Other. Where's Ivan Rodriguez in 1999?

Let's see. There were at least a couple of other hitters that hit better than him, such as Manny Ramirez (44 hr, .333 ave), as well as Alomar and Palmeiro.

But that was the year the big controversy had Pedro Martinez, who pitched to a 23-4 record with an ERA of 2.07 (vs. league ERA of 5.07!), 9 hr, 313 k's, and 37 walks....well he pitched one of the best season's ever relative to league....He got more first place votes then I-Rod, but 2 Texas writers left him off so I-Rod would win (because pitcher's aren't supposed to win MVPs, even though one voted for a pitcher a few years later).

Other.  A-Rod 2003.  Should have been Carlos Delgado..

yah that's what I was thinking as well.  Arod's selection in 03 over Delgado was pretty ridiculous.   Carlos had him trumped in basically every statiscal category but the sucess of the team they played for made the difference between the two candidates.  Arod has had many MVP quality years, but that wasn't one of them.

Dennis Eckersley in 1992 period. Pitchers should only get the MVP when they're in the ballpark with the hitters as Clemens was with Mattingly in 1986. Relief pitchers should never get the MVP. They just don't have enough impact on a team's wins and losses and that is what the MVP should be all about. An argument could've been made for Johan Santana in 2004, Pedro in 2000, Clemens in 1997, Saberhagen in 1989 etc etc, but please keep relief pitchers out of the MVP discussion. They shouldn't even be in the Cy Young discussion. They should have a separate award or build up the status of the "Rolaids Relief Award" or the "Fireman Award" or whatever it is called now. A-Rod deserved the MVP in 2003. He was robbed in 1996, 2001, and 2002, and he was the MVP in 2003. No disrespect to King Carlos but facts is facts. Ichiro Suzuki was also a horrible selection in 2001. The writers over the years probably get the right guy less than 50% of the time, but they've come up with some real stretches haven't they?

Sort of a related topic: why did Dave Stieb never win a Cy Young? Oh yeah, win totals right. From 1982-1985, he was the best pitcher in the AL and then he crashed and some dude named Clemens came along. Jack Morris (his so-called partner as the best pitchers of the '80s) doesn't even belong in the conversation.

the sucess of the team they played for made the difference between the two candidates.

How did the Texas Rangers' 71-91 mark make the difference?

Arod has had many MVP quality years, but that wasn't one of them.

The first part of that is true; as for the second part, well, .298/47/118 and a Gold Glove at shortstop usually is deserving of at least consideration for the MVP.

I'm not an A-Rod fan, particularly, and he was better in '02 than he was in '03, but it's hard to argue that he didn't "deserve" the MVP he won that year.

Check out the voting in 1992.  The two best seasons arguably belonged to Frank Thomas and Roberto Alomar, who finished 8th and 6th respectively.  The voters made it up to Thomas in 1993, by giving him the award over Olerud, who had a slightly better year.  Oddly, 1992 wasn't Eckersley's best season; 1990 was.  That year, he finished 6th behind Kelly Gruber, among others. 

There have been so many poor selections that it is hard to decide which one was the worst.

I'm with Mick.  A-Rod's and Delgado's numbers were close enough in 2003 that the fact that A-Rod was an excellent SS while Carlos was a plodding first basemen easily makes up for the difference.

Just like how Beltran's defense in CF easily makes up the difference between him and Howard this year ... whoops.

I voted for Juan Gonzalez, 96.  Another case of voters being mesmerized by the ribbies. A-Rod was better offensively AND more important defensively.  But, somehow, 144 RBIs is far more important than 141 runs scored...

Going back two decades plus one: Willie Hernandez.

I'm also in the Gonzalez in 1996 camp. Lousy pick.

And only a Blue Jays fan could possibly say that A-Rod over Carlos in '03 was the biggest MVP injustice ever. Heck, only a Jays fan could say it was a bad choice at all. 30 points of OBP doesn't make up the difference in defensive value between them.

What about the MVP of the 67-95 1991 Orioles?

At least A-rod led those Rangers to a 71-win season.

Ripken's Orioles finished sixth in their division, with a record better than only the lowly Indians and Astros.  It's one thing to give the best performance. But what value is there to be the brightest star of a dull team?

Check out 1997: What business did Randy Myers (ugh) have as the 4th place MVP while Clemens came in 10th?
At least 1st place was unanimous that year.

Quiz question: Name the only AL MVPs with a SLG% > .700

+ lease defensible or least defensible?

Simply because he's the newest member of the Blue Jays, i'm going to guess Frank Thomas.