The Other Chris H. posed this question during yesterday’s game, and I initially planned on tacking it as a full length post. However, I felt that an in-depth post on the issue would be better served by waiting until after the season, when the variables stop shifting. Instead, I will briefly list the names I believe people will raise with a brief blurb as to their case, and will then turn the discussion over to you in the comments. The names listed are people that I have heard mentioned in the same sentence as the word MVP. There are a few that I disagree with, but I list them because I know that they will be brought up. There will also be a poll in the sidebar to the right.
1) Derek Jeter: Jeter leads the team in WAR, and is having a stellar season both at the plate and in the field. If you believe in the MVP as the guy who it would hurt the team most to lose for a full season (ie the replacement player theory), Jeter is probably your guy.
2) Mark Teixeira: After a rough April, he has been the rock in the center of this lineup. He has a number of big hits, and seems to have saved a number of games with his glove. He is near the league leaders in home runs and RBI’s.
3) Alex Rodriguez: His case is simple, and it has nothing to do with statistics. He has been incredibly clutch, and the team has won at a startling pace since his return.
4) AJ Burnett: While the rest of the pitching staff was struggling to find its way, Burnett put together a dominant run and helped keep the bullpen fresh.
5) Alfredo Aceves: He has provided great, versatile relief work and really turned this bullpen around. There is incredible v alue in a guy who can give you plenty of quality length out of the bullpen.
6) Phil Hughes: Has taken hold of the 8th inning, shut down the calls for Joba to head to the bullpen, and has been credited by many, such as Jorge Posada, for the feeling that games are now over if the Yankees are leading in the latter stages of a contest.
7) Mariano Rivera: Still awesome, still shutdown. He is the one piece that no other team can match.
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15 Responses to Discussion: Who Is The Yankees Best MVP Candidate
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TIQ IQ
In the most literal sense, its A-Rod, but realistically I think its Teixeira.
How can Tex win the award when his batting average was .180 before Alex’s return? The team was under .500 when Jeter was batting .290 and Tex .180 and the team has played .750 ball since the day Arod returned… .750 is ridiculous and he is the reason both in bat and in presence. once Rodriguez came back you could see a huge weight come off of Tex’s Shoulders and even AJ and CC loosened up, heck him and Jeter seem to be best friends this year, the lack of “tension” in the club house (with tension coming in the past from coming from Alex) has allowed for guys like Swisher and Burnett to be clowns and allow Cashman to add the King of Queens brother Eric Hinske’s personality… this club house is almost like a locker room for a dominate high school team nothing but fun and joking around and 80% of it is Alex, his improvement on his team PR, and his bat in the line up.
I agree that A-Rod has made all the difference, but when was the last time an MVP hit .260?
At the end of the day, they give it to the person who has the numbers.
If he hits .275 with 30+ HRs and around 100 RBI after missing the time he missed coming off of surgery he will be all but assured of his 4th MVP.
I hope you’re right, sir. That’d be a great story. Being stupid enough to start taking steroids may end up being the best thing that ever happened to his career, and it may get him what he needs to get in order to earn his pinstripes forever.
And for the record, Jeter is my favorite player ever, I would love it if he were to win it. (He already won it once, he just keeps it at Justin Morneau’s house.) I just think a lot of the pub for the Yankees’ success will go to the big free agent pick-up Teixeira, and deservedly so. Yes, he didn’t pick it up until A-Rod came back…but he also came to the Yankes with the rep of being a slow starter, which the stats seem to back up. His defense is fantastic, he seems very well liked….I hope Jeter wins, and A-Rod is most valuable in every literal way, but my pick is the new guy.
lol…i forgot all about jeter being robbed of his mvp by morneau… for some reason i just cant see tex winning da mvp ( i do believe he should be considered) but to me it has to be jeter or arod…
i say arod but i can see jeter getting it because i’m pretty sure voters dont want to give it to arod because of the roids confession and his numbers wont be overwhelming. Pitchers dont play enough to be mvp plus they have the cy young anyway…
I agree with Jeter over Tex but if anything putting up the power numbers he’s putting up fresh off of part one of a two part surgery and the Steroid confession just shows that his power numbers are real and have always been “real” and adds validity to his MVP case.
I think the numbers help A-Rod, but only long term HOF-wise. A-Rod will not get the MVP votes – punishment for the MVP he got when he admitted he was juicing. But by the time he’s hall eligible, people will have completely come to terms with the steroid era, and he’ll get in.
If you are going to call it the MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD it has to go to the player who meant the most to there teams success and it’s very obvious (unless your a lefty) that Alex Rodriguez was an emotional lift to the entire team and without him we would be behind the Red Sox in the standings.
Rarely does it go to the guy who is ACTUALLY the most “valuable” to his team. It has been the Player of the Year Award, for the most part. If it was based on being “valuable” Rivera would have like 5 of them.
What a joke, Arod came back just as the team was getting hot.ARod as been here and lost for quite a few years.
Only one MVP and it’s Tex.Nobody else is even close.
You are the joke of this blog…
C’mon, no name calling. I happen to agree with the idea that you cannot give all the credit to A-Rod for the turnaround. Do you think it would be the same if Tex got hurt? Would A-Rod be doing as well? I think they both have a similar case.
Have to give it to Jetes, barely. Tex has been phenomenal, but Jeter’s position makes his contribution that much more impressive. It’s a lot harder to find a SS with a big bat than a 1B.