Sunday, February 15, 2009

Who should have won the NL MVP?

Same Rules as the AL

Burlington: 95-67 1st NL North, home of the league MVP Erik Mintz
Erik Mintz 1st 58-179 .318-.383 MVP, Silver Slugger
Patrick Cooper UTIL 30-130-18 .340-.404 Silver Slugger

Mintz may have won the League MVP but Cooper may have been the teams. He spent a fair amount of time at SS, 2nd and RF. Without his versatility Mintzs’ season might have been for nothing.

Cleveland: 89-73 Tied for NL WC, they must have done it with pitching.
Bret Henry SS 35-100 .270-.338
Louie Rigdon CF 24-97-14 .291-.396
Tony Guerrero LF 21-62-41 .295-.384

Cleveland made the playoffs so they must have done something right. Henry and Rigdon were nothing special with the glove so the fact that they played SS and CF respectively does little for their MVP chances. Guerrero was really the sparkplug that made this team fire.


Buffalo 85-77 3rd in North 4 back of WC, very top heavy
Wayne Smalley 1st 56-151 .309-.379 Rookie Year
Ramiro Guevara RF 43-103-7 .278-.365 Gold Glove

Finished just out of the playoffs but not for a lack of trying by their two top guns. Considering they didn’t have a great leadoff hitter Smalley’s year is almost comparable to Mintz.


Baltimore 88-74 1st in East, Needs a leadoff hitter.
Lorenzo Gabriel 2nd 39-91-20 .287-.357
Doug Clark RF 39-104-10 .284-.343
Santiago Wilfredo 1st 37-88 .322-.401

Lack of a productive leadoff hitter limited the numbers of the heart of the order. Still finished in 1st due to some serious home run hitters.


Toledo: 85-77 2nd in East, 3gb back. Might have the tools next season.
Santiago Wilfredo 1st 40-118 .284-.364
Max Belliard CF 33-110-11 .280-.344
Jayson Long SS 25-105-32 .287-.350

Jayson Long might have been a strong candidate except he was the worst SS in baseball. Probably lost more games with his defensive then he won with his powerful bat.


San Juan: 90-72 1st in NL South, Well balanced lineup
Ned Taylor 1st 46-150 .339-.428
Vin Austin CF 29-98-20 .317-.406 Silver Slugger
Denny Inge LF 27-116-17 .321-.405

Taylor had a great season and Austin helped the team on the defensive side as well playing CF/SS and 3rd. Inge is as good as anyone in the 3 hole.


St.Louis: 84-78 5 back of WC , a one man show.
Marshall Ferrell SS 30-120-20 .304-.374 Silver Slugger

A pretty solid lineup, it all hinges on Ferrell. Solid defense at SS and an all around threat offensively.

Mexico City: 83-79 6 back of WC, the team that proves the rule.
Ahmed Ramirez 1st 46-126 .334-.412
Lou Benson LF 46-128 .304-.379
Sarma Goldberg 3rd 29-103 .300-.353
Rocky Snyder RF 43-92-12 .284-.374

It doesn’t matter how many awesome players you have…what you really need is that MVP. Mexico City had 4 players with MVP type season yet they still finished 6 games out of a playoff spot.


Honolulu: 100-62 1st in West, won 100 for a reason.
Del Bailey 3rd 46-108 .253-.326
Ariel Mota 2nd 26-111-32 .299-.367 Silver Slugger

Mota showed what can happen when you have a leadoff hitter with a big season.


Helena: 89-73 Tied for WC, they win games anyway.
Ross Rhodes OF 29-116-16 .320-.409

This lineup was held together with spit and glue. Rhodes was both.







My Top 5+1 extra

Ross Rhodes OF 29-116-16 .320-.409
Ariel Mota 2nd 26-111-32 .299-.367 Silver Slugger
Marshall Ferrell SS 30-120-20 .304-.374 Silver Slugger
Ned Taylor 1st 46-150 .339-.428
Tony Guerrero LF 21-62-41 .295-.384
Erik Mintz 1st 58-179 .318-.383 MVP, Silver Slugger

My Vote: much tougher call then the AL in my opinion. Mintz and Taylor both had incredible seasons that are very similar. Taylor had a very strong support staff and Mintz had Patrick Cooper who was very impressive and almost made this list. Ferrell, Rhodes and Guerrero are all very similar with Ferrell being the best but also not making the playoffs. That leaves only one…Mota.
His team won 100 games tops in the NL and he was really the only player of offensive merit on it.

MVP Ariel Mota

2 comments:

  1. Well, I hate to disagree with gb again(no actually I love it!). If a guy can't win the MVP after knocking in 179 runs, when is he gonna win it? That number of RBIs is historic.

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  2. RBI are overrated. A player who can score runs is just as important as someone to knock them in. I dont think numbers are the be all and end all to an MVP season.

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