Did Roger Clemens give you permission to do this?

2008 AL MVP.

Love the vote for Jason Bartlett, a player with 48 runs scored and 37 runs batted in. That's for the entire season, and he wasn't a pitcher.

Them		Us
Dustin Pedroia	317	Dustin Pedroia	20
Justin Morneau	257	Josh Hamilton	19
Kevin Youkilis	201	Justin Morneau	16
Joe Mauer	188	Kevin Youkilis	12
Carlos Quentin	160	Carlos Quentin	6
Francisco Rodriguez	143	Miguel Cabrera	4
Josh Hamilton	112	Alex Rodriguez	4
Alex Rodriguez	45	Joe Mauer	3
Carlos Pena	44
Grady Sizemore	42
Evan Longoria	38
Cliff Lee	24
Miguel Cabrera	17
Vladimir Guerrero	16
Jermaine Dye	14
Aubrey Huff	12
Milton Bradley	9
Jason Bartlett	6
Mike Mussina	3
Raul Ibanez	1
Ian Kinsler	1
Ichiro Suzuki	1
Mark Teixeira	1

Fielding Statistics.

"But Abreu will be 35 when next season starts and his range in right field has become glacial. The video scouts at Baseball Info Solutions charted every play this season. On six occasions, Abreu allowed a ball to deflect off the wall over his head, allowing a runner (or runners) to take extra bases. That was tied with overrated Pirates center fielder Nate McLouth for the most in baseball."

Right field at Yankee Stadium compared to center field at PNC Park.

314 feet compared to 590 feet.

It was Pettitte or me.

"Country singer Mindy McCready claims she broke off her relationship with Roger Clemens when the former baseball star wouldn’t marry her ..."

I think Pedroia will win AL MVP.

I think Youkilis will be second.

I didn't do much research. Just a hunch.

According to Tom Singer, the favorites are Francisco Rodriguez and Josh Hamilton.

I think one of these so-called "favorites" will not crack the top five.

As for the lunacy of Rodriguez's MVP qualifications:

"K-Rod had a hand -- or, rather, a right arm -- in almost two out of every three Angels wins."

Pedroia scored 118 runs and played in almost every game.


"His record of 62 saves wasn't the result of greater use -- he appeared in a similar number of games each of the prior four seasons."
We agree. It was just a statistical fluke because his team happened to play in a lot of close games. His save% was under 90%, if I remember correctly.

"Rather, as manager Mike Scioscia pointed out, it was owed to the amazing number of situations begging for his specialty that presented themselves."

Statistical fluke.


"The Angels won 63 games by one or two runs; K-Rod saved 51 of them, and he picked up the victory in two others."

No mention of the blown saves or the losses.


"No one else in the league, obviously, has directly affected as many team wins."

Dustin Pedroia scored 118 runs and played in almost every game.

"By definition, no one else has been as valuable."

True.

Except for Pedroia, Youkilis, Hamilton, A-Rod, Mariano, Mussina, Mauer, Morneau, Sizemore, Bradley, Kinsler, Ordonez, Cabrera, Quentin, and probably Carlos Pena, too.

2008 NL MVP.

Wow.

Not much divergence this year in the "Them vs. Us" awards voting.

Them		Us
Albert Pujols	369	Albert Pujols	32
Ryan Howard	308	Ryan Howard	28
Ryan Braun	139	Lance Berkman	6
Manny Ramirez	138	Ryan Braun	6
Lance Berkman	126	Manny Ramirez	5
CC Sabathia	121	David Wright	5
David Wright	115	Chipper Jones	3
Brad Lidge	104	Hanley Ramirez	3
Carlos Delgado	96	Matt Holliday	2
Aramis Ramirez	66	Jose Reyes	1
Hanley Ramirez	55
Chipper Jones	44
Geovany Soto	41
Johan Santana	30
Chase Utley	30
Ryan Ludwick	17
Brandon Webb	14
Adrian Gonzalez	13
Matt Holliday	13
Prince Fielder	11
Derrek Lee	10
Carlos Beltran	10
Tim Lincecum	9
Jose Reyes	3
Jose Valverde	3
Stephen Drew	2
Nate McClouth	1

Peter Gammons uses the word "juxtapose."

"Yet the logic behind Hank Steinbrenner's announcement of the offer could be to scare others away.

But scaring people won't happen. Sabathia is in no rush. He went to a high school football game outside Houston on Saturday with Adam Dunn, Orlando Hudson and other friends. And whether Steinbrenner realizes it or not, Sabathia will give the West Coast teams every opportunity to make him an offer that his family lifestyle cannot refuse. Signing him will take a while.

Sabathia is fascinated by the Dodgers and the Angels, and knowing the Dodgers are in it offers him the chance to make due diligence on his opportunities for his financial and familial futures. It's clear this weekend, as he relaxes with friends, that he isn't stirred up by the immediate frenzy."

After reading this, I'm even more convinced that Sabathia will be a Yankee.

My bold prediction.

CC will sign with the Yankees.

2008 AL Cy Young.

Them		Us
Cliff Lee	132	Cliff Lee	44
Roy Halladay	71	Roy Halladay	18
Francisco Rodriguez	32	Francisco Rodriguez	9
Daisuke Matsuzaka	10	Mike Mussina	7
Mariano Rivera	3	Daisuke Matsuzaka	5
Mike Mussina	2	Mariano Rivera	3
Ervin Santana	2	Joe Nathan	1
		Ervin Santana	1

2008 NL Cy Young.

Them		Us
Tim Lincecum	137	Tim Lincecum	33
Brandon Webb	73	Johan Santana	20
Johan Santana	55	Brandon Webb	20
Brad Lidge	10	CC Sabathia	15
CC Sabathia	9	Ryan Dempster	2
Ryan Dempster	4	Eric Gagne	1

Compare and Contrast, Election Edition.

Harry Carson, Giants Hall of Famer:

"I voted for Barack Obama at 7:30 this morning. ... I've always taken voting seriously because people died to give me the right to vote."

Chris (Mad Dog) Russo, Sirius XM sports radio:

"I voted for McCain. Tough call. Eenie-meenie-miney-moe thing."

Errr ...

How about no?