Votto A Runaway Winner?
November 22nd, 2010 | by Ray Flowers |
Every time I pat the voters on the back, like I did for their AL Cy Young selection of Felix Hernandez, they turn around and do something a bit odd. In a piece entitled Who is the NL MVP?, I made a case for a narrow, and I mean razor thin, victory for Joey Votto over Albert Pujols. The Baseball Writers Association of America got it right in giving the award to Votto, so what am I scratching my head over? The results. Here they are:
Joey Votto: 31 1st place votes, one 2nd, for 443 points
Albert Pujols: one first, 21 2nd, eight 3rd, one 4th, one sixth, for 279 points
Carlos Gonzalez: 0-7-13-5-4-2-1, for 240 points.
Votto and Pujols were the only two players listed on every ballot. I have no idea in the world how CarGo wasn’t deemed at least the 10th best player by one voter who should have their credentials revoked, but I’m even more aghast at the fact that Votto was a near unanimous selection. Again, I’m not saying that Votto didn’t deserve the award, but 31 of 32 first place votes? After all, Pujols did lead the NL in RBI (118) and runs (115), it’s not like he as crushed in a myriad of other categories by Votto.
Pujols: .312/.414/.596, 42 HRs, 14 SBs, 39 doubles, 103 BB, 76 Ks
Votto: .324/.424/.600, 37 HRs, 16 SBs, 36 doubles, 91 BB, 125 Ks
There is simply no way that I can fathom this situation ending up with Votto being a near unanimous selection.
Let the bashing of me begin since I’m sure I will get a host of emails saying ‘but Votto’s Reds made the playoffs’ to which I will reply – so flipping what? This isn’t tennis folks. Baseball is a team game, and no matter how great a player is, no one person can win anything by his lonesome. This is about as tired an argument as I ever come across, and year after year you hear countless people espousing this nonsense. As near as I can figure it, this very line of reasoning must have been why Adrian Gonzalez received 197 points while Ryan Braun picked up only 19. After all, the Padres just missed the playoffs and the Brewers were well under .500 at 77-85. I would be much more willing to accept a line of argument along the lines of (a) Gonzalez plays in atrocious park for hitters and (b) he had all of that success with hardly any support in the lineup. Still, results are results, and I just don’t see how Gonzalez demolished Braun in the vote given their production.
Gonzalez: .298-31-101-87 with a .393 OBP, .511 SLG
R. Braun: .304-25-103-101-14 with a .366 OBP, .501 SLG
Speaking of Braun, I had him fourth on my ballot. It’s possible that I took too much of a “fantasy centered” approach in selection Braun for his 5×5 talents, but there is NO FLIPPING WAY that he should have finished behind Jayson Werth (52 points), Martin Prado (51 points) and Ryan Howard (50 points). I love Buster Posey (40 points), but he also shouldn’t have been ahead of Braun either. I don’t what is more shocking – Scott Rolen (26 points) finishing higher than Braun or Ryan Howard getting a second place vote for his worst full season ever? What cruel joke is being played here?
One final point. How in the world does Roy Halladay finish 6th in the NL MVP vote with 130 points when Adam Wainwright, who produced nearly identical totals this season (you can read about that situation in NL Cy Young and an Import) received just 12 points?
Someone has some explaining to do.
By Ray Flowers
Tags: Adam Wainwright, Adrian Gonzalez, Albert Pujols, Brewers, Carlos Gonzalez, Jayson Werth. Buster Posey, Joey Votto, Martin Prado, NL MVP 2010, Padres, Reds, Roy Halladay, Ryan Braun, Ryan Howard, Scott Rolen
By Andrew on Nov 22, 2010
Ok, why does this guy not seem to understand that the MVP is not a purely offensive award? Ryan Braun should not have gotten any votes because he is a below average left fielder who had a decent, but not outstanding year at the plate. Prado, Werth, Posey, Tulo, Gonzalez and many others were much more valuable.
Also, back to Wainwright vs. Halladay: 20+ inning difference and a tougher park to pitch in make the race not close.
By Ted on Nov 22, 2010
Sounds like most voters just followed your advice and went (1) Votto, (2) Pujols.
Braun finished 14th in the NL in OPS (just ahead of Kelly Johnson) and is a terrible fielder.
By Ray Flowers on Nov 22, 2010
Yeah, maybe too fantasy centered on Braun like I said, but behind Scott Rolen and Martin Prado? That’s laughable.
By Andrew on Nov 22, 2010
Rolen and Prado both good defensive players at tougher positions to play and Braun didn’t out hit either by all that much.
By Paul on Nov 23, 2010
I never understood what a LEAGUE MVP is, everything I read says the player most valuable to his TEAM. What? So what does a player thats most valuable to his TEAM has to do with the LEAGUE?
Really, whats he being most valuable to?
Maybe they should change the name and vote for the player that had the best season. Period.
Correct me if I’m wrong (sure you will anyway..lol) but didn’t Prado come in the clutch a few times for the Braves? I was trying to search for “clutch” stats such as game winning hits, batting average with runners in scoring position ect..
I would think those would be important stats when handing out such awards.
Paul
By Ray Flowers on Nov 23, 2010
Prado hit .279 with a .728 OPS with RISP
.292 with .849 OPS with RISP and 2 outs.
Still, I think the point is that Prado might have been the most valuable guy on his team, but more than a guy like Braun?
Braun has MORE runs, hits, doubles, homers, RBI, walks, steals. Fell .003 points behind in AVG, but .016 better in OBP, .042 in SLG.
I don’t get it either.
By Ray Flowers on Nov 23, 2010
Andrew-
How do you determine “valuable?” That is always the question. There can be ZERO debate that Braun far surpassed Prado, Werth, Posey – and by a significant margin.
The argument for defense is valid, and it is the reason that I chose to select Posey as my ROY and not Heyward:
http://baseballguys.com/2010/10/08/who-is-the-nl-rookie-of-the-year
However, if you want to really lean toward defense, there are very few outfielders that should ever win the award. Defense would also eliminate all pitchers from the voting – not that I have a problem with that mind you.
Oh, and as for Braun not really outhiting Rolen – let’s be honest:
Braun had 5 more homers.
Braun had 20 more RBI.
Braun had 35 more runs.
Braun hit 11 more doubles.
Braun hit .019 points higher.
Braun also produced a .012 better OPS.
He did all over the course of 24 more games.
By Andrew on Nov 23, 2010
Ray
I think there is zero debate that a 3rd baseman or middle infielder is considerably more valuable than a left fielder. How much more varies, but most estimates are in the 10-15 runs per 150 games. Rolen is also one of the best defensive 3rd baseman of his time while Braun is a well below average outfielder.
Given that the differences in position and defense were much greater than the slight differences in their slash lines .285/.358/.497 for Rolen, .304/.365/.501 for Braun (about a 2% difference), and the debate becomes how much of a boost Braun’s extra games played give him. This number is significant, but in the end I’m not sure it is enough to overcome the positional and fielding discrepancies.
The MVP on a per game basis in the NL this year was Troy Tulowitzki and it wasn’t even close. But he missed too much time. I would have given it to Pujols, but Votto was perfectly justifiable.
By Ray Flowers on Nov 23, 2010
Well put Andrew.