A couple of odd New York Yankee notes

by Ed Valentine on Aug 19, 2009 9:00 AM EDT in New York Yankees News

Here are a couple of odd notes to help you kill a little time today waiting anxiously for Chad Gaudin's first New York Yankee start.

OK, so I have always been fascinated by the Fritz Peterson-Mike Kekich wife swap. Well, it seems Peterson has written a book and he was on a Boston radio station the other day to discuss the whole sordid affair. I didn't WANT to listen, but I couldn't help myself.
Mark Teixeira and Minnesota's Joe Mauer are two of the leading candidates for AL MVP. Who should win? Well, NY Baseball Digest came up with a unique way to figure it out. They used Strat-O-Matic Baseball.

That's all I have for today as I head off for New York Giants' football camp. Just had to pass those along.

Tweet Comment 10 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Is this a best player award, or a "did the most for a contender" award?

If it’s best player, Joe Mauer has clearly had the best year in the AL. He’s batting .380+ and leads the league in OPS from the most demanding defensive position.

If it’s means the most for a contender, both Youkilis and Miguel Cabrera have had better offensive years that Tex (in terms of OPS) on teams with fewer complimentary parts. If we’re throwing defense in there, Youkilis has probably had the best year of the three, and his team’s been a relative mess (regression from Ortiz and Pedroia).

Finally, we have to talk “Yankee factor.” Is Tex the most responsible for the great year the Yankees have had, or is it Jeter? Or A-Rod? Even if Tex SHOULD win MVP, you can expect Jeter to siphon votes.

by PortlandYankee on Aug 19, 2009 11:19 AM EDT reply actions

dude is on a bad 3rd place team

a great season so far but have to be on a relevant team to say he was important.It is not the most valuable to a 3rd place finish award.

by cashman bashman on Aug 19, 2009 11:23 AM EDT reply actions

So you're saying that it's "best on a contender" award

I definitely don’t agree with that. What if Mauer ends up at .400? What if Pujols won the Triple Crown for a 3rd place team? Would we NOT vote for them just because their teams did poorly?

Mauer leads the AL in OPS and VORP…technically, he is the player whose absence would most be felt if he were replaced by an average player. Tex is tied for 5th in the AL in OPS, and he’s 14th or 15th in VORP.

Even taking your definition, Tex is not the most valuable player.

The AL’s Top-10 VORP looks like this:
Mauer 73.2
Jason Bartlett 50.3
Jeter 48.3
Crawford 45.4
Ichiro 45.2
Michael Young 45.2
Miguel Cabrera 43.6
Youkilis 41.7
Zobrist 40.5
Marco Scutaro 40.2

Of those, you can take Bartlett (too few PA), Mauer and Scutaro (bad teams) off your list. There’s still 7-10 players on good teams who have meant more to their team this year than Tex, including one of his teammates.

Tex is basically doing what a first baseman “should do” (30-40 HR, 100-120 RBI), but we’re so used to having 1B be a minus that we’ve forgotten what we’re supposed to have at the position.

by PortlandYankee on Aug 19, 2009 11:40 AM EDT reply actions

I still think its Mauer

Tex is on the best team, but is he really that big a reason for the team’s success? If A-Rod was having and A-Rod season, he’d be a lock.

Tex didn’t do much until A-Rod came back and that’s well know among voters. Also, Jeter is having a hell of a season as is Cano and Damon.

Tex’s numbers away from the new stadium are OK…definitely not MVP worthy.

When a guy who wins is not on a “contending” team (tho the Twins still are in the WC hunt), you have to have a season like Mauer. .380, 30+ HR, 100+ RBI. OPS > 1.000? He does this, he’s probably a lock.

I think Tex is the MVP, not only his offense but the defense has been a huge reason for the Yankees improved defense.

Do what Jerry Hairston do

by FreeBradshaw on Aug 19, 2009 11:48 AM EDT reply actions

But the thing is

Arod isn’t having an ARod season.(FB)......I think Jeter is as valid a candidate as Tex is. Defense considering yes Tex does what a 1B should do ( PortlandYankee) but he has been beyond the typical 1B hasn’t he not?

I believe team performance sways the voting in this situation alot. I don’t necessarily disagree with that because if you take Tex out of the equation with ARod at 55-65%……you get the April 2009 Yankees which were just trying to stay afloat while Robbie and Swish carried the load.

by ReggieARodJeter on Aug 19, 2009 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Mauer

gets the Ernie Banks award for best performance for a non-contender.

by django48 on Aug 19, 2009 3:21 PM EDT reply actions

as a Yankee fan

Mauer should get it. Tex is certainly having a fine year, but look at what Mauer’s doing as a freakin’ catcher! .383/.448/.652!!! that’s just un-f###ing-believingly-ridiculous.

his OPS+ is 193! even his D is pretty good from all accounts. do you know the last catcher to OPS+ 193 or higher in a season?…

No one, ever! Not Yogi, not Piazza, not Bench.

think about it this way: who’s more valuable to a perfectly average team, Tex or Mauer? It’s clear the answer this year is Mauer.

the only thing Tex has over Mauer is that he’s played more: 532 PA vs. 415.

by Travis G on Aug 19, 2009 3:45 PM EDT reply actions