What Does MVP Really Mean in MLB?

MVP is supposed to stand for Most Valuable Player. Is that really what it stands for in Major League Baseball? I'm not so sure. The AL and NL winners were announced this week. Were the correct choices? Let's examine it.

I will take a look at the less controversial NL MVP decision first. This was really a two horse race between Milwawkee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun and Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp. Here is what both players did during the regular season:

Braun led the NL in slugging percentage (.597) and extra base hits (77). He had a chance to pass Jose Reyes to win the batting title as well [Don't get me started on what a tool Reyes is (he took himself out of the Mets' final game of the season so he couldn't lose the title)]. Braun finished with a .332 average, 33 home runs, 111 RBIs, 109 runs scored, and 33 stolen bases.

Kemp led the NL in home runs (39) and RBIs (126). Additionally, he had a .324 average, 115 runs scored, and 40 stolen bases. He also won a Gold Glove.

If you look strictly at the numbers, Kemp appears to have the edge. But then you have to consider the unwritten rule that the MVP winner has to play for a playoff team. Braun led the Brewers to a franchise-best 96 wins and their first division title in nearly 30 years. Kemp played on a Dodgers team that had an up-and-down-filled season that ended in a third place finish in the NL West. When Braun was asked about this he replied, "Without a doubt I think it's a drastically different experience playing meaningful games down the stretch." Based on his numbers and importance to the Brewers, I believe that Braun was the proper choice for NL MVP.

Now, it is time to discuss the controversial AL MVP decision. There were five top candidates that emerged from the voting. Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera had a great season, but couldn't be considered as the best player on his team. Jose Bautista had a strong season as well, but his Blue Jays didn't come close to making the playoffs, which cost him. Let's look at the other three candidates in more depth:

AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander had one of the most dominant seasons a pitcher has had in a long time. Verlander won the AL's pitching triple crown, finishing the regular season with a record of 24-5, a 2.40 ERA, and 250 strikeouts. That is the most wins for a major league pitcher since Bob Welch won 27 games in 1990. Verlander also had a no-hitter on May 7.

New York Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson helped lead his team to an AL best 97 wins. Granderson stepped up early in the season when injuries and struggling bats plagued his team. He finished with a .262 average, 41 home runs, 119 RBIs, 136 runs scored, and 25 stolen bases.

Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was an anchor in the lineup. At times, Ellsbury was the only player you could rely on to produce for them. He finished with a .321 average, 32 home runs, 105 RBIs, and 119 runs scored, and 39 stolen bases.

Let's compare the two outfielders first. Granderson was more of a power guy, while Ellsbury displayed great average and speed. Ellsbury was also a superior defensive player. Granderson's Yankees had the best record in the AL, while Ellsbury's Red Sox had one of the worst collapses in sports history to miss the playoffs. However, upon further examination Ellsbury did the best he could to not let that happen. He hit for a .358 average and 8 home runs in September.

So how does Justin Verlander compare to hitters? I mean he dominated them all season, but how do the numbers compare. While Verlander's numbers are some of the best for a pitcher in a long time, he was left off one voter's ballot all together. That voter was Jim Ingraham, a writer for The News-Herald a northern Ohio Newspaper. When asked to defend his decision Ingraham had this to say:

"I'd wrestled with this for a long time. If I was ever going to vote for pitcher for MVP, it would be him this year."

"He hasn't appeared in 79 percent of their games, any starting pitcher really doesn't appear in 79 percent of his team's games in a year."

"Would you vote for an NFL quarterback for MVP if he only appeared in three of his team's 16 games, which would be 21 percent? So that's part of it. Another part of it is I think they're apples and oranges. The guys that are in there every day, there's a grind to a season that a starting pitcher doesn't, I don't think, experience the way the everyday position players do playing 150, 160 games."

By not putting Verlander on his ballot, Ingraham was trying to make a point. While I wouldn't have thought to leave Verlander of my ballot, I appreciate Ingraham's audacity. I fully agree with his argument. Verlander played in about 1/5 of the Tigers games. He could not be the MVP of 4/5 of their games. That is simply to much to ignore. Jacoby Ellsbury was the glue that held the Boston Red Sox together this season. While everyone will remember the team's historic collapse and all the fallout from it, they should also remember Ellsbury's career year. In my opinion, he should have been this year's AL MVP.