There was an
article in yesterday's *Daily News* by John Harper about the AL MVP race, describing the candidates (Ramirez, his teammate David Ortiz, Guerrero and Sheffield). <p>He says that West Coast writers note that Guerrero hasn't had a big second half and doesn't seem to get many big hits that win games, so that probably cancels him out.<p>Ortiz and Ramirez probably cancel each other out too, though both are raking.<p>I'm no fan of Sheffield's (I think he's a petulant, self-absorbed malcontent who for some reason has subsumed those personality traits so far this year and played in what is apparently tremendous pain), but even I have to concede he has been the most valuable player on the Yankees. Without him, the Yankees would have had a significantly weaker offense this year, as absurd as that statement sounds on its merits. He has had clutch hit after clutch hit and has excelled on defense (5 errors this year in 266 total chances).<p>Rodriguez has had a great year for most third basemen offensively and defensively (as you said, he has 27 stolen bases and only 4 caught stealings to go with only 13 errors), but he hasn't had a great year by his standards. If writers around the league confer with New York writers, the former group will find that Rodriguez hasn't had nearly as many clutch hits as Sheffield and weigh that accordingly.<p>I have a hunch, though, that Ramirez might get the award at least partly because of his outstanding seasons with Cleveland in the past in which he wasn't recognized--to go with the amazing numbers he has put up this year.<p>I would say if it isn't Ramirez, it will be Sheffield who wins.<p>Peter Gammons has
made the case for Mariano Rivera as MVP. Rivera does have 50 saves and has been as automatic as ever, but it's pretty rare for a pitcher to get the MVP.<p>[ September 24, 2004: Message edited by: wordygurdy ]</p>