MLB
Bett on This
This past week, second baseman-turned-win-dance-repeat-outfielder Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox won the MLB AL MVP award. Very well deserved. Not many people can argue the success of Mookie Betts this season. He has been on fire all year, helping his team win a franchise-record 108 wins and a ninth World Series trophy. Mookie helped light up the MLB this year and redefine the outfield position with his speed, defensive ability, batting power, and outfield shows. Does Mookie deserve this?
Season Macho
Mookie was untouchable this season. After batting .346 with 180 hits and 32 homers, and a slash line of .438 OBP/.640 SLG/1.078 OPS+, this was an epic season. No one has had a better WAR than his 10.9 since Bonds in 2002. Mookie even had a 30/30 year (homers/stolen bases). It was incredible. This award goes great next to his batting title, third straight Gold Glove award, and, oh yeah, that 2018 World Series ring. What a year for Mookie. It feels about right that the MVP can actually win in the playoffs for once (shout-outs to Mike Trout, Miguel Cabrera, Clayton Kershaw, and others). Mookie really aided in bringing this Red Sox team to stardom, and his constant reliability was untouched. Batting over .300 in every month but one (in which he hit .290) is a pretty darn good stat to have. Almost forgot, the kid is only 26 years old.
Deserving?
Mookie Betts is the AL MVP. There were 28/30 first-place votes awarded to him. These baseball fanatics can’t be wrong. Yet, I think they got it wrong. The AL MVP this year is not Mookie Betts. Sorry. They also got it wrong on Mike Trout and Jose Ramirez, cause it’s not them either. Nope. The AL MVP this year is Mookie’s friend, J.D. Martinez. How this guy did not even get in the MVP conversation is as confusing a fact as Bryce Harper thinking he is worth more than Mike Trout in a contract. That’s another story. Yet, J.D. was a more deserving MVP than Mookie.
Change Your Betts
Listen, Mookie’s season was unbelievable. No doubt that it wasn’t. Mookie is the best player in baseball right now. However, in terms of MVP, or Most Valuable Player, no player was more valuable this year in the MLB than J.D. Martinez. Check this out: the Red Sox improved by 15 wins to the best record in baseball. They had basically the same team as last year, and the only difference was J.D. coming aboard, along with David Price somehow performing like an ace.
The point is, J.D. came out of the 3rd or cleanup spot in the lineup to drive home Mookie and Andrew Benintendi or Xander Boegarts day in and day out. Just look at his 130 RBIs (50 more than Mookie!), his 43 homers (11 more), his 188 hits, and his .330 AVG. He was in talks all year to possibly winning the Triple Crown. The only difference between J.D. and Mookie being better is Mookie’s speed and defensive abilities, and also how Mookie deserved this award two years ago. The guy seemed like every hit was a bomb and he was clearly the best hitter in baseball. Again, if it weren’t for J.D. take those 15 wins away and the Red Sox would probably be in a different situation right now. So, J.D. is my MVP.
Let’s not forget that fact that Mookie played like nothing in the playoffs. His .210 batting average with only 13 hits and 1 homer were not what you would expect from an MVP. Mookie was no where to be found in the playoffs, probably too busy working on his poses. On the other hand, Martinez batted .300 and put up 15 hits and 3 homers with 14 RBIs compared to Mookie’s 4 RBIs. Ouch. Those postseason blues for Mookie. I am just saying, J.D. at least continued into the playoffs to help the Red Sox win.
Voting for Betts
Even though I am against Mookie’s MVP award, out of the three finalists, he deserved it the most. He led the league in WAR, runs (tied), batting average, and slugging. So, you can vote for betting and make it legal cause Mookie Betts is in the spotlight and we are all going to be going betting next year. That’s a pun. Congrats Mookie. You deserve this award on a best player stance. No one in baseball is a better player than you right now. Coming out of the leadoff spot, you have brought an amazing talent to baseball that is unmatched. Here’s to next year.
Photo credit to Ian D’Andrea via Flickr
