Pedroia Wins AL MVP

[nickagneta]

Who wants to bet me 50 Tommy Points that when Tek is no longer a Red Sox player that Dustin Pedroia won't become the new captain?

I have it on very good authority from inside the locker room that there isn't a guy in that locker room that doesn't love and respect the guy and doesn't think he isn't  a born leader in the mold of Jeter.

So my answer as to where he goes from here:

To the Sox captaincy and Red Sox immortality.

BTW is he the shortest MVP ever?

[TripleThreat]

Who wants to bet me 50 Tommy Points that when Tek is no longer a Red Sox player that Dustin Pedroia won't become the new captain?

I have it on very good authority from inside the locker room that there isn't a guy in that locker room that doesn't love and respect the guy and doesn't think he isn't  a born leader in the mold of Jeter.

So my answer as to where he goes from here:

To the Sox captaincy and Red Sox immortality.

BTW is he the shortest MVP ever?

Great question Nick, but Pedroia isn't the shortest MVP of all time. While I think 5'-9" is probably generous, I don't think he's the first short baseball player to have a few extra inches slapped onto his height.

I did a little research in past AL MVP winners and there were 6 players that were 5'-9" or shorter. Eddie Collins, Nellie Fox, Ivan Rodriquez, and Ichiro Suzuki are all in the book at 5'9". Yogi Berra is listed as 5'8" and the shortest was Phil Rizzuto at 5'6". As far as the NL MVP I didn't look into it too much but Jimmie Rollins is only 5'8".

[nickagneta]

Who wants to bet me 50 Tommy Points that when Tek is no longer a Red Sox player that Dustin Pedroia won't become the new captain?

I have it on very good authority from inside the locker room that there isn't a guy in that locker room that doesn't love and respect the guy and doesn't think he isn't  a born leader in the mold of Jeter.

So my answer as to where he goes from here:

To the Sox captaincy and Red Sox immortality.

BTW is he the shortest MVP ever?

Great question Nick, but Pedroia isn't the shortest MVP of all time. While I think 5'-9" is probably generous, I don't think he's the first short baseball player to have a few extra inches slapped onto his height.

I did a little research in past AL MVP winners and there were 6 players that were 5'-9" or shorter. Eddie Collins, Nellie Fox, Ivan Rodriquez, and Ichiro Suzuki are all in the book at 5'9". Yogi Berra is listed as 5'8" and the shortest was Phil Rizzuto at 5'6". As far as the NL MVP I didn't look into it too much but Jimmie Rollins is only 5'8".

Pedroia is at least 5'7", at least that's what my brother-in-law says. He's been out with Manny(Delcarmen) and Dustin before and he said he was my son's height and my son's a tad bigger than 5'7"

[LB3533]

The NBA MVP thread/topic made me look for and drag this old topic back up.

Pedroia should have never won AL MVP last year.

Kevin Youkilis should have won.

Youk, in less AB's, had 12 more HRs, 32 more RBI, a higher OBP, a higher SLG% and a higher OPS.

Look at Youk's AL ranks.

BA = 6th
HRs = 8th
RBIs = 4th
OBP = 6th
SLG% = 3rd
OPS = 4th

If you considered factoring wins we'll take it a step further and look at Youk's rankings of 90+ Win playoff teams.

BA = 2nd
HRs = 1st
RBIs = 1st
OBP = 1st
SLG% = 1st
OPS = 1st

Kevin Youkilis was the best player on one of the best teams in the AL last year.

Kevin Youkilis is your 2008 AL MVP.

I can understand if Dustin was voted as Red Sox team MVP, but clearly he was not the best AL Player in 2008.

[MBz]

I personally think Pedroia was the MVP.  Pedroia had more doubles, more hits, less K's, more SBs, he's a better fielder then Youk in my opinion(not taking anything away from Youk).  Also, curious why you can make a case for Pedroia being team MVP, but Youk being league MVP?  If Pedroia was more valuable to his team, why would Youk being a better league MVP?  I really liked having a guy like Pedroia win, a lot of times guys who are hitting leadoff and second are just as valuable as the sluggers on the team, it was good to see a guy like Pedroia get that credit.

[LB3533]

Team MVP and League MVP are different.

[MBz]

Team MVP and League MVP are different.

Right, but you're saying the guy who isn't even the MVP of his own team should be the league MVP, that doesn't make much sense to me.  If he's not the MVP of his own team, why should he be ahead of his team's MVP in the league MVP voting?

[LB3533]

Team MVP and League MVP are different.

Right, but you're saying the guy who isn't even the MVP of his own team should be the league MVP, that doesn't make much sense to me.  If he's not the MVP of his own team, why should he be ahead of his team's MVP in the league MVP voting?

Because Youk's performance was more beneficial to the AL, compared to Dustin's performance.

Dustin's performance was more beneficial to his own team than to the entire AL.

[MBz]

We must have a different interpretation of what the MVP means.  I always felt as if the MVP should go who ever is the most valuable to his team.  I don't understand how someone could be valuable to the entire AL.