Pitchers have their own award, that’s true, but their performance does have an impact on whether a team wins or loses. On the other hand, hitters have their own award also. Not as well known perhaps, but I doubt you’ll ever see a pitcher win the Silver Slugger award.

The MVP award by it’s very name cannot be based entirely on BA/SLG/OBP/OPS. There are other aspects to winning that are just as important, mainly defense and attitude. I don’t care if you go .400/.600/.800/2.0, if your fielding percentage is .800 and you’ve made 50 errors, you don’t deserve the MVP. And if you go .400/.600/.800/2.0 with a .990 FLD, but you’re a cancer in the clubhouse, you don’t deserve the MVP.

Teixeira’s made a real bid for the MVP this year, not only based on his offense, but also his defense and attitude. I don’t think there’s any coincidence to the fact that the number of errors committed in the infield has been cut in half since we acquired Teixeira. Not only has he saved the rest of the infield numerous errors, he’s made plays of his own that I haven’t seen a Yankee first baseman make since Mattingly (sorry Tino).

If the MVP award really means Most Valuable Player and not Most Prolific Hitter, then in my mind there’s little competition for Teixeira to worry about.

By WPA, the top 5 Yankees are:

5. Aceves +1.73 wins
4. A-Rod +2.65 wins
3. Mariano +2.89 wins
2. Teixiera +3.03 wins
1. Damon +4.16 wins

(In fact, as of today, Damon has the highest WPA figure of any player in the American League, Batters, Starters or Relievers, and is therefore, by this calculation, the league MVP so far. And you know what? He’s not the worst real MVP candidate I’ve ever seen. He’s 3rd in the AL in runs, tied for 17th in RBI from the #2 slot, tied for 16th in HR, 21st in BB, 12th in slugging, 11th in OPS, and as we all know, he’s had a ton of clutch hits, long hits. If he were still a good CF, instead of a bad LF, a real case could be made for him for his play so far this year.)

None of the starting pitchers make the top 5. CC would be 7th at 0.99, after Matsui in 6th.

@ MJ and Corey ,both good points. The pitcher can have a special impact on a team beyond a shadow of a doubt. Do the 2004 Red Sox comeback from 0-3 with Schill the Shill? I remember them being 10 games out that year too and they came charging back. Yeah, the pitcher only impacts a team every 5 days and a position player every day BUT both arguments have their merits. And it is a no brainer that the Cy Young award is the pitching award so to speak, so that’s the excuse used to exclude pitchers when the arument pops up.

clintfsu813 wrote:

I believe we’re leaving out the “Cody Ransom MVP Question”

Wrong, we have to give the Nick Swisher Fielding Award first. Only then can we broach the topic of Ransom as MVP. Let’s face it though, Ransom rang rings ’round Berroa….that’s like saying that crack is preferable to cocaine!

Mr Tex and Godzilla have been so integral to this team this season. Teix’s play in the field has been an added plus, which they haven’t had snce Tino. @ Corey, I grok your Swisher as the MVP early season idea believe it or not. I’m not the biggest Swish fan, but I can’t let bias creep in. Hittingwise he was great intially and was the so-called early MVP. Even still, his fielding has been feast or famine(more famine actually) so I wonder if that is a demerit of sorts . He deserves special mention for that pitching performance against Tampa, too.

MJ wrote:

’ve always argued against this point of view. In certain years, it is absolutely possible for a pitcher to be the most valuable player, even if that pitcher only played in 35 out of 162 games. I think back to Pe

the reason is, you take pedro with that exact year and you put him on the devil rays of 1999, and he only gets you an extra few wins…now you take manny of 1999 and put him on the devil rays, i’d bet he’d get a lot more wins than pedro would have.

I don’t believe an mvp award should go to a pitcher
———-
I’ve always argued against this point of view. In certain years, it is absolutely possible for a pitcher to be the most valuable player, even if that pitcher only played in 35 out of 162 games. I think back to Pedro’s 1999 season as a perfect example.

I believe we’re leaving out the “Cody Ransom MVP Question”

i should note, that when i say team mvp, im talking about offense as I don’t believe an mvp award should go to a pitcher. (even tho, technically they COULD be the mvp, they have their own award)

the thing about this season is, it feels like theres a new mvp every couple of weeks as 1 guys will go on fire after another. This has been the biggest difference with the offense from last year, where everyone would go on fire at once and cold at once. For instance from April 6, 2009 to May 2, 2009, you could argue that (well I would, i know you wouldn’t steve ) that Swisher was the team mvp. Then Tex got hot, and lastly the 3rd stretch you listed, from June 13, 2009 to July 8, 2009 (or even till last night) you could argue that Matsui has been carrying the team and has been the team mvp.