National League MVP -- Final Answer?

All anyone has to do is look at the home/road splits for every Rockies hitter to see that you're wrong.

 

Fixed.

 

Nice to know the MVP is apparently determined by the last game of the season. By that logic, Bucky Dent should have been the 1978 MVP.

I know it's not a fair comparison, and I'm not saying Rollins or Holliday aren't deserving, but it's amazing to see how myopic everyone is about giving too much weight to the final weekend vs. the whole season.

 

OPS+ (which adjust for park effects)

Holliday 150
Rollins 120
Howard 145
Fielder 157
Utley 147
Pujols (because he's still the best player in the game) 158

Rollins gets bonus points for playing shortstop and the 41-for-47 in steals. But is that enough to make up the gaping difference in production? Not to me.

 

It definitely is for me. Defense is typically way undervalued come awards time, though. J-Roll also gets points for being the team's clubhouse leader and not missing a game all season. My second choice is Fielder, anyway.

 

J-Roll put up those numbers batting lead-off for the Phillies for 140 or so games in the season. That kind of production is uncanny.

 

Read my whole post, fanboy. I agreed that both parks give up a lot of home runs. But breaking balls still don't break nearly as well at Coors Field as they do anywhere else in the majors and Coors Field is not a bandbox. You have to cover a huge outfield and the ball carries. At least a small park like Citizens Bank has less room for hits to drop in.

Both hitters got a boost in their power numbers at home, but Coors Field also gives Holliday a big boost in average.

 

Who was the last lead-off hitter to win MVP? It always goes to middle of the line-up batters since they usually put up the best production. Howard, Pujols, Bonds, etc.

 

Touche. 603-252-2827

On that note, Rollins stole 2 bases in the 1st inning and scored the 1st run that sparked the Phils to the 6-1 win to clinch.

My vote is Rollins.

 

Ichiro (2001), and Rickey Henderson (1990) before that.

 

I just looked this up. 27 of the last 29 MVPs have been 3, 4 or 5 hitters. (Ichiro hit leadoff in 01 and Pudge No. 2 in 99). If Rollins was such a valuable hitter, why wasn't he hitting 3rd or 4th instead of Utley and Howard? Because he's not as good as those guys ... that's why.

J-Roll is great. I love him. I wouldn't be offended if he won, but for me, it's Holliday. And it was before Monday.