His reasoning cited Young's flexibility and willingness to play wherever there was need after Texas brought in talented Adrian Beltre to play third, the position the long-time Ranger had held the previous two years.
When all was said and done, Young played first and third and everything in between at least once, and did so while producing a career best .338 average and 106 RBI out of the cleanup spot.
Karros is right in saying Young is valuable.
But league MVP? Nah.
Just because Young willingly played wherever the coaching staff needed him, and had a strong offensive year, batting in the thick of a Titanic lineup, doesn't mean he was the most superior to other ballplayers -- or even his own teammates.
Beltre is a plus defensive player at third base and is unique in his ability to field a tough position and hit for power and a high average. Teammate Ian Kinsler is same way defensively at second, and what he lacks in average, he makes up for in speed (30 stolen bases). Then there's Mike Napoli, Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz -- three more Rangers who deserve recognition, too.
You see, the problem with Young is he's one of many good and similarly skilled players on a good team.
That said, Young is a Most Valuable Model Citizen, not MVP.
The Other Candidates
Much in the same way Young and other Rangers are hurt by the strength of the team's sum, so too are other MVP candidates, such as Curtis Granderson of New York, Miguel Cabrera of Detroit and Adrian Gonzalez and Jacoby Ellsbury of Boston.
There's a different limiting factor for another serious contender, Tigers' No. 35.
Justin Verlander pitched ridiculously well (24-5, 2.40 ERA, 250 strikeouts to complete the rare Triple Crown) and merits an unanimous voting for AL Cy Young.
His name appears on the MVP ballot. Other pitchers have won the award.
Even so, a great deal at a retail store doesn't mean you have to make a purchase.
Pitchers already have their own award. The MVP goes to a player.
More specifically, the MVP goes to Toronto's Jose Bautista.
Complimented by very little, Bautista led the majors in home runs (43) and OPS (1.056). His splits heavily favor the first half of the season, but production in the first 81 games of the season is just as important as production in the last 81 games. And unlike the rest of the field, Bautista's best protection was a .250 hitting, .439 slugging Adam Lind.
NL MVP
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| Matt Kemp |
Much in the same vein, in what should be a two person race, Matt Kemp of the Dodgers outranks Ryan Braun of the Brewers as the NL MVP. Even without the assistance of a Sasquatch (Prince Fielder) behind him, Kemp out produced The Hebrew Hammer.
Other Awards
AL Cy Young
Verlander: Duh.
NL Cy Young
Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles: Bests Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee of Philadelphia for the top pitching honor.
His numbers don't lie.
For an inferior Dodgers team, Kershaw accrued more wins (21 vs. 19 and 17) and posted a better strikeout rate (9.57/9 IP vs. 8.47/9 and 9.21/9) and WHIP (.98 vs. 1.04 and 1.03) than either Philly.
AL Rookie of the Year
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| Craig Kimbrel |
Tampa Bay Ray Jeremy Hellickson: Posts 13-10 record and sports nifty 2.95 ERA to lead a thin rookie class.
NL Rookie of the Year
Atlanta Braves Craig Kimbrel: Sets the rookie record for saves (46) and has nasty stuff (14.85 strikeouts per 9 innings), despite blowing numerous chances to reach the postseason down the stretch for the Braves.
AL Manager of the Year
Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay: After losing Carl Crawford to the Boston Red Sox via free agency, Maddon still manages thrifty Rays to postseason.
NL Manager of the Year
Kirk Gibson, Arizona: Crafts his trade at the managerial level, leading a young Diamondbacks team to a playoff berth and NL West title.
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