NL/AL MVP's
Hey fans,
Yes, Ryan Howard wins the NL MVP, justice is served. Justin Morneau wins in the AL, was justice served? Ryan Howard led all of baseball in producing runs for his team. A team with only Pat Burrell, not even an everyday player, due to foot and batting stroke problems, hitting behind him. Albert Pujols, continued to be the most feared right handed hitter in the game, missed several weeks, and it cost him a chance at two in a row. Without question, these two will duke it out for NL MVP honors for years to come. The key to Howard's production in years to come will be the Phillies ability to find a solid 5 hole hitter to back him up. I always say, what makes Big Papi Big Papi, is Manny being Manny behind him. Pujols has Rolen or Edmonds, Howard has a cast of characters.
Morneau or Jeter? We don't see much of Morneau around the country. We are force fed Jeter and the Yankees. Jeter is the most baseball savy player to come along in a long time. He has a nose for the ball, as they say. He is a winner. He's today's Pete Rose. He can do whatever the situation calls for. But, and hear this, if the Yankees traded Jeter for Jimmy Rollins, nothing would change for the Yankees. We have a Jeter on the Phillies, Chase Utley. He might be a better Jeter, because he hits 30 home runs, drives in 100 runs, hits 3rd, and plays everyday with the same nose for the ball. Jeter just makes 15 million more $. Rose got little credit for being the heart and soul of the Big Red Machine, Bench, Perez, and Morgan got all the awards. Jeter and Rose got their reward every 15 days. Morneau produced runs in a big way for a team that needed him to get to the playoffs. Yes, the had Mauer, who should have gotten more credit, but not much else. He is an upcoming star and this award will only serve to make him more confident.
Last, could you imagine, Justin Morneau at first and Ryan Howard the DH, for the Yankees in a couple years? How else are they going to get 20,000,000 a year for 10 years?
Happy Holidays
Yes, Ryan Howard wins the NL MVP, justice is served. Justin Morneau wins in the AL, was justice served? Ryan Howard led all of baseball in producing runs for his team. A team with only Pat Burrell, not even an everyday player, due to foot and batting stroke problems, hitting behind him. Albert Pujols, continued to be the most feared right handed hitter in the game, missed several weeks, and it cost him a chance at two in a row. Without question, these two will duke it out for NL MVP honors for years to come. The key to Howard's production in years to come will be the Phillies ability to find a solid 5 hole hitter to back him up. I always say, what makes Big Papi Big Papi, is Manny being Manny behind him. Pujols has Rolen or Edmonds, Howard has a cast of characters.
Morneau or Jeter? We don't see much of Morneau around the country. We are force fed Jeter and the Yankees. Jeter is the most baseball savy player to come along in a long time. He has a nose for the ball, as they say. He is a winner. He's today's Pete Rose. He can do whatever the situation calls for. But, and hear this, if the Yankees traded Jeter for Jimmy Rollins, nothing would change for the Yankees. We have a Jeter on the Phillies, Chase Utley. He might be a better Jeter, because he hits 30 home runs, drives in 100 runs, hits 3rd, and plays everyday with the same nose for the ball. Jeter just makes 15 million more $. Rose got little credit for being the heart and soul of the Big Red Machine, Bench, Perez, and Morgan got all the awards. Jeter and Rose got their reward every 15 days. Morneau produced runs in a big way for a team that needed him to get to the playoffs. Yes, the had Mauer, who should have gotten more credit, but not much else. He is an upcoming star and this award will only serve to make him more confident.
Last, could you imagine, Justin Morneau at first and Ryan Howard the DH, for the Yankees in a couple years? How else are they going to get 20,000,000 a year for 10 years?
Happy Holidays
posted by Mike Schmidt at 6:38 AM
2 Comments:
I could not agree more. Ryan Howard's numbers, while impressive, may very well have been off the chart had he been provided with some protection (hopefully the Phils will fix that soon). There will always be arguments about the MVP and many will argue that Pujols should have won this year. But I honestly believe that the Cards could have done what they did without him and the Phils would have been dismal without Howard. Thus, his VALUE was higher in addition to his numbers being better. Thanks, Mr. Schmidt, for your great thoughts on life and baseball. Keep the blogs coming.
Mike,
I know how you feel about some of the "bandbox" stadiums that were built since the early 1990's. How many homers do you think that Howard would have hit in the mid to late 70's? The kid is powerful and does look like a natural so I'd have to guess last season would have meant at least 45 while playing at the Vet. I think that the pitching was a LOT tougher back then so even 45 might have been a stretch.
Saying that, it makes performances like yours really impressive. I remember quite a few of your warning track outs and how they would have landed beyond the flower bed of Citizens Bank Park. The year you hit 48 could have easily broken Maris's record in the new park. In your benefit you would have faced the sub-par pitching of today as well. A friend and I look back and laugh at the years you won the HR title hitting 38 homers (3 times?) and 36 on another occasion. Today guys like Rollins approach that number which tells you a lot.
Sorry to ramble but did you really hit a speaker in the Astrodome in the 70's? I thought you and "King Kong" Kingman did it in the same year?
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