MVP Voting, If The Season Ended Today

[Mudville]

In the past two years Trout was on Cabreras tail for the MVP and although the argument was settled by the hardware being given to Miggy, the question now is: Has Trout earned the MVP this season?

 

Altuve leads the AL in batting average, hits and stolen bases while posting a pretty impressive .817 OPS for a guy that is a Hobbit. He gets a 3.3 WAR from Fangraphs although seeing him play he seems to be a better player than that in overall contribution on a crappy team. We have all learned crappy teams that don't make the playoffs means no MVP.

 

Jose Abreu is leading the league in slugging, OPS, RBI and home runs. He is the new MIggy slugging his way to the top and looking to polish a ROY plaque of his own by doing what is sexy, hitting the long ball. He currently is rocking a 4.1 oWAR and looks to be a serious MVP contender if the Sox could only drag their asses out of 4th place in a blah division.

 

Miggy in the meantime is putting up a good year with his OPS in the 890 range but he is leading the league in previous MVP awards and that is about it. Even though his Tigers are riding in first place he is the second most productive player on his team. There just doesn't seem to be a Threepeat in his future.

 

There may be a few more names being excluded, simply because I am lazy and no one reads more than 5 paragraphs without posting a pic of Homer saying Boring. So the floor is up to you guys, how is it really that Trout would be an undisputed MVP this season when he doesn't lead the league in anything? Please, no shortcuts and show your work.

 

 

 

[Stradling]

I am going to take a short cut and just say because he is amongst the lead leaders in all of those categories as well as being a 6 WAR with 10 weeks to go in the season.

[Angels]

Trout has a 173 wRC+ which is tops in all of baseball.

He's also leading the majors in WAR for the third straight year.

What more do you need?

[Kendo36]

Leading in extra base hits as well.

[Mudville]

Trout has a 173 wRC+ which is tops in all of baseball.

He's also leading the majors in WAR for the third straight year.

What more do you need?

That ment nothing in 2012-2013. Also I said no shortcuts, posting a Stat doesn't really say MVP. Edited August 1, 2014 by Mudville

[nando714]

Trout AL

Kershaw NL

If the season ended now

Short cuts just like the people who vote

Edited August 1, 2014 by nando714

[Cdaniel]

Tiger fans say he wins it because Trout is white.

[Angels]

You want someone to explain why Trout deserves to win MVP without posting numbers? And in this case, the most prevalent ones?

You bring up OPS for other players but that isn't even league or park adjusted plus it doesn't do a good job of measuring a player's total offensive value.

And why does a player need to lead the league in a basic stat to show ones MVPness?

Edited August 1, 2014 by Angels

[Ohtaniland]

[bloodbrother]

The reason he'll finally be MVP is simple...Angels are winning.

[Angel Oracle]

Trout, and unlike Kershaw in the NL, no pitcher in the AL (including Felix and Sale) has good enough numbers or good enough individual team record to match Trout, although Kazmir may get some serious votes.

And the Halos are winning more than in 2012, and much more than in 2013.

[Troll Daddy]

It's Trouts to lose. Trout is clearly the favorite but he still has work to do.

[Jay]

What more do you need?

 

Need to stop striking out.

 

 

 

But seriously Trout is a shoo-in for MVP.

[LAAMike]

I do not think that Trout is a shoo-in.  Adam Jones and Nelson Cruz (if they get hot) could give him a run for it.  I still think that Abreu is the leader at this point.  Most MVP voters are not into WAR as much as the posters on this board - at least that is what we have seen the last few years. 

[Docwaukee]

who leads the league in RBI

[Ohtaniland]

who leads the league in RBI

 

Jose Abreu is leading the league in slugging, OPS, RBI and home runs.

[Angel Oracle]

The ChiSox are treading .500 waters though.

If it impacted Trout in 2013, why wouldn't it impact Abreu in 2014?

That being said, the ChiSox signed on to gold hitting with Abreu, one of the reasons for their big improvement from 2013.

We are doing all we can for Adam Jones' candidacy, though.

Edited August 1, 2014 by Angel Oracle

[JAHV76]

Jeter will win MVP and go out on top.

[Ohtaniland]

The ChiSox are treading .500 waters though.

If it impacted Trout in 2013, why wouldn't it impact Abreu in 2014?

That being said, the ChiSox signed on to gold hitting with Abreu, one of the reasons for their big improvement from 2013.

We are doing all we can for Adam Jones' candidacy, though.

 

Abreu is producing more for the Chisox than Pujols and Hamilton are combined.

[70runner]

Trout at ASB was easily the MVP.  He was leading a juggernaut offense and the Angels were hammering teams. 

 

Since the ASB, quite a different story.  Trout has become mere mortal, with a disturbing strikeout rate.  Angels are playing tough competition and getting mixed results.  As a result, other top guys are now back in the picture...Abreu for ex, perhaps Jones (against the Angels he IS the MVP), Cabrera.

Edited August 1, 2014 by 70runner

[gurn67]

Jeter will win MVP and go out on top.

I didn't know they were letting the guys in Bristol vote this year.

[Docwaukee]

who leads the league in RBI

[T.G.]

This thread needs some input from some Tiger fans to make it more entertaining.

[Mudville]

You want someone to explain why Trout deserves to win MVP without posting numbers? And in this case, the most prevalent ones?

You bring up OPS for other players but that isn't even league or park adjusted plus it doesn't do a good job of measuring a player's total offensive value.

And why does a player need to lead the league in a basic stat to show ones MVPness?

OK answer to question one and two, I told you in the Op no shorthand answers. The guidelines for MVP voting are not a Stat line in and of itself. It is lazy thinking that pulling the best singular Stat is justification.

I brought other players into the conversation as simply examples of other choices. What information given is not to declare them superior candidates but players also in consideration.

Your last question is back to wanting any singular Stat to trump all arguments, in this case your Stat of choice. But the MVP is not chosen by one Stat. So, what can you tell us about Trout that clearly separates him from the rest of the field?

Edited August 2, 2014 by Mudville

[Angels]

I'm not sure what your definition of MVP is or what you look at...but baseball is a numbers game. Players are judged by their numbers/results. Numbers are all that matter here.

While it isn't perfect...I think WAR does a pretty good job of summarizing a player's total contributions. And total value. And it's certainly way better than looking at isolated stats like HRs or RBIs or BA (especially with ZERO context) and to foolishly use that to conclude who should be in the running for MVP.

To me, MVP means best player in the league. And baseball is a numbers game. And there are many ways a player can contribute to his team. And WAR does a good job of combining all of those things together. Again, it's not perfect. It's impossible for it to be perfect. But overall, I think it does a good job of trying to do what it's intended to.

You're looking for an explanation that doesn't include numbers/stats and that's silly considering numbers are all that matter.

I already brought up that Trout has been the best offensive player in baseball according to wRC+ and the best overall player according to WAR and you dismiss that. Those stats paint a far more telling picture than any you used in your initial post.