The MVP Debate.
by Mike TThe non-sense that has been around the blogosphere this past week concerning who is the AL MVP is laughable. A lot of it started when Tyler Kepner of the NYT tweeted that there was no doubt that Tex was the MVP. This is lunacy on any number of levels.
- Mauer leads the AL in OPS with 1.101, Teixeira is 5th at .934
- Mauer leads the AL in AVG currently at .383, Teixeira 100 points lower at .283
- Mauer leads the AL in SLG at .653, Teixeira 5th at .553
- Mauer hits a HR every 14.5 AB, Teixeira every 15.2 AB
- Mauer (using the geeky Wins above Replacement Player stat) is 1st in the AL with 6.5 wins over a regular catcher; Teixeira is 13th with 3.8 wins over a regular 1B. (By the way Jeter is 3rd at 5.2 wins over a regular SS).
- Mauer is driving in 22.41% of the runners on base!  There have only been 232 on base for him so far. Teixeira is drving in 15.01% (with 373 on base so far). There are 93 players with a better percentage of driving in runs (including Posada, Matsui and Swisher).
- Mauer has better numbers with RISP, Runners On, and RISP w/ 2 outs.Â
- Mauer IS A CATCHER!!!
- JETER is the MVP of the Yankees this Year so how can Teixeira be the MVP of the league when he isn’t the MVP on his own team. (By the way this is what happened to Mauer in 2006 when Morneau won the MVP and Mauer had the better year-By the Way Jeter should have won the MVP in 2006). Â
2 comments August 19 2009 1:12 pm | Mike T | Discussion |
Sound arguments, Mr. Mauer had better move to a bigger media market. Most valuable is to a player’s team for me, so W and L record does not count. Also catchers should always get bonus points, definitely.
I know Jeter is batting .330 and has been amazing but has Tex been more clutch? My off-the-cuff impression is yes, no stat research. One thing about Jeter, when he says he didn’t know he was about to shatter some record, I believe him. Some small % of people are not interested in reading a biography written about themselves, I guess.
Here are the “Close and Late” stats for the regulars. I’ve ranked them in the order I think they are “most clutch”:
Damon – .353, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 11 Runs
Teixeira – .300, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 6 Runs
Jeter – .317, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 6 runs
Melky – .314, 8 RBI, 5 runs
Matsui- .301, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 Runs
A-Rod – .192, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 6 Runs
Posada – .320, 6 RBI, 4 Runs
Cano – .293, 3 RBI, 6 Runs
Swisher – .185, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 Run
Damon is the guy you want up.