# Who's the American League MVP? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 29, 2008, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-american-league-mvp/465719 "2008-09-29T15:27:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-american-league-mvp/465719/21 "2008-09-30T15:39:40Z")
Not saying he should win, but you have to at least include K Rod into the discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-american-league-mvp/465719/22 "2008-09-30T15:51:28Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Not saying he should win, but you have to at least include K Rod into the discussion. I disagree. He racked up a lot of saves, but his save percentage and other stats weren’t that high, compared to closers who’ve had similar seasons anyway, and he got a lot of easy ones. ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-american-league-mvp/465719/23 "2008-09-30T15:56:36Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > I’ve seen most every AL player this season in person, and Dustin Pedroia seemed the scariest and most important to his club. His speed on the base path opens up a lot of possibilities for abilities, plays good/great defense, smart player, hits well. If I could snatch one player from another team to put on my club, it would definitely be him. I agree that Pedroia has the numbers, but I have a problem with a player winning MVP so early in his career unless he’s so far above the rest of the field that there’s no other logical choice. I believe the writers will feel the same way. It’ll be close, but I think it’ll be A-Rod, though I think Mauer is more deserving. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-american-league-mvp/465719/24 "2008-09-30T18:58:16Z")
Morneau is getting some rather intense (negative) attention in the baseball circles I frequent, almost primarily due to the fear that the league RBI leader will get disproportionate attention in the voting (once again). I’d really really hate to see the same guy win two MVPs twice in 3 years over a more-deserving teammate (Mauer). As a Red Sox fan I’m biased but Pedroia looks pretty good. That stat line wouldn’t have put him in the top 10 tho 10 years ago (when 60-70 HR sluggers ruled the Earth), but considering the D he’s the one I’d go with this season. No way it’s going to be A-Rod, not even a remote chance, not considering the disappointing season the Yankees have had. Unless you meant KAY-Rod. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-american-league-mvp/465719/25 "2008-09-30T19:03:53Z")
Based on what I’m reading here and the buzz I’m picking up from ESPN, I think Pedroia’s going to get it. I say that because I think ESPN shows how the sporting press feels about this, not because I think they’re right. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-american-league-mvp/465719/26 "2008-10-01T03:46:52Z")
If MVP is about how important the player was to a team, it should be Cliff Lee. But the Indians weren’t good and they hate giving MVPs to pitchers. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-american-league-mvp/465719/27 "2008-10-01T05:35:42Z")
> [@want2know](#): > > I agree that Pedroia has the numbers, but I have a problem with a player winning MVP so early in his career Why? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-american-league-mvp/465719/28 "2008-10-01T12:35:18Z")
> [@want2know](#): > > I agree that Pedroia has the numbers, but I have a problem with a player winning MVP so early in his career unless he’s so far above the rest of the field that there’s no other logical choice. I’m curious about this, too. I don’t understand why this matters. It’s a seasonal award, not a career achievement award. I’d agree with the consensus that Pedroia will win it. I don’t think he deserves to because I don’t think he was the MVP, but the media’s definitely leaning that way. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-american-league-mvp/465719/29 "2008-10-01T12:49:08Z")
I’ve been rooting for the Destroia to win it all season, though I thought I was probably being a biased fan of his–he’s such fun to watch, hustling his little butt off every play. A few weeks back, I saw him do something typical that showed up not a whit in the box score, against the Blue Jays: he scored a run from second base on a wild pitch (Ellsbury, on 3B, came home first on the WP, and then Zaun kinda couldn’t locate the ball quickly 20 feet from home plate, so Pedroia saw his chance and took it.) But it just went down as a run scored, not as an incredibly smart run stolen in a critical game. The larger question being raised is one that always comes up in MVP talk, and which I alluded to before: what does the MVP award actually mean? Seems to me, that when fans can’t even agree on the intent of an award (Is it to honor the player having the best year? To honor the player who made the biggest difference in the pennant race? To honor the most indispensable player? The player whose acquisition by his new team turned them into a winning team? Does “leadership” count, and if so how much? etc) it’s a pretty ill-defined award. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-american-league-mvp/465719/30 "2008-10-01T12:58:20Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > The larger question being raised is one that always comes up in MVP talk, and which I alluded to before: what does the MVP award actually mean? Seems to me, that when fans can’t even agree on the intent of an award (Is it to honor the player having the best year? To honor the player who made the biggest difference in the pennant race? To honor the most indispensable player? The player whose acquisition by his new team turned them into a winning team? Does “leadership” count, and if so how much? etc) it’s a pretty ill-defined award. But that’s what makes these discussions so fun! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-american-league-mvp/465719.md?page=1)