A-Rod Win AL MVP

[jkrdevil]

Alex Rodriguez won the 2005 American League MVP.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2223736

Not really a surprise when you consider wehn the voting took place and who the voters are.

[NJTank]

It was a coin flip situation taht hinged on one thing ARod plays in the field Ortiz is a DH. When its taht close taht makes the ultimate difference.

[Swiss]

Maybe well deserved the MVP for ARod... but, however, I loathe him.

[Redlands, CA]

Ortiz plays half the game. He only bats. A Rod plays one of the toughest positions in baseball. Not only is A-Rod dangerous with the bat, he can field and run!

[bosox]

Honestly, I think its a well deserved MVP. I probably could say that if either Ortiz or ARod won. They both had great seasons, but the fact that A-Rod plays in the field, while Big Papi is a DH really was the deciding factor for many voters, I assume. The thing is, would the Yankees done just as well with A-Rod? Would the Red Sox done just as well with Ortiz? Even if Ortiz doesn't field, without him, the Red Sox would not have been as good as they were. That should really be the fine line of who is an MVP. The person who was most valuable to their team's success should be the MVP. Sure, if the team has terrible pitching and finishes last because of it, while the MVP had a great season, there probably would be less votes to that player, but if the team would have done worse if it wasn't for that player, then hes valuable.

With Ortiz's second-place finish, the price of Boston's 2007 club option increases by $400,000 to $8.4 million. The buyout goes up by the same amount to $1.4 million.

Nice raise for Ortiz there.

[gashouser27]

Plus A-Rod won a gold glove at a second position.

Nice season

[HatCityEnforcer]

The choice between A-Rod and Big Papi, to me, was a coin flip, IMO.

Both guys had tremendous seasons...however, I think when it came down to it, the fact that the Yanks won the East tipped the votes in favor of A-Rod.

Either way, it would have been a very worthy winner.

[pcgd]

The clutch thing isn't as widespread as you'd think. Ortiz and A-Rod had pretty much the same number of hits past the 7th inning in tie or one run ball games. Ortiz had more dramatic hits, but they both had quite impressive numbers in close ball games.

If the Red Sox don't have Ortiz I think they improve in the field. You take Manny out of Left and put him in the DH spot. With A-Rod the next best third baseman someone I've never heard of.

Taking nothing away from Ortiz's year, A-Rod deserved it. And I still hate him.

[ProvidenceRI]

The clutch thing isn't as widespread as you'd think. Ortiz and A-Rod had pretty much the same number of hits past the 7th inning in tie or one run ball games. Ortiz had more dramatic hits, but they both had quite impressive numbers in close ball games.

Ummm... no he didnt. CHeck your facts man:

I like that "close and late" category, which is basically at-bats from the seventh inning on when the score is tied, or one run either way. Ortiz hit .346 in those situations, with 11 homers and 33 RBI in 78 at-bats. I mean, that's against the other teams' best relievers. A-Rod was good in those situations, .293, four homers and 12 RBI in 75 at-bats. But not nearly as good as Ortiz.

Arod is only dangerous when the Yanks already have the game won.

[Audiodrama]

Honestly, A-Rod wasn't even the Most Valuable Yankee this year. It's Mariano Rivera, and I'm surprised he didn't get more votes than he did. Without Rivera at the back of that bullpen, the Yankees are mediocre.

[Brass]

It's well deserved. A-Rod is a great player, don't get me wrong, it just seems to me that he got a lot of his RBI's and HR's in blow-out games. Ortiz did as well, but he had more in clutch situations. If they have problem with DH's as MVP, then they should demand an award for hitter's or something.

I also agree with Unwind, I think Rivera was far more valuble to the Yanks than A-Rod.

[pcgd]

The clutch thing isn't as widespread as you'd think.  Ortiz and A-Rod had pretty much the same number of hits past the 7th inning in tie or one run ball games.  Ortiz had more dramatic hits, but they both had quite impressive numbers in close ball games.

Ummm... no he didnt. CHeck your facts man:

I like that "close and late" category, which is basically at-bats from the seventh inning on when the score is tied, or one run either way. Ortiz hit .346 in those situations, with 11 homers and 33 RBI in 78 at-bats. I mean, that's against the other teams' best relievers. A-Rod was good in those situations, .293, four homers and 12 RBI in 75 at-bats. But not nearly as good as Ortiz.

Arod is only dangerous when the Yanks already have the game won.

It was a difference of 5 hits in 3 more chances. I wasn't saying A-rod was better in those situations, I said it wasn't as widespread as all the Boston Faithfull would make it seem.

[pcgd]

It's well deserved. A-Rod is a great player, don't get me wrong, it just seems to me that he got a lot of his RBI's and HR's in blow-out games. Ortiz did as well, but he had more in clutch situations. If they have problem with DH's as MVP, then they should demand an award for hitter's or something.

I also agree with Unwind, I think Rivera was far more valuble to the Yanks than A-Rod.

They do. Its the Hank Aaron Award.

And you guys are right. The clutch dramatic hits are way in Ortiz's favor, I don't know how I missed it. So I admit it, I was wrong. (although I was talking about hits which was rather close) But Arod still got on base. He still got the team going. All his numbers otherwise were better than Ortiz's...including fielding.

[Audiodrama]

All his numbers otherwise were better than Ortiz's.

Actually, that's incredibly wrong.

Ortiz had more RBI (148) than Rodriguez (130). More walks (102) than Rodriguez (91). More doubles (40) than Rodriguez (29). Fewer strikeouts (124) than Rodriguez (139). Not to mention that Ortiz, a left-handed hitter, had a higher batting average (.302) against lefty pitchers than Rodriguez (.300). Also, I just heard on Around the Horn that Ortiz's batting average after the 7th inning was something like 30 points higher than A-Rod's.

Now, granted, my pick for the MVP is Mariano Rivera, but I think Ortiz should've been second in the voting with A-Rod in third.

[pcgd]

Runs: Arod

Hits: Arod

Doubles: Papi

HRs: Arod

RBI: Papi

TB: Arod

W: Papi

SO: Papi

SB: Arod

OBP: Arod

SLG: Arod

AVG: Arod

Every Fielding Stat: Arod

K's, Walks, Doubles, and RBIs. All but 4.

[Audiodrama]

Runs: Arod

Hits: Arod

Doubles: Papi

HRs: Arod

RBI: Papi

TB: Arod

W: Papi

SO: Papi

SB: Arod

OBP: Arod

SLG: Arod

AVG: Arod

Every Fielding Stat: Arod

K's, Walks, Doubles, and RBIs. All but 4.

You don't take into account when those stats were accumulated. A good amount of A-Rod's stats were in the late innings of blowout games, rendering a good amount of his stats useless.

[Cyclopsis Joe]

I know you guys care, but who outside of the baseball freaks and the Northeast US gives a goddamn?

In my personal opinion, the MVP awards, like the Managers awards, and all other postseason awards mean "Good Job, you weren't quite good enough to win the championship, but here's a random trophy that you and your fans can brag about!"

Meanwhile, how my Chicago fans are arguing stats between Ortiz and Rodriguez?

[Brass]

Meanwhile, how my Chicago fans are arguing stats between Ortiz and Rodriguez?

It doesn't matter where you live, but if you're a baseball fan.

[ProvidenceRI]

Arod is only dangerous when the Yanks already have the game won.

It was a difference of 5 hits in 3 more chances. I wasn't saying A-rod was better in those situations, I said it wasn't as widespread as all the Boston Faithfull would make it seem.

Um... Ortiz had twice as many HR's and 3 times as many RBI's when it counted. I would say that is widespread.

MVP is a person who adds the most value to a team. A team's value is decided by their wins. Freakin Scott Brosius has hade more valueable hits in Yankee history than Arod.

I watched a lot of Yankee games this year, and the following players made big plays to win close ball games:

RIVERA

TINO

GIAMBI

JETER

If they gave the MVP to RIVERA, I wouldnt care, because he truly was a MVP caliber player. Arod is a stat padder.

Also, look at past MVPs:

CANSECO

MO VAUGHN

GIAMBI

FRANK THOMAS

They werent very good fielders. Ortiz isnt that bad of a fielder, the Sox played him at 1st during NL games and he was fine, hes no gold glove.

Yankee fans even know the truth:

http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/55226.htm

[pcgd]

Right, but who's better off without their player?

Ortiz is gone you put manny in at DH and a serviceable fielder in left. Sure some runs are gone, but you're whole lineup isn't screwed.

When A-rod is gone you have a guy (more than likely) that's not even on the 40 man roster playing 3rd.

Why am I defending him? I hate him. I'm done. You win. Sportswriters are dumb.