregman went down?

A starter only impacts the game every 5 days and chapman has appeared in less than half of the sox games.

I thought you were a WAR guy.  That's what you used when you were talking about Ellsbury's contract.

[moonslav59]

6 hours ago, TheSplinteredSplendor said:

devers forevers!

Devers ForDevers!

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 hour ago, TheSplinteredSplendor said:

A starter only impacts the game every 5 days and chapman has appeared in less than half of the sox games.

True. But with the '25 Red Sox, less is more.

Most of the regulars who played everyday in the first half had ample opportunities to show the world how mediocre they could be.

Now, if Bregman returns and builds off his great start, and guys coming on like Narvaez, Abreu and the CeHeyddanne Kid keep it going, we may have meaningful games throughout the summer.

[TheSplinteredSplendor]

34 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

True. But with the '25 Red Sox, less is more.

Most of the regulars who played everyday in the first half had ample opportunities to show the world how mediocre they could be.

Now, if Bregman returns and builds off his great start, and guys coming on like Narvaez, Abreu and the CeHeyddanne Kid keep it going, we may have meaningful games throughout the summer.

How any player does in the 2nd half does not change who the MVP of the 1st half is.

[TheSplinteredSplendor]

1 hour ago, Bellhorn04 said:

I thought you were a WAR guy.  That's what you used when you were talking about Ellsbury's contract.

It has it's place, but it definitely hurts DH's.

Again, what other player had the most impact over the first half than devers? This team would have struggled to average 3 runs a game or so without him.

[Kimmi]

21 hours ago, notin said:

No mention of Ceddane Rafaela?  His 2.8 bWAR trails only Crochet (3.7) and Bregman (2.9)…

Good call.  Rafaela gets no love due to his light bat.  He has been OPSing .785 since May 1, better than anyone expected.

[Thunder]

16 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

MVP: Crochet

Rookie of the Year: Narvaez

Comeback of the Year: Rafaela (Giolito closing in)

Offensive Player of the Year: Bregman (Abreu closing in)

Best Pen Arm: Chapman (nobody closing in)

Giolito's comeback just over the course of this season has been remarkable as well. That Rangers game in the rain sticks out as "rock bottom"