DENVER—The biggest joke about the American League MVP vote was all the moaning and groaning about the results.
The Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera is the 2012 AL MVP. The Angels’ Mike Trout is the runner-up.
That’s no disgrace. Trout’s in high cotton, too. Cabrera, however, won the award. And the final tally was decisive, with Cabrera outpointing Trout 362-281.
Among the most vocal critics was Keith Law of ESPN, a one-time analyst in the Blue Jays front office who now is quick to proclaim his admiration for scouts and their ability to unearth raw talent. Of course in his new job he needs to curry the favor of scouts so he can benefit from their evaluations of young and amateur talent.
Not only was Law the only voter to put Vazquez on the ballot, but he also was one of two voters (of the 32 who voted for NL Cy Young) who didn’t have Carpenter on his ballot. Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus was the other, and he voted for Wainwright, Lincecum and Dan Haren.
Carpenter, who was released by the Blue Jays after the 2002 season by the J.P. Ricciardi administration of which Law was a part, is no Javier Vazquez. He does, however, have a 1-2-3 Cy Young Award ledger, winning the award in 2005, finishing third in 2006 and finishing second in 2009.
More reasons to dislike ESPN’s Keith Law.
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1. I Am Not a Number Posted: December 05, 2012 at 07:31 AM (#4317383)Only if you're a horse trainer.
A BBWAA writer trying to keep a BBWAA award in the news? I'm shocked. I can't blame him, as even thinking baseball fans have shown that they will gladly take the bait time and time again.
Isn't that who baseball players use?
Actually, that would underscore the notion that voters are functionally illiterate, as the meaning of the word "value" in the context of the MVP ballot is specifically outlined on the MVP ballot:
Ringolsby's not being sarcastic - he's made it clear in the past this is exactly what he means.
This is a petty and pointless thing to bring up.
So you're accusing me of being easy to bait into an argument long after the argument was interesting and newsworthy?
D'oh! Guilty as charged. I'm a nitpicker and a loudmouth who has an obsessive need to get the last word in. It's no wonder I like writing!
And now you have your new handle
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