As I said yesterday and in my award picks I did not think Morneau deserved the MVP and I thought Derek Jeter did. Well listening to the major culprit Joe Cowley, of the Chicago Sun Times, the man who voted Jeter 6th, speaking on the radio it is blatantly obvious that this man is an idiot and does not deserve a vote.
First I can see how you can look at the statistics and see all of Morneau's RBIs and HRs and average for a team that did not have overpowering offense statistics and vote him first I have no problem with that. I think they're wrong but I'm not gonna call a guy a complete idiot for voting Morneau first. Cowley however is an idiot for several reasons.
1) When asked by Stephen A. Smith how often he saw the Yankees play this season he responded with, how many times did they play the White Sox, 6. Ok so why exactly is a guy who watches the White Sox play everyday yet never watches another baseball game given the right to vote for something that would need a perspective of the whole league.
2) His sole logic for not voting for Jeter was the surrounding line up. Well just to inform him, Arod had a down year, Cano, Sheffield and Matsui missed significant amounts of time and the Yankees were routinely playing Aaron Guiel, Bubba Crosby, and other bums. People who were cut by other organizations. In addition to an unproven rookie Melky Cabrera. Take Jeter out of the lineup and there is a huge difference. Take him off the roster and you've lost tons of clubhouse leadership. Throw in the fact that he had by far the best numbers at Shortstop in the American League.
3) The phrase if you take Jermaine Dye off the White Sox they don't have much. Ludicrous, Konerko and Thome put up monster numbers this year.
4) Frank Thomas & David Ortiz? Ortiz had a great season but Jeter put the nail in Red Sox Coffin during their five game set. Frank Thomas was an above average DH this season and should not have been a thought of being placed ahead of Jeter who plays a valuable position on the field and puts up just as good numbers.
5) He refused to vote for Joe Mauer. The best catcher in all of baseball on a team he captained to having the best ERA and into the playoffs. Completely off the ballot. How? But he did vote for a different catcher...
6) He put AJ Pierzynski on his ballot. When asked why he included in his explanation the fact that he was traded in the package that gave the Twins Nathan, Bonser and Liriano. How does that have anything to do with whether or not he is the MVP of the American League. So if Soriano goes out and has a big time season it should improve Arod's candidacy because they were traded for each other? How about no.
7) This guy voted for Arod, he put Arod on his MVP ballot this year. He gave the same song and dance any player would be happy with Arod's stats. No players that want to win ballgames and want to get hits in a big spot wouldn't. You think David Ortiz would settle for Arod's stats or do you think he'd rather have his 10 walk off hits a year. In addition did he not know that Arod was in the top 3 in all of baseball in the following categories Errors, GIDP, Ks.
This ballot is why these votes lack credibility, he stated blatantly that he watched little to no Yankee games. While it didn't kill Jeter's MVP title its still plain stupid that this guy is allowed to have an opinion that matters. Revoke his vote.
First I can see how you can look at the statistics and see all of Morneau's RBIs and HRs and average for a team that did not have overpowering offense statistics and vote him first I have no problem with that. I think they're wrong but I'm not gonna call a guy a complete idiot for voting Morneau first. Cowley however is an idiot for several reasons.
1) When asked by Stephen A. Smith how often he saw the Yankees play this season he responded with, how many times did they play the White Sox, 6. Ok so why exactly is a guy who watches the White Sox play everyday yet never watches another baseball game given the right to vote for something that would need a perspective of the whole league.
2) His sole logic for not voting for Jeter was the surrounding line up. Well just to inform him, Arod had a down year, Cano, Sheffield and Matsui missed significant amounts of time and the Yankees were routinely playing Aaron Guiel, Bubba Crosby, and other bums. People who were cut by other organizations. In addition to an unproven rookie Melky Cabrera. Take Jeter out of the lineup and there is a huge difference. Take him off the roster and you've lost tons of clubhouse leadership. Throw in the fact that he had by far the best numbers at Shortstop in the American League.
3) The phrase if you take Jermaine Dye off the White Sox they don't have much. Ludicrous, Konerko and Thome put up monster numbers this year.
4) Frank Thomas & David Ortiz? Ortiz had a great season but Jeter put the nail in Red Sox Coffin during their five game set. Frank Thomas was an above average DH this season and should not have been a thought of being placed ahead of Jeter who plays a valuable position on the field and puts up just as good numbers.
5) He refused to vote for Joe Mauer. The best catcher in all of baseball on a team he captained to having the best ERA and into the playoffs. Completely off the ballot. How? But he did vote for a different catcher...
6) He put AJ Pierzynski on his ballot. When asked why he included in his explanation the fact that he was traded in the package that gave the Twins Nathan, Bonser and Liriano. How does that have anything to do with whether or not he is the MVP of the American League. So if Soriano goes out and has a big time season it should improve Arod's candidacy because they were traded for each other? How about no.
7) This guy voted for Arod, he put Arod on his MVP ballot this year. He gave the same song and dance any player would be happy with Arod's stats. No players that want to win ballgames and want to get hits in a big spot wouldn't. You think David Ortiz would settle for Arod's stats or do you think he'd rather have his 10 walk off hits a year. In addition did he not know that Arod was in the top 3 in all of baseball in the following categories Errors, GIDP, Ks.
This ballot is why these votes lack credibility, he stated blatantly that he watched little to no Yankee games. While it didn't kill Jeter's MVP title its still plain stupid that this guy is allowed to have an opinion that matters. Revoke his vote.
Comments
One small correction. The Giants traded Francisco Liriano to the Twins, not Santana.
http://thingsannoyme.blogspot.com/2006/11/joe-cowley-resident-ass.html
Here was my first impression of him:
He walked into the press room, saw that all of the seats were taken, and loudly asked "What are all these hacks doing in here?"
Later, while in Jerry Manuel's office, I had the audacity to ask Manuel a question while Cowley (who was with the Daily Southy at the time, whoopee) was in the room. Cowley nearly had a cow because I had the nerve to speak up and ask a question.
Manuel was the exact opposite. He answered my question and in no way tried to "Big League" me.
Cowley is an A-hole deluxe, in a 4-foot-11 frame. It was all I could do not to haul off an knock his teeth out.
By the way, Joe, this "hack" has won six AP awards since you made a complete ass of yourself in Tucson.