SI: A-Rod Over Big Papi For MVP
Tommy V. at SI has an interesting feature today.
Now, according to the Red Sox brass, David Ortiz is The Greatest Clutch Hitter in the History of the Boston Red Sox – man, what a slap to Ted Williams, Yaz, and even Manny.
Anyway, in the Verducci piece today, it shows that “entering this week in close-and-late situations (seventh inning or later in a tie or one-run game, or with the potential tying run at least on deck)” that both A-Rod and Ortiz have about the same chances – Alex with 67 ABs and Papi with 68 ABs. And, in those chances, Rodriguez failed to reach safely 56% of the time and Ortiz failed 59% of the time.
Therefore, A-Rod has come through in the clutch this season at a rate better than The Greatest Clutch Hitter in the History of the Boston Red Sox. (Can I just call him GCHITHOFBRS for short?)
That should be a big point when it comes down to picking the AL MVP this season.
//That should be a big point when it comes down to picking the AL MVP this season.//
That, and Papi only plays half the game. The award is most valuable player, not just hitter.
jen (and Verducci) are both right – don’t play the field, no MVP.
I’d say a DH could win the MVP only if he’s so amazingly better than everyone else, that not playing the field doesn’t matter. Imagine Bonds circa ’01-’04 in the AL as a DH.
Ortiz (.295/.395/.594) is not amazingly better than A-Rod (.319/.418/.600) – in fact, he’s arguably less better given A-Rod’s higher OBP.
A-Rod wins.
Tom Verducci… SI.
Toilet paper, or fishwrap?
Hey, Ortiz is having another terrific year. He’s a great hitter, dominating the strike zone and coming up with clutch hit after clutch hit.
But Rodriguez beats him for the MVP by a mile this year, for all the reasons Verducci cites. I really hope he wins it, Yanks’ finish notwithstanding.
well said, Raf.
I want ARod to win. But Ortiz’s production in the clutch is way better than ARod’s. I can’t believe how Verducci would put that stat there and say how much better ARod is because of his higher OBP. I still think ARod will win and should win the MVP, but Verducci is seriously sipping out of the bong water for trying to defend how ARod is better and putting that stat there.
I don’t know about Williams but certainly Yaz’s 1967 has to be one of the best clutch performances–especially down the stretch and even in the Series–that any player has ever given any team. That’s a tough call to make on Ortiz yet. But if it came from the front office, hey, you can see why they’d say such a thing.