Okay, the season still has another month, but really, should we not already have a good hunch as to who will win the MVP for each of the American and National Leagues of Major League Baseball?
There are two schools of thought here, which will determine the winner. If you are really looking at the most valuable player it should be awarded to the player that without whom the team is most severely affected. Agree? Let’s take team A who are hovering around .500 and call them, oh I don’t know, the Blue Jays. They just happen to have a guy by the name of Jose who has batting average of .309. He leads the majors in walks (108), home runs (39), slugging % (.640… no one is even close) and on base % (.449%). I suppose Granderson has some categories where he surpasses Jose, but not on many. What hurts Jose, though it shouldn’t because baseball is a TEAM sport, is that the Jays are not making the postseason, whereas Granderson’s Yankess most certainly are.
There is also a very strong case for Justin Verlander, rightfully so, with 20 wins, and a league leading WHIP (.90) and strikeouts (218). It’s hard to argue those numbers. Verlander is spectacular, no question.
I guess my question is: Should the player’s team making the postseason or not be an important factor in determining the most valuable player? I think not.
In the end, I think it goes to either Granderson or Verlander, but I think Jose has every right to have his name mentioned quite seriously judging solely on what he has meant to the Blue Jays.
