The MVP is stupid/why do these people have jobs continues

Except for Dayn Perry and a few other exceptions, people just don't seem to understand that you don't have to have good teammates to be valuable.

Gordon Edes is the latest in idiots with jobs who don't get it:

Multiple options for AL MVP

There are always multiple options for MVP. Doesn't mean there are multiple good options.

The most striking aspect of the race for Most Valuable Player in the American League is the absence of the usual suspects.

Of the players who finished in the top five in voting over the last five years, only Justin Morneau of the Twins, the 2006 MVP, figures to have any chance of cracking the top five in 2008.

I'm not going to take the time to look up the top 5 vote getters for the last few years, but I'll bet Morneau is not the most deserving candidate of the bunch. For one, Alex Rodriguez is still better even in an off year.

Alex Rodriguez, a three-time winner over the last five seasons and 2002 runner-up? No shot, not with the Yankees all but certain of missing the postseason and A-Rod’s impressive stat line proving hollow under closer inspection: e.g., .255 batting average with runners in scoring position, and only 18 of Bill James’ Win Shares, his fewest since he had 22 in 1997 and less than half the 37 he had for the Yankees in 2007.

So he's still more valuable that Morneau, but his teammates are not. There's still a month to go so he'll probably end up with 25 win shares or so - not bad at all. Of the other 'usual suspects' Ortiz missed a good chunk of time, Manny is in the NL, and a slew of guys who either got old, moved to the NL, or really didn't deserve it in the first place.

Boston’s David Ortiz had five top-five finishes in the last five seasons, but he missed two months with a wrist injury this season and has been eclipsed by Red Sox teammates Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia. Vladimir Guerrero of the Angels was a top-five finisher three times in the last five years, but while a big finishing kick may enable him to have another 30-homer, 100-RBI season, it’s likely to go overlooked with Los Angeles holding a double-digit lead in the AL West.

When Guerrero doesn't win the MVP, it won't be because his team has a double digit lead in the West. It will be because he has not had a great year.

Magglio Ordonez, Gary Sheffield, Derek Jeter, Mike Lowell, Manny Ramirez, Miguel Tejada? All out of award talk conversation this season, as Ramirez and Tejada are now plying their trade in the National League and the others having seasons that either don’t measure up to their past excellence, or have come for also-rans.

Only Ramirez was a legitimate perrenial MVP candidate, but still: Lifetime AL MVP awards:

Ramirez: 0
The rest of the guys on that list: 1

So, without the old reliables, how to sort the AL field as the regular season enters its final month ? Here’s our guide to tracking the race:

• Carlos Quentin, Jermaine Dye, White Sox: Quentin’s breakout season after coming from Arizona makes him the favorite at this stage. He has 14 home runs since the break, most in the majors, and is on pace to hit 43, which would be third-most in franchise history. Thirteen of his 36 home runs have also come in the seventh inning or later, and he began play Tuesday with a .311 average with runners in scoring position. Dye, who was fifth in 2006, could siphon some votes, but if the White Sox qualify for the postseason and Quentin finishes strong, this will be his race to lose.

Quentin is a good candidate, but not as good as Sizemore, ARod, Bradley, Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Pedroia, Kinsler, or Huff.

• Josh Hamilton, Milton Bradley, Rangers: Hamilton had it all going at midseason: 95 RBIs in 93 games, 21 home runs, an other-worldly show at the All-Star home run derby, redemptive bio line. But Hamilton has faded along with the Rangers. A .243 average with five home runs and 13 RBIs in August finished him off. Bradley has had a marvelous season, leading the league in on-base percentage and slugging percentage and probably will vault ahead of Hamilton on the ballot, but Bradley will fall victim to voter bias against designated hitters, and Texas’ mediocrity.

Hamilton is not a good candidate, and Bradley isn't a great one despite being a great hitter since he is a DH.

• Francisco Rodriguez, Angels: K-Rod will likely break Bobby Thigpen’s record of 57 saves in a season, which will make him an attractive choice for voters looking to justify L.A.’s runaway in the West. There is precedent, of course, for a closer to win MVP: Eric Gagne of the Dodgers (NL, 2003), Dennis Eckersley of the Athletics (AL, 1992) and Willie Hernandez of the Tigers (AL, 1984). But it’s worth noting that K-Rod, who has 53 saves in 58 chances, has had 17 more opportunities than Minnesota’s Joe Nathan (41 saves) and 19 more chances than Boston’s Jonathan Papelbon (35 saves). He trails in other key relief stats, such as opponents’ batting average and Ks per nine innings. Still, he figures to draw support.

First of all, Gagne was never even close to winning the MVP in 2003, he was 6th with 0 first place votes. Maybe he's confusing the Cy Young with the MVP? Second Eck and Willie were a lot better than Rodriguez. Rodriguez should get some kind of award for willing his team to play so many close games - oh wait, thats because they really aren't that good of a team.

• Carlos Pena, Rays: The usual refrain regarding the Rays is that they’re a division leader without an MVP candidate. No one on the Rays is hitting .300, has 30 home runs, or 90 RBIs. Rookie Evan Longoria might have made some noise, but he fractured his wrist and has missed the last month. Rays manager Joe Maddon often points to shortstop Jason Bartlett, who hit .389 in August and has been steady afield, as the most reliable component on baseball’s most surprising team. But Pena, last year’s comeback player of the year, could force his way to the top of the ballot if he continues to play the way he has since the break. Pena, who got off to a slow start, has 13 home runs and 37 RBIs since mid-July, with nine HRs and 29 RBIs coming in August, when the Rays, despite missing Longoria, Carl Crawford and Troy Percival, won a franchise-record 21 games.

Now he's just looking at good teams and assuming they must have a standout player - they don't. Pena was a much better candidate last year than he is this year. Last year he was 9th. The Rays have lots of good players (especially pitchers) that have put them in first, but no one who would even be considered if they were on any other team. To even consider any Ray for the award is stupid.

• Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox: Youkilis has hit in seven different spots in the Sox lineup, including cleanup during Ortiz’s extended absence, and has hit .300 or better in each of the season’s first five months. The Red Sox first baseman, who also seamlessly moved to third when the Sox needed him to replace the injured Lowell, is on pace to hit 30 home runs and drive in 100 runs, obliterating previous career highs of 16 and 83. He also has hit .359 with two outs and runners in scoring position. But second baseman Pedroia, last season’s rookie of the year, just took over the league lead in batting average and is having a historic season: He is just one of four second basemen to have 180 hits, 100 runs, 40 doubles and 15 home runs in a season. He also scored 33 runs in August, most for a Sox player in the month since 1950. If the Red Sox overtake the Rays and win the division, either player could become the first Boston player to win the MVP since Mo Vaughn in 1995.

None of these are good arguments except for Youk being versatile. Coincidental counting stats are the stupidest reason to vote for someone, but it won Rollins the award a year ago. Both players are good, but not great candidates right now, but why should the Sox overtaking the Rays have any impact on one of these guys winning the award? They are not going to do it all by themself. Now, if one goes on an absolute tear and hits .500 with 15 homers or something like that in September, that's a different story. But doing so would put them into the player with the best season conversation as well.

• Morneau, Joe Mauer, Twins: Of Morneau’s 108 RBIs this season, 43 have come with two outs, and 40 have come in the first 42 games since the All-Star break. Mauer, meanwhile, has an OPS (.856) 100 percentage points higher than any other catcher (the White Sox’ A.J. Pierzynski is second) and could win a batting title, which would make him tough to ignore.

Why does the batting title have anything to do with anything? Why are RBIs after the All Star game more important than before it? Why are RBIs with 2 outs better than RBIs with 1 out or no outs? Better yet, why are RBIs important at all?

Others who will get votes: Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, Indians; Ian Kinsler, Rangers; Aubrey Huff, Orioles; Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners.

The two best players in the league didn't make the article until the last sentence. But I consider the last three words here to be clear undeniable proof that this guy has no business writing about baseball.

Ichiro should never be considered an MVP candidate because he does not hit for enough power to be a large run producer, but the suggestion that he should get votes THIS YEAR is beyond ridiculous. This has been his worst year, he's slugging and abysmal .384, his OPS+ is a pedestrian 102, he has 27 extra base hits, he's not the best player on his team, and his team is the worst in the AL. The guy spent the whole article only discussing players on winning teams, and he closes it by saying a guy who is the third best hitter on the worst team in the league will get votes? Seriously, WTF? What arguement can you possibly make for this guy keeping his job?