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David Schoenfield wrote an article about the different types of players that have won MVPs over the years and who he thinks deserves MVP:
http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/ ... -mvp-races

Bautista once had a commanding lead, but Pedroia has been closing ground. According to FanGraphs, Bautista’s WAR is 6.9, Pedroia’s 6.8, not enough to sneeze over. Ellsbury ranks third to those in both rankings, although about a win behind in both cases. Why does Pedroia rate so high? His defense rates as superb, second-best in the AL in runs saved to Brett Gardner under FanGraphs and fifth-best under B-R (which also rates Gardner first).

Who do you guys think are leading the MVP races right now?

Unfortunately I don't think Bautista is going to be able to win it. The writers are just too disinclined to give it to a guy on a non-playoff team, and too disinterested in the Jays to give the team such a major award, especially now that a couple other guys have closed the gap.

Pedroia, Ellsbury, Granderson are all having MVP type seasons.

But it's not even close in my opinion. Bautista's offensive numbers are ridiculous.

Yeah if Bautista holds his OPS lead I see them going for him. I also think Pedroia, Ellsbury and Gonzalez all being on one team would split votes.

Boston has 5 of the top 9 OPS leaders in the American League. Gonzalez, Ortiz, Pedroia, Youkilis, and Ellsbury all have OPS's between .886 and .986. Is that something or what? It should also highlight that none of those players individually are more valuable to Boston than Bautista is to Toronto, especially with Bau's current 1.121 OPS.

Granderson also deserves a lot of attention. That being said, aside from playing on a much better team, Bautista should have him beat. Granderson has about 50 more Ks than Bau and about 35 less BBs than while also having an OPS that's about .180 points below our own superstar.

Still, even with the statistical advantage, Bautista will have a hard time winning MVP on a .500 club, especially when his main competitors play in baseball havens like Boston and New York.

Carlos Delgado won MVP on a non-playoff sub-par Toronto Blue Jays team.....

then soon after while still on a sub-par Blue Jays team, he had an even better season where he should have won but it went to A-Rod.... was a lot of controversy about it

number15 wrote:Carlos Delgado won MVP on a non-playoff sub-par Toronto Blue Jays team.....

then soon after while still on a sub-par Blue Jays team, he had an even better season where he should have won but it went to A-Rod.... was a lot of controversy about it

Huh? Delgado's MVP peak was 2nd in the A Rod season

Media has already crowned A-Gon as the MVP.

TorontoRaptures wrote:Boston has 5 of the top 9 OPS leaders in the American League. Gonzalez, Ortiz, Pedroia, Youkilis, and Ellsbury all have OPS's between .886 and .986. Is that something or what? It should also highlight that none of those players individually are more valuable to Boston than Bautista is to Toronto, especially with Bau's current 1.121 OPS.

This.

It's called the MVP for a reason (and not the Best Player Award).