AL MVP?

Worst player overall? Or most undeserving?

Because Jeff Burroughs (AL, 1974) looks pretty out of place.

 

Zolio Versalis. Still don't understand what happened.

For this year, Quentin has to be first if Chicago makes it. I don't see the argument for either Hamilton or Morneau who IMO are 2 and 3.

 

Yes Bonds finished second, and he was robbed.

 

Quentin's had a great year and deserves to be second, but Hamilton has been the best player in the AL this season by a wide margin.

 

Hamilton and Morneau both have batting averages about 20 points higher than Quentin. Hamilton also has 22 more RBI, though he has slowed down quite a bit.

Morneau doesn't have the numbers to match either guy, but he also doesn't have as much help around him. It makes a big difference that Quentin has Dye and Thome behind him while Morneau's protection has been guys like Delmon Young and Jason Kubel, who have combined to hit 23 home runs this season. Dye has 28 homers and Thome has hit 24.

 

The Twins won the AL pennant, and Zolio had a career year. He was the leadoff hitter and he showed a big improvement. They also told a story about how he got upset at the manager (Sam Mele) but they worked out an accomodation and he had a good year. I think Killebrew was hurt a good part of the year, so the feeling was that Zolio made the difference in the Twins improvement. I think it was a feeling that just sort of goes into a consenus opinion.

If Sabermetrics had been around then, maybe the result would have been different. But I don't remember an outcry when Zolio was selected. Of course, the Internet wasn't around then either.

 

Josh Hamilton is not even the MVP on his own team [/Le Batard]

Someone mentioned that Quentin is helped by Dye batting behind him. But Hamilton not only has an All-Star batting behind him (Bradley), but he has two All-Stars batting in front of him (Kinsler and Young). And that is the reason he leads the majors in RBI by such a ridiculous margin. Having said that, I think Hamilton wins if he keeps up a decent pace, simply for the "great story" factor. The only way I see Quentin sneaking in is if the Sox make the playoffs AND Hamilton fades.

 

A month ago, I'd have made a vehement case for Morneau, but he's slumping. If he pulls out of it, he should still win it.

And you can't give it to Quentin. He's having a great year. But Dye is still far and away the best hitter in that lineup.

Youklis should get some love.

Hamilton should as well.

 

That's not a biased take. Dye's the best hitter, but Quentin's having the better year. He's got more homers, lots more RBI and, most importantly, more clutch hits.

 

It's a take shared by American League managers, which is why Quentin has all those homers and RBI.

In all seriousness, it's not a knock. Quentin's having an awesome year. I'd still pitch to him rather than to Dye.

 

I think the key stat between the two is RBI. Quentin has 90 with Cabrera and A.J. batting in front of him. Cabrera is having a down year, and A.J.'s no OBP stud. But Quentin this year has had a knack for clearing the bases, which is why Dye's RBI numbers are much lower. He often comes up with the bases empty.

Quentin's been out the last two games after getting hit. He better get back in the lineup soon. The Sox can't afford to lose either of those guys.

 

I think it'll come down to which has the better September betwen Quentin and Hamilton. As a Ranger fan I would love to see Hamilton win, but Texas is out of gas and will likely finish under .500. Quentin is in a pennant race and will get lots of exposure. So my head says Quentin.