Where is the justice? You should be asking yourself how the vote between A Rod and Ortiz was a close as it was. A Rod was as good if not a better hitter than Ortiz and he was the AL Silver Slugger winner as well as the Gold Glove Award winner for his position. Big Papi should have won the golden boxers for all of the splinters he collected while his ass rode the bench ALL YEAR!

In the words of my friend from Watertown, A Rod was wicked good this year!!

The importance of defense in the MVP argument is way overblown.

Would Rodriguez have won the MVP if he was a mediocre fielder? How many games did the Yankees actually win because of his specific defense?

Replace his glove with even an average fielder and the Yankees MAYBE would have won one less game over the course of a 162 game season.

Give me a break.

If "ifs" and buts" were candies and nuts... well you get the rest.

If ortiz played the field he would have killed the Sox. He is so big he wouldn't be able to get out of his own way. He would be a joke in the field and we all know it. A Rod was THE best 3rd baseman in the league. His D was stellar and he won at least 3 games with the glove that I saw persoanlly.

Ortiz lost to the better PLAYER. It is not the most valuable hitter award, it is the Most Valuable PLAYER.

If they had an award for the MVH (most valuable hitter) than Ortiz would be my man.

Let's talk about that. Most valuable PLAYER.

I would contend (and what numbers are available back it up) that Ortiz was personally responsible for more wins for the Sox than Rodriguez was for the Yankees.

Heck, if we're going to count defense that perhaps leads to a couple wins at BEST, why not also factor in some intangibles like personality and leadership (whether or not a certain player is a "clubhouse" guy)? That alone would probably sway a few games to Ortiz' favor (and subtract a few from Alex "The Clubhouse Cancer" Rodriguez).

Throw in an average fielder to take his spot at third, and the Yankees win exactly the same amount of games. Put an average hitter into Ortiz' spot, and the Sox win significantly less.

Isn't THAT what MVP is about?

Great story:

ESPN's Jayson Stark column.

Case closed.

I wholeheartedly agree with "Ghost." By the way...David Ortiz fielding percentage was higher than A-Rod's. A-Rod may have had more chances, but he ranked 10th in the list of thirdbaseman alone. Also, I will add A-Rod, did not receive the Gold Glove. That honor went to Oakland's Eric Chavez for the fifth straight time. Chavez is a stellar defender, not to mention a brilliant slugger in his own right.

You all drank the kool-aid. A Rod was the better player. The silver slugger award he won this year indicates that he was also the best hitter.

Ortiz had a better fiedling %? Thats great considering the only games he took the field were inter-league because Tito knew that Ortiz is/was a horrible fielder.

Saying that an average 3rd baseman would have led to the same number of yankee wins is a red herring, because that average defensive 3rd baseman would not have hit .321 48 HR. The outstanding offense combined with the outstanding defense puts A Rod ahead for the MVP.

If Ortiz plays 160 games in the field, how many wins does that cost Boston? He is atrocious in the field and is a one dimensional player. He can't field and he can't run.

A Rod is the better PLAYER.

But NOT the most valuable.

NO, he is indeed the most valuable player as voted on by a majority of the baseballe writers. So I have facts on my side, you have opinion and conjecture.

Sorry, but I win this one.

He's the MVP because the sportswriters of America say so? Please!

Fans know who the REAL MVP is.

Did you even read that Jayson Stark article on ESPN.com? When has defense ever mattered?? Seriously, read that article.

Highlights: In late innings of close games Rodriguez hit .176 with RISP. Ortiz? .313. Thats clutch.

I suppose it was Jose Canseco's glove that put him over the top in 1988. Huh??

Bottom line: Ortiz won more games for the Sox on offense than Rodriguez did on offense AND defense.

To me, thats MVP.

Well Jason Stark said so, so it must be true.

How can I argue with logic like that?

Well, according to you the baseball writers said so, so it must be true. Some of them don't know their hat from a hole in the ground.

Tell you what. Me and Ed will hold a "vote" to determine whether or not you're a moron. If we so decide, well then, you must be.

How does that sound?

www.theremyreport.com

Great Pic of the Day.

Let the record show that I do not even want to suggest that "chris" is a moron. I have enjoyed this public discourse and encourage more to write.

This is not an area for personal attacks.

A-Rod is a fabulous player, perhaps the best in modern times. However, I do not think he was this year's MVP and I would argue that I don't even think he was the Yankees' MVP. Derek Jeter comes to mind.

I still object to the defense argument...It's never been a factor in the past, ever. So why now?

Actually, here's a better article by a better writer than Jayson Stark. Mahnken illustrates why the defense factor is so very important:

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/how-not-to-use-statistics-why-david-ortiz-shouldnt-be-mvp/

Thanks for the kind words Ed, but if you watched the yankees at all this year you would agree with me that Mariano Rivera was the best player on the Yankees in 2005. You wouldn't know it by only seeing his implosions against Boston, they seem to have his number.

But this year was a career year for one of the greatest closers of all time and he was probably the main reason the Yanks won the AL east for the 8th straight year.

As for you Ghost, I would take the opinion of the BBWA over you everyday. They follow baseball for a living and I think they have a lil more insight into the games and players than you or I do.

Are these the same baseball writers that voted Canseco MVP in 1988?

Ok, maybe moron is a bad choice of words, but the POINT is, just because some hacks (or in this case, a couple hacks) "vote" it, doesn't necessarily make it so.

Have some cheese with that WHINE Ghost.

It really doesn't bother me. I have Big Papi on my favorite team.

You have Alex Rodriguez.

Yes, I have Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Mo, Sheff and other perenial all-stars that I watch almost on a daily basis from March through October.

We both have strong allegiances to our favorite teams. I don't hold it against you personally that you prefer Papi over A Rod, I would expect every Sox fan to have the same point of view. If you show me a Sox fan that claims that A Rod deserved the MVP over Ortiz I would question their loyalty to their team.

I hope the race is as exciting for the next 5 years. It is a nice distraction from everyday life.

I suspect, that in the end, MVP Award's matter very little to fans. Sure we want our guys to be respected, but that is about it. It's November, and true die hards need some kind of news to keep them interested.
MLB knows this and draws these awards out as long as is humanly possible.

I sort of like having the Most Clutch Hitter in recent memory.

MCH. I like that.

Especially on a team that doesn't have the resources to go out and buy all-stars (off AND on the bench).

Tell me about it Ed, mariano Rivera was robbed for the Cy Young. Seems relievers don't get anywhere near the respect that starters get.

I'd like the Yanks players to win all of he awards, it does make the off season a little shorter.

When do pitchers and cathecrs report???

Ghost, You are off the chain complaining about not having resources to go buy players. Yeah, the Yanks spent the most of any team in MLB, but the Sox aren't exactly the Marlins. They outspent 28 other teams this year, so take your $$$ gripes and stuff 'em.

And I read today that the Sox are going after Lowell and Beckett. Yeah, they have no money.

They will after Manny leaves. He says he hates Boston and doesn't feel welcome there.

Now he knows how Pumpsy Green fealt. I am sure once Ortiz falls off a cliff he will be looking for the closest on ramp to the Mass Pike as well.

kepp your home grown team and enjoy them. Afterall, they do have 2 starters that made it through the system. Every other player was "aquired".