SB Nation AL MVP

by Tom Dakers on Nov 10, 2011 1:01 PM EST in Fun

I don't want to give away the surprise, so I've put the table after the jump, but the AL MVP vote was a close one.

My ballot went Bautista, Ellsbury, Cabrera, Granderson, Verlander, Pedroia, Sabathia, Kinsler, Adrian Gonzalez and Gordon.

Num	Name	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	Total
1	Jose Bautista	10	9	2	2							211
2	Jacoby Ellsbury	7	9	3	3							196
3	Miguel Cabrera	2	1	6	5	4	4	2				164
4	Curtis Granderson	1	2	5	5	2	5			1	1	143
5	Justin Verlander	3	3	4	2	3	1		1		1	130
6	Dustin Pedroia			1	3	4	2	4	1	2		86
7	Ian Kinsler			1	2	2	4	2	3	1	1	74
8	Adrian Gonzalez					2	2	5	1	5	2	57
9	Evan Longoria			2		2		2	3	3		51
10	Alex Gordon					2	2	1	1	1	2	33
11	Robinson Cano	1				1		1	2	2	2	32
12	Alex Avila						2	1	1	3	2	25
13	CC Sabathia							3	3	1	1	24
14	Ben Zobrist							2	3	1	4	23
15	Adrian Beltre				1	1		1		2	2	23
16	Michael Young					1	1		1			14
17	Mike Napoli				1		1					12
18	Paul Konerko								2			6
19	Jered Weaver								1		1	4
20	Elvis Andrus								1			3
21	James Shields										2	2
22	David Ortiz									1		2
23	Victor Martinez									1		2
24	Brett Gardner										1	1
25	Dan Haren										1	1
26	Mark Teixeira										1	1

Yay, we got it right. It gives me a little bit of hope that the BBWAA will get it right too. Congratulations to my SB Nation colleagues for making the right choice.

That one first place vote for Cano interests me, but I'll forgive it, since Bautista won. The guy gave Cano the first place vote was likely the same one that gave Texeira the 10th place vote.

Other votes that I'd love to hear the rationalization for are Brett Gardner and two 8th place votes for Paul Konerko?? What are the odds? You'd have to figure that those two voters talked it over.

Anyway, the right guy won and that's all that really matters.

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Oh boy!

Illuminate My Heart, My Darling!
Rookie writer at Baseball Canadiana
Twitter? I hardly know her!

by Pikachu on Nov 10, 2011 1:02 PM EST reply actions

Robinson Cano

Hahahahahahahahah

Illuminate My Heart, My Darling!
Rookie writer at Baseball Canadiana
Twitter? I hardly know her!

by Pikachu on Nov 10, 2011 1:02 PM EST reply actions

two people

Thought Evan Longoria was the 3rd best player in the AL?

I tweet.

by benk on Nov 10, 2011 1:12 PM EST via mobile reply actions

I think one of the most amazing Septembers ever by his team qualifies him for MVP. His .289/.454/.589 slash line in September, combined with gold glove defense all year at third is enough for a lot of people. He also hit 17 homeruns in the last two months of the season.

His WAR of 6.1 while having a BABIP lower than his AVG is truly phenomenal. Evan Longoria is the definition of MVP, and without him being anything short of brilliant down the stretch, the Rays would have been watching the Red Sox in the post season. I would put him ahead of Granderson and A-Gon most definitely on that list.

.313/.400/.565

by T.Haynes on Nov 10, 2011 4:04 PM EST up reply actions

the Rays went 14-10 in September

that’s hardly an amazing September. almost all of it was the Red Sox utterly collapsing.

and yeah, Longoria was great in September, but Bautista was amazing in April. what’s the difference?

I tweet.

by benk on Nov 10, 2011 4:06 PM EST up reply actions

I'm not arguing

Bautista’s spot or Ellsbury’s. They are far and away the two leading candidates in my mind.

But to question how great and important Longo was while their is ample evidence to support an MVP nomination is foolhardy.

In the last game of the season against the Yankees, Longo hit a three run shot in the 8th to put the game within one run, then hit the walk off shot in the 12th.

.313/.400/.565

by T.Haynes on Nov 10, 2011 4:12 PM EST up reply actions

ahh, okay, you mean for third

he’s closer than I thought he would be (WAR-wise anyway). but I still don’t think he’s the 3rd best player. probably not even top-5

I tweet.

by benk on Nov 10, 2011 4:13 PM EST up reply actions

I agree.

He probably isn’t. But I can see a valid case made for him at that spot…

.313/.400/.565

by T.Haynes on Nov 10, 2011 4:15 PM EST up reply actions

yeah, he's a lot closer than I thought

that’s for sure

I tweet.

by benk on Nov 10, 2011 4:17 PM EST up reply actions

dramatics shouldn't add anything to MVP voting

It shouldn’t really matter whether he took the Rays to the playoffs or not. The same argument could be made about Bautista and how he didn’t lead the Jays to the playoffs

Illuminate My Heart, My Darling!
Rookie writer at Baseball Canadiana
Twitter? I hardly know her!

by Pikachu on Nov 10, 2011 5:26 PM EST up reply actions

I was wondering when Pikachu would jump in.

But why wouldn’t it? The last thing voters see is everyone jumping on Longoria’s back and him carrying them to the playoffs. Right after that game the voters cast their ballot, and absolutely September dramatics mean more than April or May.

Whether or not dramatics should add anything to MVP voting isn’t the point. It’s what will and does happen, and people that argue that way have valid points too.

.313/.400/.565

by T.Haynes on Nov 10, 2011 9:41 PM EST up reply actions

oookay

then we shouldn’t vote Bautista for MVP, since he didn’t lead the Jays to the playoffs

Illuminate My Heart, My Darling!
Rookie writer at Baseball Canadiana
Twitter? I hardly know her!

by Pikachu on Nov 10, 2011 9:43 PM EST up reply actions

I never said that.

.313/.400/.565

by T.Haynes on Nov 10, 2011 9:51 PM EST up reply actions

and it really shouldn't matter when a player contributes

It shouldn’t matter whether a player hits well in the first half and bad in the second, or hits bad in the first half and well in the second. They’re equal.

Illuminate My Heart, My Darling!
Rookie writer at Baseball Canadiana
Twitter? I hardly know her!

by Pikachu on Nov 10, 2011 9:47 PM EST up reply actions

You're an idealist.

Whether or not we should or shouldn’t view seasons like that isn’t the point. People put more stock into what they just saw than what they saw six months ago. If a hitter goes cold in September, and the team misses the playoffs because of it, it really hurts their MVP case…

.313/.400/.565

by T.Haynes on Nov 10, 2011 9:55 PM EST up reply actions

oh, for sure

I don’t disagree. There’s always recency bias. But my point is that it shouldn’t matter.

Illuminate My Heart, My Darling!
Rookie writer at Baseball Canadiana
Twitter? I hardly know her!

by Pikachu on Nov 10, 2011 9:57 PM EST up reply actions

It shouldn't

But it most certainly does.

by siggian on Nov 11, 2011 9:48 AM EST up reply actions

which is besides the point

Illuminate My Heart, My Darling!
Rookie writer at Baseball Canadiana
Twitter? I hardly know her!

by Pikachu on Nov 11, 2011 2:11 PM EST up reply actions

6.1 is more amazing considering he missed the first month of the season.

Am I the only one flagging this guy?
Seriously, do we have to wait for the money shot or a "F*** THE SOXXXXXX!" before we ban him? Doubleteapot… BAN HIM!!

by AlohaSox on Sep 28, 2011 10:20 PM CDT

by SandalsNoPants on Nov 10, 2011 8:00 PM EST up reply actions

yes

but on a WAR/PA basis, he still wasn’t that great. Even if he had 650 PAs, he’d only have around 6.9 WAR

Illuminate My Heart, My Darling!
Rookie writer at Baseball Canadiana
Twitter? I hardly know her!

by Pikachu on Nov 10, 2011 8:04 PM EST up reply actions

6.9 WAR

#notthatgreat

Am I the only one flagging this guy?
Seriously, do we have to wait for the money shot or a "F*** THE SOXXXXXX!" before we ban him? Doubleteapot… BAN HIM!!

by AlohaSox on Sep 28, 2011 10:20 PM CDT

by SandalsNoPants on Nov 10, 2011 8:07 PM EST up reply actions

Or T-7 in the AL for batters

Still not that great.

Am I the only one flagging this guy?
Seriously, do we have to wait for the money shot or a "F*** THE SOXXXXXX!" before we ban him? Doubleteapot… BAN HIM!!

by AlohaSox on Sep 28, 2011 10:20 PM CDT

by SandalsNoPants on Nov 10, 2011 8:09 PM EST up reply actions

okay

That was roughly the equivalent of Alex Gordon. Happy?

Illuminate My Heart, My Darling!
Rookie writer at Baseball Canadiana
Twitter? I hardly know her!

by Pikachu on Nov 10, 2011 8:15 PM EST up reply actions

Yes.

As long as it’s not pre-2011 Gordon. And oh, wait… it’s not. Whew! Close call there!

Am I the only one flagging this guy?
Seriously, do we have to wait for the money shot or a "F*** THE SOXXXXXX!" before we ban him? Doubleteapot… BAN HIM!!

by AlohaSox on Sep 28, 2011 10:20 PM CDT

by SandalsNoPants on Nov 10, 2011 8:23 PM EST up reply actions

I take solace in this...

…And will patiently away the 21st of November without anymore comments on how i think Bautista might be robbed.

by TrueBlue4Ever! on Nov 10, 2011 1:12 PM EST reply actions

he probably will be, though

Illuminate My Heart, My Darling!
Rookie writer at Baseball Canadiana
Twitter? I hardly know her!

by Pikachu on Nov 10, 2011 1:22 PM EST up reply actions

Not unexpected

Follow me @BBBMinorLeaguer

by Minor Leaguer on Nov 10, 2011 1:13 PM EST reply actions

I'm I reading this right

Did someone completely leave Bautista off his ballot? Did that guy think he was the 11th most valuable player? Ellsbury was left off 2 ballots completely? Cabrerea hits everyones ballot (as he should)

by brett w on Nov 10, 2011 1:27 PM EST reply actions

Could be an Ellsbury supporter who voted strategically, the people who left Ellsbury may be Bautista supporters who did the same

Follow me @BBBMinorLeaguer

by Minor Leaguer on Nov 10, 2011 1:30 PM EST up reply actions

I hate that strategic voting.

It messes the whole thing up.

I blog, therefore I am.

by Tom Dakers on Nov 10, 2011 2:11 PM EST up reply actions

Why are ther only 24 voters?

shouldn’t there be 30 if someone covering every team gets a vote?

I am the Walrus

by yleviticus on Nov 10, 2011 2:53 PM EST up reply actions

only AL guys vote on AL awards....

blogs get two votes each but then some of us bloggers were away at he end of the season and didn’t vote.

I blog, therefore I am.

by Tom Dakers on Nov 10, 2011 5:46 PM EST up reply actions

thanks

I am the Walrus

by yleviticus on Nov 10, 2011 7:23 PM EST up reply actions

How did Ben Zobrist end up on 10 ballots?

He hit 269. with 20 homers.

I’m surprised nobody voted for Adam Lind if that’s the criteria to make the ballot.

Man who has four balls cannot walk

by Beer Leaguer on Nov 10, 2011 1:43 PM EST reply actions

Zobrist's OBA was 60 points higher, for one thing

he also played fantastic defense as a much more difficult position than Lind. he also swiped 19 bags, FWIW

I tweet.

by benk on Nov 10, 2011 2:28 PM EST up reply actions

He can play multiple positions too

2B, RF, can probably fill in at SS in a pinch.

Hic sunt fortuna dracones

by JaysfanDL on Nov 10, 2011 2:44 PM EST up reply actions

yeah, and he plays those positions excellently

I tweet.

by benk on Nov 10, 2011 2:50 PM EST up reply actions

6.6 WAR is what's up.

Am I the only one flagging this guy?
Seriously, do we have to wait for the money shot or a "F*** THE SOXXXXXX!" before we ban him? Doubleteapot… BAN HIM!!

by AlohaSox on Sep 28, 2011 10:20 PM CDT

by SandalsNoPants on Nov 10, 2011 8:07 PM EST up reply actions