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October 4, 2009

On the Beat

Final Weekend Update

by John Perrotto

All the stretch-run races for post-season slots but one are settled on the regular season's final day today, as the Tigers will try to avoid an epic collapse after blowing a three-game lead to the Twins in the last three days to fall into a tie for the American League Central lead. Besides watching the Tigers host the White Sox and the Twins host the Royals in what could be the last game in the Metrodome, the only thing left to ponder is the race for the individual awards:

Here is how one baseball writer's ballot would look if he were privileged enough to vote on all eight of the Baseball Writers Association of America's major awards:

• NL Most Valuable Player: Albert Pujols, Cardinals. Did you really expect it to be anyone else? Pujols has accomplished just about everything in his nine-year career but becoming the first major leaguer to accomplish a triple crown since Carl Yastrzemski for the 1967 Red Sox. However, Pujols has pulled off a Baseball Prospectus triple crown this season, as he will finish as the NL leader in VORP, EqA and WARP1.
  The rest of the ballot—2: Hanley Ramirez, Marlins; 3: Adrian Gonzalez, Padres; 4: Chase Utley, Phillies; 5: Matt Kemp, Dodgers; 6: Derrek Lee, Cubs; 7: Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies; 8: Prince Fielder, Brewers; 9: Pablo Sandoval, Giants; 10: Yunel Escobar, Braves

• AL Most Valuable Player: Joe Mauer, Twins. He continues to disprove the theory that he needs to be moved from behind the plate in order to live up to his hitting potential. Even though he missed the first month of the season with a lower back injury, he will lead the AL in VORP and EqA and finish second in WARP1. That this is being done by a catcher is amazing.
  The rest of the ballot—2: Derek Jeter, Yankees; 3: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers; 4: Ben Zobrist, Rays; 5: Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox; 6: Mark Teixeira, Yankees; 7: Shin-Soo Choo, Indians; 8: Jason Bay, Red Sox; 9: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees; 10: Chone Figgins, Angels

• NL Cy Young Award: Tim Lincecum, Giants. This is an extremely tough race to call with three very deserving candidates who have statistics that are very similar. In the end, the slightest of nods goes to Lincecum because he was the ace of the staff of a team that contended deep into September with an offense so bad that "popgun" might be too kind of an adjective to describe it.
  The rest of the ballot—2: Chris Carpenter, Cardinals; 3: Adam Wainwright, Cardinals

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