There are five players in the American League that seem to be running away with the MVP race. Four of those five players are on teams fighting for playoff spots.
Alex Rodriguez - 3B, New York Yankees
Key Stats: . 311 AVG, 30 HR, 86 RBI, 16 SB, 31 2B, 93 R, .398 OBP, .586 SLG
The knocks on A-Rod this season are his lack of clutch hits, and the fact that the Yankees are on the verge of missing the playoffs for the first time since 1996.
Over the last ten games he has batted .333, with 2 HR and 9 RBI.
Rodriguez, a first ballot Hall-of-Famer for sure, is putting up typical numbers. He has now hit 30+ HR in 12 seasons. Hank Aaron holds the record with 15 seasons.
I think the Yanks missing the playoffs (though I won't believe they can't make it until they are officially eliminated) will keep A-Rod from collecting his fourth MVP award.
Carlos Quentin - LF, Chicago White Sox
Key Stats: .288 AVG, 36 HR, 100 RBI, 7 SB, 26 2B, 96 R, .394 OBP, .571 SLG
Quentin's numbers are ...
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M-V-P! M-V-P! M-V-P!
baseballmastermind.com 9/3/2008 — Season awards are great, and like All-Star Game selections, provide opportunity to complain about worthiness and unworthiness on a yearly basis. We all know the BWAA are going to screw something up, it’s almost a requirement, but there is some method to the madness; so in making these selections...
The perils of a post-season without the Evil Empire
uatgsports.ca 9/3/2008 — The Yankees have $141 million reasons to make the playoffs, not to mention the fact that the iconic Yankee Stadium, the Cathedral of Baseball, is set to be demolished without one last post-season hurrah.
Can a little guy like Dustin Pedroia win the MVP?
bugsandcranks.com 9/3/2008 — The chant rains down upon his balding head on a regular basis whenever Dustin Pedroia steps to the plate at Fenway lately.
“MVP! MVP! MVP! MVP!”
He’s not the first player to hear that chant from the home town crowd of a team in ...
Lil’ Dusty Is My New Hero
bostonsportsposters.com 9/3/2008 — Video of Dustin Pedroia saying Jerry Remy stunk, combined with a story of how much trash he talks. Add that to his MVP season on the field and hero status is imminent.
Red Sox, 5-4
boston.com 9/4/2008 — The Red Sox thrilled the faithful at Fenway Park yet again, winning in the bottom of the ninth on a day when they tied Cleveland's record for most consecutive sellouts.
"Compared to what it was yesterday, it's night and day," Alex Cora, who scored ...
