My MLB Awards: AL MVP

So now that I’ve successfully ranted on what the MVP award actually means (and I hope you readers out there recognize that there is still no definition), it’s time to announce my pick for the final postseason award for the 2008 season.  After this, fire up the hot stove!

AL Most Valuable Player: Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Boston Red Sox. As a Yankee fan, I will swallow my pride and recognize a good ballplayer and a great season.  In 2008, Pedroia led the league in hits (213), runs (118), and doubles (54), while hitting a strong .326.  What’s special about Pedroia, a player that some might call “scrappy” purely because of his size, is that he does it all and is the catalyst for the entire Red Sox offense.  Here’s a guy that hits for average, weighs little more than a paperclip and still hit 17 home runs, a total that would tie for fourth on the Yanks.  His 322 total bases ranked fourth in the American League and if you look at his expanded stats, he ranks no lower than fourth in 10 major offensive categories (AB, R, H, TB, Dbl, Singles, runs created, times on base, sac flies, AB per K).  The only categoy he “slipped” in would be extra base hits, where he ranked seventh.  I think those rankings are impressive and deserved of a Most Valuable Player award.  When you look at his competitors: Kevin Youkilis, Justin Morneau, and Joe Mauer, none of them holds these high rankings in every categoy like Pedroia does.  Pedroia had one of the most complete offensive seasons that I have ever seen.  Oh, and he stole 20 bases and was caught only once.  No discussion needed here.

A .218 Hitting All-Star?

Jason Varitek is hitting .218 at the All-Star break.  Jason Varitek is one of three American League catchers on the AL All-Star team in 2008 and was voted in by the players to back-up Minnesota’s Joe Mauer, who the fans selected as the starting catcher for the AL.

In fact, of catchers with at least 150 at-bats this season, Varitek ranks 16th (remember, there are only 14 AL teams) in batting average, behind even the likes of – Quick… Name that Molina! – Jose Molina, the Yankees backup catcher.  Varitek also boasts an abysmal .299 on-base percentage, which is less than the batting average of three of the 15 catchers ahead of Varitek.  But nevertheless, Varitek is an all-star.

I could understand Varitek’s selection if he were voted in by the fans, since fan voting is nothing but a popularity contest, but he was chosen by the players.  Even worse, Varitek was chosen by the players, his peers – you know, the people who play this game who should know who merits an all-star selection.  Along with Mauer, Varitek was the only other catcher even listed on a player’s ballot.

It’s insulting that the players don’t even have a clue when voting.  Now, with a position like catching, defense and calling a game is a major part of the position.  But there is no way that Varitek’s game-calling or the way he handles pitchers makes up for his lifeless .218 batting average.  Without combing through catchers’ statistics too thoroughly, Pudge Rodriguez or A.J. Pierzynski would have been a better choice.  At least when selecting a third catcher, Terry Francona went with former Yankee farmhand Dioner Navarro of Tampa Bay who is having a stellar year, hitting .310 and doing a tremendous job with those young Tampa pitchers.  To show you how little fans know about Navarro’s year, he earned a paltry 533, 276 votes from the fans, good enough to rank eighth among catchers on the fan ballot.