Do players have MVP votes?

[Fishercat]

"My personal opinion is I will never as long as I have a vote, vote for a guy who doesn't play both sides of the field. They don't go through the grind others do defensively, diving after balls, chasing balls, if you make an error how it might affect you next at bat. If you're a DH you don't go through any of that. You just hit. So as good a hitter as he is, and he's one of the best in the game, no question, I can never vote for him. That's all." - Josh Towers

Now, his opinion aside (I think he's full of ****, but that's just me), players have a vote? Does that explain why so many crappy awards have been given out?

The irony of this coming from a pitcher who has arguably the easiest defensive position in the game is another issue, but I honestly wasn't aware Josh Towers had a say in who wins the MVP.

[love_that_reefer]

Are you saying pitchers have an easy job?

[Slyder]

Pitchers only go out there and throw once every five days . J/k , they dont. But Josh Towers whos that? Some nobody on Toronto (no wonder he does well Toronto's expectations=nothing). Win a couple Cy Youngs and carry your team to the World Series and you might have a voice people care about.

No player is more feared in the AMERICAN League than Ortiz.

To answer your question, I doubt they do because then youd cheapen it as all players would vote for their friends rather than by what they did. Its probably a group of writers or sportscasters.

[love_that_reefer]

Pitchers have to be on their toes on every pitch in fear of BEING KILLED! You stand that close and let guys hit pitches. Pitchers do 100 times more that a DH. All DH's should be hitting over .400 as that's all they have to focus on, hitting.

[HollywoodLeo]

But Josh Towers whos that? Some nobody on Toronto (no wonder he does well Toronto's expectations=nothing). Win a couple Cy Youngs and carry your team to the World Series and you might have a voice people care about.

As opposed to a bunch of random people on the internet who would kill to even have a minor league contract flapping their perverbial gums on who should and shouldn't be MVP?

[HollywoodLeo]

as far as the dificulty of being a pitcher, what other player can say he touches the ball on EVERY play when he's out there? Not even the catcher can say that.

[Hmark6]

Towers certainly has a point. Playing both sides of the ball is MUCH more rigorous than just being a DH. The most strenuous thing a DH has to do is run the bases. Now, that being said, I don't think that defense (good or bad) has ever or will ever turn the tide of MVP voting, but those who have a vote can take that into consideration. What's wrong with that? A-Rod has made leaps and bounds with his defense, and if it weren't for Aaron Boone, A-Rod might win a Gold Glove.

Hypothetical: Two players competing for the MVP have similar offensive stats (you can make a case for both players) both are on playoff teams, both are anchors in their respective lineup, but one wins a Gold Glove. Who has got the edge? I think its clear. I don't know when they give out the GG relative to the MVP award so I don't think this scenario is even possible, but its food for thought.


Note: Anyone that says that pitching is the easiest position, was never a pitcher.

[love_that_reefer]

I'm sorry but I can't give it to Arod. Arod isn't even the MVP of his own team. Giambi has been the driving force behind the Yankees comeback. The Yankees were nowhere earlier this season with Arod's numbers. Wow this is a different topic!

[Fishercat]

OK, a pitcher has the easiest defensive job in the game. Unless there is a bunt, which is a fairly rare occurence in the AL East at the least., the pitcher's range is extremely limited. All the other players have more ground to cover and have more responsibilities in the field, that's what I was saying. Pitching is another factor to consider in the MVP and a major part, but the hitter he discussed (and pretty much no hitter) does not pitch and vice-versa with pitchers hitting.

I was simply wondering if players had a vote, since he said "My personal opinion is I will never as long as I have a vote, vote for a guy who doesn't play both sides of the field.". That seems to say he has a vote.

On a personal level, defense should be considered to the extent of positive and negative value in relation to a minor-league defensive player. If a player is a negative-impact player on defense and the manager decides to use a superior defensive player at X Position (and if they would both be in the lineup normally), then there is no harm, even to the extent that if he went out into the field, he would hurt his team. If he's a GG player, then there is certain value (although some statistics on the fancy stat-head sites seem to believe A-Rod is a below-average defensive 3B, that is another story for another time), but I think of it more as rewarding a good defensive player rather than punishing one for being placed at DH (although I believe Ortiz is underrated as a defensive 1B, he's not great, but he's no butcher).

[love_that_reefer]

You are wrong about pitchers which should have been proven by the previous posts. These guys do more training than regulars and like Hmark said have the ball everytime. Just because they don't get the ball hit to them that often doesn't mean they don't do anything. You stand 60 feet away and let a guy like Ortiz hit. And again, pitchers do a thousand time more than a DH does.

And why shouldn't Towers have a say if he does have a vote. You guys keep asking who the **** Towers is. I will tell you, a major league pitcher, that's who. Who the **** are you? Towers actually has to face these guys and get a MLB paycheck so he can say whatever the **** he wants to.

[DirtyKash]

And it's not like he's no one either, Towers has the 16th best ERA in the league, better than the likes of superstars such as Randy Johnson and Matt Clement.

[Fishercat]

"OK, a pitcher has the easiest defensive job in the game."

That was my quote. By your logic, because a first baseman has about three times as many putouts than a centerifelder and because he is about 180 feet closer to the ball than the centerfielder, they have a tougher defensive job. Having John Olerud at a defensive 1B is more important than having Willy Taveras in the outfield.

My statement remains, they cover the least amount of range in the game (perhaps catchers slightly less, but with foul balls catchers range increase, therefore, DEFENSIVELY, their position is the least important fielding position. Training has NOTHING to do with the defensive value of a player. Being 60 feet away from the hitter simply decreases the likelyhood the ball will be fielded by them as they can cover less ground (meaning essentially none if it's a line drive/fast grounder or a little if it's a dribbler) in less space. There's a reason there are six infielders (P + C + IF) and three outfielders in spite of there being more room to cover in the outfield. Of course, there's also the need to field grounders as an infield. I still maintain, that although the job is more dangerous than, say, leftfield, it isn't as important.

In the field, a pitcher does infinite more times than a DH, as does a 1B, a catcher, and even the fans. However, a pitcher's defense is so insignificant that the odds of it mattering to the extent that it seperates all but the most equal pitcher and hitter are nil. Just for kicks, in 2005

David Ortiz putouts + assists: 80
Josh Towers putouts + assists: 55

That's how much a pitcher contributes on defense in terms of balls played. Certainly, the way they pitch affects the distribution of outs, but in terms of pure defensive positioning, David Ortiz (10 games at 1B) has more putouts than Josh Towers has assists and putouts. OMG, but Towers only plays every 5th day! Well, then he's just as valuable in the field as a pure DH 4/5 of the days played.

[DirtyKash]

Just a misinterpretation by reefer, obviously.

[love_that_reefer]

Yeah, just reading stuff from another guy who has never played the game. Pitchers are in control of the game and do a lot more than a catcher does. Who covers first on a groundball hit to the right side? Who backs up third and home? Who has to be ready to defend their careers on every pitch? Pitchers do something on every play. They do more than a RFer who might get 4 balls hit to him all night. Pitchers do a lot more and if you have ever played the position or the game, you would know that.

[Providence A's]

pitcher is not the easiest defensive position as pitching is part of the defense along with the fielding smart guy.