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It's almost as fun as this game show.  I assure you, this is the last Monty Python reference.  No, it isn't!  Yes it is!  I could be arguing in my spare time!   Anyways, the Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering silmite held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine providence that the man known as J.M. was to carry Excalibur. THAT is why he is the MVP.  Sure, you can argue strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of MVP selection and that supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.  However, that's how MLB rolls these days.

Compare and contrast the two images below, if you will!



The Twins Denard Span running for home, third base coach Scott Ullger reading the play from the outfield and Jays pitcher Scott Richmond hopes for a play at the plate.  Joe Mauer started this chain of events with a single to left open the scoring September 7th at the Rogers Centre.


Same image as above except for Mick Doherty's reaction about seeing another Twin beat out Derek Jeter for MVP.  Thanks for playing!

Spot The MVP | 7 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Thomas - Tuesday, November 24 2009 @ 09:33 AM EST (#208639) #
Great picture.

I love how you've got four people in motion in the shot, illustrating nicely that there is a lot of movement on most batted balls, which a lot of people miss when watching the game on TV or very casually.
Mick Doherty - Tuesday, November 24 2009 @ 10:10 AM EST (#208644) #

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(That is all.)

P.S., in yesterday's Mauer thread, I did say the voters got it right ... so there!

codyla - Tuesday, November 24 2009 @ 02:37 PM EST (#208655) #

According to this article, the Angels are back in the Halladay sweepstakes:

http://tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=299699

Mike Green - Tuesday, November 24 2009 @ 04:40 PM EST (#208659) #
The NL MVP voting is out.  It went Pujols, Hanley, Ryan Howard, Prince, Tulowitzki, Ethier.  Amazingly, Chase Utley continued his streak of not finishing in the top 6 in MVP voting despite being clearly the 2nd best player in the NL over the last 5 years. 

How to say this?  Guys, you remember Ryne Sandberg?  Utley's better.  A lot better.

Chuck - Tuesday, November 24 2009 @ 05:15 PM EST (#208660) #

A true quantum shift will have taken place in the minds of voters once they have grasped that the offensive norms at each position are vastly different. Are 3 of the best 4 players in the NL really first baseman? Really?

Without looking at anyone's metrics, I could easily see an argument for Ramirez, Utley and Tulowitzki finishing 2, 3, 4.

Magpie - Tuesday, November 24 2009 @ 06:38 PM EST (#208663) #
Stuff you can't see in this picture:

Nick Punto pulling into third base (we see his coach looking over the situation, about to either wave him around or throw up a stop sign.)

Travis Snider coming in to field Mauer's line drive.

Aaron Hill trotting over to cover second base, in the event of a subsequent play there - a throw home, say, followed by Mauer trying to sneak an extra base...

Not much for Scutaro, Wells, Inglett, or Barajas to do at this stage...

Mike Green - Tuesday, November 24 2009 @ 07:25 PM EST (#208664) #
Incidentally, if you add in a baserunning measure to Fangraphs WAR over the last 5 years, Pujols edges Utley by (likely) less than one win over the 5 years. 

Utley had a comparable season to Jeter, and probably a little better.  There's the middle infielder issue, and then there is, in Utley's case, the Rodney Dangerfield factor.

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