SBN AL MVP

by Tyler Bleszinski on Nov 7, 2006 11:10 AM PST in News

We've actually organized the first ever SportsBlogs Nation Awards. And while many of them were announced while I was on vacation (most of them pretty predictable like Leyland winning AL Manager of the year), I did want to point to one particular one. AL MVP.

Here are the results from the inaugural SBN AL MVP voting (note, only AL teams and general baseball sites had votes for this).

My personal ballot looked like this:

MVP

1.    Joe Mauer
2.    Frank Thomas
3.    Jermaine Dye
4.    Derek Jeter
5.    Justin Morneau
6.    David Ortiz
7.    Travis Hafner
8.    Vlad Guerrero
9.    Pudge Rodriguez
10.    Johan Santana

To me, a team that's in the running for the playoffs up until the very end of the season is a prerequisite for this award. Otherwise, Hafner probably would've been close to my top choice. And Ortiz would've been higher.

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Comments

two votes?

who had the 2nd AN vote?

"Having a vote for 'most clutch' baseball player is like having a vote for 'most real' monster." - Ken Tremendous

by ArakSOT on Nov 7, 2006 11:23 AM PST reply actions

I'll play

Derek Jeter
Johan Santana
Joe Mauer
Frank Thomas
Jermaine Dye
Justin Morneau
David Ortiz
Carlos Guillen
Travis Hafner
Vlad Guerrero

"Next thing you know, they'll have me taking an overdose of pills."--Milton Bradley

by jeepers on Nov 7, 2006 11:30 AM PST reply actions

As much as I HATE boston

my vote would have gone to David Ortiz. He practically carried that club on his back when injuries and Manny's selfishness started to cripple the club.

by sf drift king on Nov 7, 2006 11:40 AM PST reply actions

Mauer?

I wonder how he qualifies as "most valuable." How is he more valuable than Morneau and Santana?

For me it would have to be F-Thom. He was head and shoulders above anyone else on his team in terms of pure contribution.

Friends don't let friends read HalosHeaven

by BruceBochte on Nov 7, 2006 11:41 AM PST reply actions

Yeah

For me, if the award were to go to a Twin, it would have to go to Johan Santana. They finish 10 games out of first without him.

"Next thing you know, they'll have me taking an overdose of pills."--Milton Bradley

by jeepers on Nov 7, 2006 11:43 AM PST up reply actions

Agreed totally.....

Id vote Santana and Morneau before Mauer. I cant believe Joe won this.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Nov 7, 2006 12:36 PM PST up reply actions

I'm ambivalent

about the ordering of Morneau and Mauer (he says even though he just placed Mauer ahead of Morneau on his mock ballot). They were both crucial to the Twins' success. I just think Santana was clearly more valuable than either of them.

"Next thing you know, they'll have me taking an overdose of pills."--Milton Bradley

by jeepers on Nov 7, 2006 12:40 PM PST up reply actions

Mauer has the best combo of O and D

Great hitter, excellent catcher, durable, team leader ....he'd be one of my two choices along with, ughh, Jeter. I'd rather see a great all-around player win the MVP than just the biggest slugger, unless their year is really off the charts. Lots of good candidates, but I like what Mauer brings to the table at the plate and on the field. Jeter's gonna win the real MVP though (which is a good choice as well).

Good pitching beats good hitting. And vice versa.

by TheBigO on Nov 7, 2006 12:47 PM PST reply actions

The best combo of O and D?

I'm not even going to start to get at all the puns which this sentence could create.

but for those of you out there...

here are two:

OD
DO

overdose
direct object

"It ain't easy chasing a dang Hall of Famer!" -Nick Swisher, reffering to his older brother, Frank Thomas

by The Lonesome Undertaker on Nov 7, 2006 9:34 PM PST up reply actions

The same could be said of Jeter

He is strong on O and D and is also a team leader.Why Mauer over jeter?

by IM4Oakgal on Nov 9, 2006 11:27 PM PST up reply actions

I can't believe

Dye didn't finish higher. Once he went down toward the end of the year the Sox folded quickly.

the home run that Eric Chavez did was tight. Sprots4Kids quote

by Satchmo22 on Nov 7, 2006 1:07 PM PST reply actions

Blez...

What's with the ads? Is anybody else seeing them? They're on other SB Nation sites as well.

BigLeagueChoo: rerish noooo

by JLaff on Nov 7, 2006 1:51 PM PST reply actions

Now I see 'em; now I don't

I believe we're being experimented on

"Having a vote for 'most clutch' baseball player is like having a vote for 'most real' monster." - Ken Tremendous

by ArakSOT on Nov 7, 2006 2:01 PM PST up reply actions

I've seen a few comments about these

but I haven't seen anything myself (I'm browsing with Camino with all the blockers turned on).

What are other people seeing ?

"Even if you know the deck is stacked in your favor, you still have to have the discipline to trust the math and the cojones to go to the ATM." BB

by green star oakland on Nov 7, 2006 2:34 PM PST up reply actions

Some examples...

One
Two
Three

BigLeagueChoo: rerish noooo

by JLaff on Nov 7, 2006 2:45 PM PST up reply actions

Ugh !

That's nasty.

Both Camino and Firefox seem to be able to block them (and the sidebar ads too) with the right settings though.

"Even if you know the deck is stacked in your favor, you still have to have the discipline to trust the math and the cojones to go to the ATM." BB

by green star oakland on Nov 7, 2006 3:08 PM PST up reply actions

I dunno.

I'd kind of like to own a floormate.

"Next thing you know, they'll have me taking an overdose of pills."--Milton Bradley

by jeepers on Nov 7, 2006 3:10 PM PST up reply actions

I'm not a fan of the political ads,

given that we don't discuss politics here.

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on Nov 7, 2006 2:56 PM PST up reply actions

I Agree

not to mention they are leftist drivle

by AsFanTexas on Nov 7, 2006 3:26 PM PST up reply actions

This is why we don't discuss politics around

here.

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on Nov 7, 2006 3:27 PM PST up reply actions

Of course is Leftist drivel

The creator of SBB is the same guy of The Daily Kos, who happens to be one of Blez's best friends, i read it on last month Wired.

by jahs34 on Nov 7, 2006 4:42 PM PST up reply actions

Exhibit #3!

"Next thing you know, they'll have me taking an overdose of pills."--Milton Bradley

by jeepers on Nov 7, 2006 4:55 PM PST up reply actions

I agree

even if I agree with them.

"Next thing you know, they'll have me taking an overdose of pills."--Milton Bradley

by jeepers on Nov 7, 2006 3:27 PM PST up reply actions

This is why we don't discuss politics

around here (saved you the trouble, sal).

"Next thing you know, they'll have me taking an overdose of pills."--Milton Bradley

by jeepers on Nov 7, 2006 3:28 PM PST up reply actions

Thank you.

We do on occasion have tasteful discussions around here, but it's usually when we are discussing a specific issue (affirmative action, say) and not politics in general.

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on Nov 7, 2006 3:30 PM PST up reply actions

Agreed.

Help me help myself, Blez! I cannot help but be drawn into the fray.

"Next thing you know, they'll have me taking an overdose of pills."--Milton Bradley

by jeepers on Nov 7, 2006 3:31 PM PST up reply actions

Guys

I don't know how many times I have to say this, but there's a difference between advertising and editorial. I've gotten and accepted right wing ads before.

by Tyler Bleszinski on Nov 7, 2006 4:57 PM PST up reply actions

There is a difference

but its presence draws the discussion on the board into politics and offends (insert party affiliation here) people's sensibilities nonetheless.

"Next thing you know, they'll have me taking an overdose of pills."--Milton Bradley

by jeepers on Nov 7, 2006 5:01 PM PST up reply actions

A suggestion

to help improve the situation. I don't begrudge you the right to accept advertising dollars to fund your business, from whomever you see fit--in fact, I prefer it to having to pay a subscription free.

I notice that the political ads tend to run in the sidebars. Perhaps you could add a link underneath such ads that says, "AN Disclaimer." That link could then explain the the view(s) expressed in the ad are not necessarily those of AN or its posters, that they're a paid message (sort of like infomercials do), and that they don't change the policy's site on the inclusion of political information in the site's content. I don't know how that would go over with your sponsors, but if they don't have a problem with it, it might help.

Otherwise, I'm afraid you're going to just have to deal with the fact that most people won't make the distinction between the content and the advertising, and someone will make an issue of it every time a political ad runs.

You could choose not to run political ads, too, but that's a difficult decision, for which I don't pretend I have sufficient information to make (nor should I).

"Next thing you know, they'll have me taking an overdose of pills."--Milton Bradley

by jeepers on Nov 7, 2006 5:38 PM PST up reply actions

Lame.

You should do what I do and pretend to have sufficient information to make decisions that aren't yours to make. That's how we do it on the internets.

Stat Wonk Futurist

by salb918 on Nov 7, 2006 5:40 PM PST up reply actions

OK, then.

"Next thing you know, they'll have me taking an overdose of pills."--Milton Bradley

by jeepers on Nov 7, 2006 5:43 PM PST up reply actions

Good point, jeeps--

I want to run a disclaimer under my user name that says, "Cindi's comments do not necessarily reflect the views of Nico or AN." But I keep not getting around to it.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 7, 2006 5:41 PM PST up reply actions

Blez sold out!

"...and then a third guy walks in and starts punching me in the grief bone."

by Jennifer on Nov 7, 2006 5:10 PM PST up reply actions

Is anyone else

unable to read the chart?

When the lights...go down...in the city...

by senork on Nov 7, 2006 2:54 PM PST reply actions

Bad Chart

Big ads

Fix both, Blez, or a lot of people will be mad.

We dont' mind the side ads, but big blinking ads in the middle of the posts?

by Zonis on Nov 7, 2006 5:29 PM PST up reply actions

I want to see

pop-up ads, sponsored by Bobby Crosby.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Nov 7, 2006 5:39 PM PST up reply actions

Funny on so many levels.

"Next thing you know, they'll have me taking an overdose of pills."--Milton Bradley

by jeepers on Nov 7, 2006 5:40 PM PST up reply actions

I agree on the chart issue

I knew I didn't need to get glasses!

Why yes. I am a ray of warm and fuzzy sunshine.

by grover on Nov 7, 2006 7:42 PM PST up reply actions

Okay, confess...

who among us placed a vote for Esteban Loaiza in the AL MVP race for the IBAs? And Marco Scutaro? The first place vote for DJ? Duke 2nd for Cy Young? The two for Ron Flores for ROY? And where did the vote for Byrnes for NL MVP come from? Well, that and the two for Hatte... full iba results here.

"The hard... is what makes it great."

by Jjjsixsix on Nov 7, 2006 9:22 PM PST reply actions