Wow. To be completely honest I wasn't expecting it. I thought he deserved it yes but I thought "intangibles" would win.

Congrats Justin!

Bonus thing to be thankful for!

mvp...mvp...mvp...it worked!!!! congrats to justin, and johan, and joe... what a year. now when do pitchers and catchers report...??!!

2 Silver Sluggers
1 Gold Glover
Batting champ
Pitching triple crown winner
Cy Young winner
MVP
Division title

Not a bad year.

w00t! WOW! YIPPEE! ... and all that! I just now remembered to check after lunch and was pleasantly surprised!

Congrats Dr. and here's to many more.

Amen Will, After a poor playoff showing, this season has left us Twins fans so fulfilled (as much as possible without winning a WS!

Em, Vee, Pee!
Em, Vee, Pee!

Hooray for Justin! Hooray for Doctors, Chairmen, and Presidentes! Sometimes people do the right thing. This is proof. Rather than give the MVP to a guy who doesn't deserve it (Jeter), they gave it to someone who actually made a huge difference in whether his team won or not. Without Jeter, the Yankees would still win division titles. Without Justin, the Twins wouldn't have even been close this year. Well chosen, voters!

Oh yeah, and ESPN is still talking about Jeter, even though he lost. I told you. Rob Neyer just HAD to write an article about how "Jeter should have won". Too bad I'm not paying ESPN.com to be an "Insider" so I can't read his idiocy in its entirety.

Felicitations au Bon Docteur - is that right?!
I don't know - I kind of speak the Spanish =)

Yippeeee!!
Ahh my sister would have been so very happy about this!!

Now we party like Canadians - pass the hockey puck!

Much Love
Wonder Woman -

PS - Happy Thanksgiving

I imagine Joe is taking Justin out for some Jimmy Johns right about now.

There's a doctor IN DA HOUSE!!!

Way to go, Justin. :-)

BTW- how about winning despite the votes being split by two other Twins (and Santana taking one of those first place votes). Congrats to Mauer for 6th place! Or was it 7th?

WOO HOO! Justin SO deserved this!!

Yay! Truly, this momentous occasion would not be complete without a post by BG. Happy Thanksgiving, indeed!

And congrats, Justin! My personal mantra was "Anyone but Jeter. Anyone but Jeter." But man, oh, man, did it work out exactly right! Twins rule!

Woo hoo! Much deserved. And quite impressive, considering that he was pitted against a big-market favorite and the media's golden boy.

MorYES!

The Doc is going to be on at 3PM on FSN - someone take notes- I don't have cable at work =)

Much Love
Wonder Woman

OH CANADIA! OH CANADIA!

I love you Dr. Morneau, congrats!

What a year indeed! JustIncredible, you are amazing! Happy Thanksgiving Twins Territory!

Wow -- congrats to Dr. Morneau and all the Twins for making this happen.

An MVP award is really reserved for the elite of the game and Justin now joins the group.

This is truly shocking -- I really thought the Santana-Morneau votes would cancel each other out.

Unfortunately -- because of the New York-centric baseball press, we'll see a lot of headlines that basically state: JETER EDGED OUT IN MVP VOTING.

It's unfortunate, but I won't let it get me down.
Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving to ALL!

Pick your adjective: Shocking, amazing, incredible that our Justin beat New York's Golden Boy. Woo-hoo!

I wonder if Canadians are as excited about Justin's award as Venezuelans were about Santana's award.

HOOEWAY!

(thanks for the fun word, aurora) ;-)

I hope Justin does the "Let's Play Hockey" at an upcoming Wild game so we can give him a standing ovation again!

yahoo Justin! yahoo! Justin's #1! yahoo!

I was shocked to read further down the vote lists and to find Joe Nathan on there as well!! And he even placed better than Konerko!

It's nice to have 4 Twins in the top 20 places.

Mighty proud of Justin.

When's the last MVP interview you've watched that included grocery shopping! The people's MVP!

Thank you Justin and congratulations.

Dear Wonder Woman,

I was lucky enough to take the day off work today, supposedly to get ready for Thanksgiving. I have my DVR on pause right now to type this post. Justin's so dang cute I can hardly stand it, and I'm tickled he won MVP. That said, he seems very happy and very humble, giving a speech about how a little confidence in baseball goes a long ways.

Happy Thanksgiving! Less than 3 months 'til pitchers and catchers report.

Best always,

Tricia

Amazing! Justin Morneau I LOVE you!!! You were great this season!!!

Fantasmastic.

I'm too happy with all our Twinkies right now. Congrats to our good Doctor. Suck it Jeter! (kidding)

I hadn't been online much today but the other Twins fan here in the office told me the news. Wooohooo Doc!! I am just so thrilled that Doc has won over that punk Jeter :)

Ok Twins, time to lock up the Doc too!!!

Joe Nathan...hahaha. Adorable. 6 points. I feel like a proud mama. Such good boys.

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Take that, you sissy-pansy shortstop (Derek Jeter)! I knew that those baseball writers had some sense in them.

Oh, Dr. Morneau, well done. Congrats to you, and to El Presidente, and the Chairman, and Gardy, and TR, and every other guy on the team. And I mean EVERY one. I love you all. We have much to be thankful for, though the offseason may suck,it sucks less when you get such well-deserved recognition for a truly fine season. Can't wait for April

Oh, and stick that in your pipe and smoke it, Jeter.

They won't shut up about Jeter!

They probably shouldn't shut up about Jeter, considering every possible way of analyzing this favors him over Morneau. I really hate to say it, but Justin honestly wasn't even the best candidate on the team. I watched a lot of AL baseball this summer and I honestly think Jeter wasn't just being overrated this year. Congrats to the good Dr. Morneau, certainly, but I can't help feeling weird about him winning.

Congrats to you again.

While I am satisfied with the outcome (Morneau over Jeter) I am not happy with the way it occurred. I would much have preferred 12 first place votes and 2 fourth place votes (still a loss for Jeter) -- but sixth place behind Morneau, Thomas, Dye, Oritz and Santana (though not necessarily in that order) is a crummy way to vote. That guy should have his privileges revoked.

In any event, the outcome is still worthy. Congrats to the Doctor -- we all knew he could do it...

YankeeFan

Oh, and the fact that you could have paid both MVP's less than a million bucks for their services in 2006 is kind of freaky...

YF

Personally I think there was no doubt who the most valuable player on this team was. It was Justin. Also the whole team felt that he was too. That says something. Justin also drove in the most runs for a player on a playoff team. This award usually goes to the power hitters. That is the way it usually is.

Well what a pleasant (and deserved) surprised for Dr. Neau! I must say I'm glad this was voted on at the end of the year or I think sentiment would've built for Jeter. This is probably my Twins bias, but Morneau and Santana have got to be about the humblest pair to win Cy and MVP in the same season in a long time.

Hi, I'm new here. Just wanted to say that as a fellow girl in love with the Twins (and baseball in general), I love your site.

That said, I am incensed that ESPN.com pulled Morneau's story off the main page and reduced him to a sidebar with two links as to why he should NOT have won. Erg.

But it makes me laugh to picture Joe and Justin sitting around in Joe's house just like regular guys, completely oblivious as to how freaking awesome they are.

Justin was the logical choice. No one deserved it more. Eventually you have to add actual tangibles to the mix if you expect to be named the MVP. Justin's achievements were obvious, and didn't have to be rationalized.

What he did this year was the true embodiment of the term MVP, and if anyone at all deserved to even challenge him for the award, it should have been Jermaine Dye. Not Derek Jeter.

And no, that's not my "pro-Mets" bias talking, either... I also feel the NL MVP should have been Albert F'ing Pujols, he of the pennant-stealing Cardinals. ;-)

GOOD JOB, JUSTIN! IT WAS NEVER REALLY IN DOUBT!

There's no way Morneau is the most valuable Twin, not close. Mauer or Santana could have won with no squawk from me, but Morneau just didn't have a good enough season at the plate *for a first baseman*. Morneau had basically the same season as Paul Konerko (who was also the third most valuable player on his team).

YankeeFan, the offender was Joe Cowley, who's an idiot.

But, whatever :-)

So I wore my 33 For MVP shirt today and got some laughs from the Jeter fans who thought there was no shot. But who's got the last laugh now?! Yeeeeeeeeeah!

Slider, Justin had the most rbi's for a 1st basemen and the most rbi's of a player who made the playoffs. He is very deserving of the award.

All hail the Canadian Crusher!

Pickles & Dimes,

Can I call you P&D? Cute nickname, by the way. Very original.

Melissa,

Yeah, well. That's to be expected. After all, he is New York's Golden Boy, and they don't call it Eastern Sports Promotional Network for nothing.

What annoys me about this uproar is that there was not nearly enough last year when Johan did not win Cy Young. Now THAT was really bad voting.

Slider, are you a Twins fan? If you are, you should know that from June 8th on the Twins had the best record in baseball. Also on that same date, Justin Morneau started to hit the cover off the ball and hit .362 with 29 home runs and 107 RBI from that point on. And the Twins made the playoffs with his MVP effort.

Very unlikely the Twins win the AL Central or make the playoffs unless the Doc did what he did, even with Mauer and Santana.

Yeah Melissa, looking at the headlines about the AL MVP, MSNBC.com has "Yanks' Jeter denied first MVP award." How stupid is that?

Should be: "The Doc delivers: Twins' Morneau slugs way to first MVP award."

I was listening to his conference call and Morneau has to be one of the most monotoned guys ever. Even when he laughs, he has not emotion.
But I'm SOOOOOOOOO happy that he's the MVP!!!

I'm not a Twins fan, no.
But RBI is a really, really bad measure of a player's worth -- it has much too much to do with whether the players ahead of you (Joe Mauer) get on base. Having the most RBI of any first baseman is obviously not a *bad* thing, but it's hardly what I'd call an MVP-maker.

Look at VORP or any of the WARPs (value-over, wins added). Mauer and Jeter are essentially neck-and-neck, Santana is wayyyy ahead of the rest of the AL pitchers. Morneau isn't in the top ten.

Without Mauer, the Twins don't make the playoffs. Without Santana, they don't make the playoffs. Without Morneau, they win maybe three fewer games.

I'm disappointed for Jeter -- the guy wins the Hank Aaron award *and* he's the Golden Glove. Best hitter in the AL (Aaron award) and best fielding shortstop, according to the (admittedly clueless) press corps, but not MVP. Still, if he got beat by Mauer or Santana, I could certainly understand that.

Oh, and congratulations to Jusin Morneau. (It's not his fault the writers don't know baseball!)

O

M

G

!

I am speechless. I mean, we all knew he deserved it, but who knew justice would prevail over Jeter? Oh, I can have sweet dreams tonight.

Congrats, Dr. Morneau!

You did not watch the team this year. I did. Twins would not have made the playoffs without Morneaus production. Period. It is the opposite Mauer and Santana could have great season and we still would not have made the playoffs. Twins were one of the bottom teams in runs again this year. The diffence: Justin Morneau. The team also believes ustin deseerves it the most. Johan had a great season last year did the Twins make the playoffs? NO.

Nora, I gave you an argument:

Both Santana and Mauer have *much* higher WARP and VORP. That means the number of runs created (in Mauer's case) or prevented (in Santana's) was much greater for those guys than for Morneau. That's not subjective, it's a fact.

Runs created and prevented translate into wins. That's not an opinion, it's a fact. Mauer and Santana produced more wins for the Twins than Morneau did this year. (Jeter and Ortiz produced more for their teams, too.)

Now you give an argument. Telling me that you watched the games isn't an argument.

I'm not denigrating the guy -- he's a great hitter. It's just that Mauer was a whole lot more valuable this year.

I should just take the award for what it is -- I keep taking its name seriously, which is dumb.

I think run production is one of the most important things for a player to do. Justin was at the top of the list in that category and with a team that was low on run production that is the difference. Joe Mauer was great all year but this team took off when Justin got going.

I just don't think as great as Mauer and Johan were that they alone would have gotten the Twins to the playoffs. Johan had a good year last year and Joe Mauer was productive on both ends last year, not as good as this year but it did not get us there. We were still going nowhere last year with that same kind of production the first couple of months this year too. They were very important to the team but I feel Justin and his slugging was what really got us going. Twins lack power hitting and he was our lone big slugger for most of the year.

I can't believe how laid back you wrote that, BG. That is soooooo exciting! I'm so stoked. this is amazing! ahhh! i just watched a clip of his speech and he is so cute in it. Oh, I am excited!

Slider, Golden Gloves are given for boxing. In baseball it's the Gold Glove.

Nora is correct. You did not watch the team this year, so you can hardly judge who was the most valuable Twin, nor can you judge how many more games they would have won or lost without Morneau. What's your opinion based on... batting average alone? Yes, Mauer had a nice average. But his 13 HR and 84 RBI, while useful, did not make or break the team. Michael Cuddyer (I know, you don't know him either, so he too must be useless) was far more productive at 24/109. No insult intended to Joe, of course. But on this team, Justin Morneau was the main difference-maker.

And how exactly was Derek Jeter the best hitter in the AL? You can honestly sit there and say 14 HR, 97 RBI (Jeter) beats 34 HR, 130 RBI (Morneau)? In how many hitting categories did Derek Jeter lead the league, to justify your claim that he's the "best hitter in the AL"?

Here's a clue... just because you've heard of someone doesn't make them better. You may not be familiar with Justin Morneau, but that's your loss. Not his.

Morneau deserved this MVP. Don't let anyone tell you different, no matter which stats they pick and choose to support their case.

I'm so tired of regurgitated diatribes from people like Keith Law... hacks who couldn't cut it go-fering coffee for the Blue Jays front office, much less making personnel decisions of their own.

Cap'n Jetes isn't even in the top 20 of the best players in the AL, much less the MVP. Any broad and objective review of statistics will tell you that.

Congrats to the good doctor. You da man...

Okay, Nora, fair enough.
On runs produced: I don't like that stat, but for *value* to the team I admit it does carry weight. The reason I like Mauer's production more is that he's a *catcher*. I mean, remove Morneau and you can replace him with a player who can hit (namely a first baseman). Ask the Red Sox what happens when you have to replace your catcher (Javi Lopez, yech).

By the way, preventing runs is even more important than creating them for a low-scoring good defense team. (Not much more, they're almost the same.) That's why I'd be happy with Santana as MVP, too.

But you know, if MLB would just be more like Batgirl and call the award Boyfriend of the Year, I'd have no problem with giving it to Morneau. ;-)

So no other postion should ever win the award but a catcher, pitcher (who hardly ever gets the award because he only pitches every 5 days) or a shortstop? I just don't agree with that. The award usually goes to sluggers and power hitter whose team makes the postseason. That is just the way it is. If yiou want to convince anyone otherwise talk to the voters.

Don't look now, but Mike Celizic on MSNBC.com thinks Jeter should have been given the MVP, and I quote:

"Consider it more of a lifetime achievement award, an excellent season giving voters a chance to recognize 11 seasons of great play. He’s been one of the best all-around players in the game for a long time and one of the game’s premier leaders."

What a bonehead! First of all, the lifetime achievement statement is ridiculous, but for players that play well over an entire career earn a spot in the Hall of Fame-not 1 MVP award!!

Slider, you mentioned "value" to the team. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if some has the most value to their team, doesn't that make them the Most Valuable Player? Since Morneau has the most value to a team that probably would not have won the AL Central without him, he clearly is the AL MVP. The Yankees can win without Jeter-just like they won without Sheffield and Matsui for most of the year. Plus, let's face it-the AL East really isn't the beast it used to be. The AL Central is clearly the most difficult division in baseball at the moment, and it took Morneau's incredible year to get the Twins to the postseason.

Plus Torii Hunter won another Gold Glove this year-should he get the MVP because of that!?

Shaun-- Isn't it possible that the Yankees were able to contend because Jeter stepped it up in the absence of two big hitters?

Nora-- The point of VORP is that if you replaced the good Dr. with someone of average talent at 1b, then the Twins still would've made the playoffs. Slider's point was not that you could wipe him off the roster with no replacement and they'd have been fine.

Does anyone here respect Winshares? 'Cause if you look closely, Justin was way behind. Not just Jeter, but a couple of deserving guys on his own team as well.

It is obviously total nonsense to argue that Jeter should win the MVP in 2006 for his great all-around play these past ten years. I want to say that it's kind of like arguing that Scorsese should win Best Picture for The Departed just cause he's made so many other great pictures in the past. But the problem with the analogy is that none of Jeter's seasons have ever been as good as Goodfellas and Morneau is, like, ten thousand times better than effing Dances with Wolves.

And with comments like, "you didn't watch him this season", etc., it's beginning to sound like Dr. Morneau has some intangibles of his own that people should take into account, no?

Yea, uh, yes, ok. I really am happy on the inside, its just that I am Minnesotan and this is my version of joy. Happy dance, happy dance, let the pucks fly.

My point is Mauer and Johan could have great seasons and we still would have not made the playoffs. You can throw all the stats out that you want about what position is better. No matter what the stats say I think that Justin was this teams' MVP and what put them over the top. Justin was the difference and this team would have not made the playoffs if he does not produce the way he did. I am obvioulsy not the only one who agrees with that.

"I'm putting my money on Justin Morneau," Santana said after his win last week. "Hopefully, he'll have a chance for everything he did for our team."

There is also a statistic called "win probability." The stat measures a hitters value in contributing to his team's wins. Mauer may be a great hitter, but his WP numbers are not nearly as high as Morneau's. Mauer is actually third on the Twins; Cuddyer is second. Morneau has one of the best WP numbers in the league. In fact, the only other players who are battling Morneau are Jeter, Dye and Ortiz in the AL. Since Dye and Ortiz were not members of teams that made the playoffs, that leaves Jeter and Morneau. Morneau was more valuable to the Twins than Jeter was to the Yankees (IMHO), so I think the vote went exactly as it should have. (BTW, Hunter, Punto and Castillo had pretty much abysmal WP numbers.)

Ehhh, Justin...beauty way to go!

Twinkies34, no, you are taking "you didn't watch him this season" out of context. We are not using that to rationalize Morneau (as Jeter fans constantly have to do), but to explain to Slider that in order to ascertain whether Morneau or Mauer was more of a difference-maker on the Twins, one would actually have to watch the Twins. Slider, not having watched the Twins, somehow managed to deduce that without Morneau, the Twins simply "win maybe three fewer games." And to THAT we are saying... you couldn't possibly make a deduction like that without having watched the Twins.

Justin Morneau has enough actual tangibles that no one has to rationalize or explain away his lack of any major effect on his team's boxscores from day to day. When you're trying to sell someone as the Second Coming, it must be hard to justify such decidedly average production... which is where the "intangibles" defense always comes in.

Slider still hasn't addressed any of MY questions... namely how exactly was Derek Jeter "the best hitter in the AL" this year?

Here is a good article for those who believe the award is not just based on certain stats:

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6193864

I also noticed another writer who posted that it was criminal and he is the worst pick ever in the history of the MLB. That is beyond ridiculous. I am sick of hearing the Eastern Seaboard network and others trying to knock Justin down to a horrible player to get their OPINION across. I read one headline calling the pick laughable on espn.com. I am personally disgusted with that behavior the most people can have their opinions, fine. But to beat down the winner and call it laughable is wrong and shameful. Justin didn't vote or rig the voting and he wasn't a horrible selection either no matter what certain networks think who cater to the Boston and Yankees.

I watched about 70 games this year. The Twins never would have done what they did without the power Morneau brought. Hands down he was the X factor on this particular team AND the MVP.

Mauer is great...but all those singles would mean little on this team without the occasional 3 run dinger.

The guy on Foxsports writing the Morneau was the 4th best player on this team? Whatever. Morneau is the 2nd best player behind Santana and a pitcher is not getting the MVP.

Also, I feel there was a little of the nice guy vote at work this year. The screw the Yankees vote...and I'm not ashamed to say I'll take it.

Dearest Tricia
Thanks for the update - I was able to catch the good Doctor on the news - what a great kid.

Laurie - My pick was Albert too - but I might be biased - I love the Cards - I'm sorry- eke!

And HEY -Stop steering this post into a debate -we're supposed to be CONGRATULATING Justin - enough STATS - more SASS - I think our dear Batgirl would prefer that.
Maybe Batgirl can post a different thread so you can all hash it out - but for now let's just
CELEBRATE ok???

Ok Done now -

Much Love
Wonder Woman

My dears,

It seems we have some disagreement. Disagreement is healthy, and through conflict we often learn more about our true selves. Remember Luke in the jungle, he fought what he thought was his true enemy, he defeated him, but then his space helmet exploded and it turned out what he was defeating was himself?

Think about it.

Please stop fighting. There is room for healthy disagreement here--an argument can be made for Mr. Jeter, Mr. Santana, or Mr. Mauer, and while you may not agree with someone else's decision, you must respect it. If you find yourself posting with even a shred of hostility, please go out, take a walk, look at some kitties, and think about the true beauty of life.

Love,
Batgirl

FWIW, while Jeter may have deserved the award over Morneau (Jeter's numbers from his position do make him slightly more valuable, much as I hate to admit it), it wasn't a god-awful choice, either. There were 5 guys who were deserving, IMO (Jeter, Dye, Mauer, Morneau, and Thomas...never been a fan of pitchers winning the MVP unless they were head and shoulders above every position player in the league), and one of them won it. For GODAWFUL MVP picks, I refer you to Vaughn over Belle in 1995, or, just for fun, Joe Gordon over Triple Crown winner Ted Williams in 1942

We shouldn't even have to be defending Justin's honor in this thread. People shouldn't be coming here to attack in the first place. I know I didn't go to any Yankee fan site to attack Derek Jeter or make fun of him. But if someone is going to come here and attack Justin, well of course I'm going to get fired up! I'll get over it, we all will. Worry not, dear BG. We had a few hours of bickering and now it's died down.

And please, people, can we stop saying such nasty things about the East Coast as if it's the seventh circle of... well, you know... We're kinda tired of being vilified, especially those of us who aren't doing a thing to deserve it. Thanks.

(and if Jeter's "numbers from his position" qualify him for the MVP, perhaps Jose Reyes should have won the NL award... I didn't realize that the MVP award was based on how well a shortstop hits. Jose Reyes, step forward and claim what is rightfully yours!!!)

Interesting reading.

I think I'll just say...congrats to the good Doctor.

I was VERY pleasantly surprised by the news.

Bravo Justin!!

A Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

Dear Batgirl

With all due respect to you and all twins fans, this is total rubbish. It looks like to me that there is a new anti-Yankee, anti-East Coast Bias.

Rubbish, total Rubbish

p.e.m,

Why is everyone being upset about this? Can't we all just be happy for the guy? And I thought Dayn Perry was my friend. The guys at Pulling a Blyleven are my friends. Justin not being the MVP of his own team...bite my ass, Perry. Justin Morneau holds the key to the playoffs as far as I'm concerned. I love Joe, I love Johan, I love Torii, but we couldn't have gotten there on their coattails alone. It took that big Canadian to say, "I think I can do it, eh! I don't like making ooouts!" Yea for the Doctor. If I didn't have an argument I would still argue, but guess what? I do. MVP! MVP! MVP!

I can't take this news without a sense of disappointment...we had the AL Cy Young and the MVP and we couldn't get past the first round?!?!

Just got home from a business trip and heard about the Doc's award. Couldn't be happier for him and anyone who thinks he didn't have an MVP calibre year is just in denial or so biased they can't see straight. Could arguments be made for Jeter, Dye, et al.? Of course... they had very good years, too.

Rather than get upset at the writers and those posting their anti-Morneau messages here, it all just makes me laugh a bit more about the whole thing.

The statement issued by the Yankees "from" Jeter demonstrated class. Too bad certain others don't demonstrate something similar.

MVP, Batting title, Cy Young, a Gold Glove (now that's one I would probably not have given), and even an Executive of the Year award. Not bad.

Now... about that World Series in 2007.

JC

Josh, don't feel to bad. Look at the Yankees and their $200 million payroll which couldn't get them out of the 1st round and has not won the WS for awhile now. Money does not by championships. When will they and these other baseball teams learn that?

I'm not sure why I'm still up reading through all the reactions to the MVP balloting but I am. Thanks to AaronGleeman.com, I've been perusing the actual votes of the 28 writers with ballots. If you read Aaron's blog, you know he was not a supporter of the Doc's for the award and he certainly (as always) gave a lot of statistical backing for his views. But that's neither here nor there at this point.

As he rightfully points out, the actual ballots of a few of those writers are just... well... incomprehensible. These people actually get paid (and I assume paid fairly well) to cover baseball games and it's hard to imagine they watched the same season I did. Of course, it's no surprise that the most absurd ballot was turned in by a BitchSox writer.

Anyway, click my nick if you want to see the actual ballots and check out Aaron's 11/22 entry for his own unique take on the balloting.

Congratulations mr. Jeter, mr. Mauer, mr. Dye, mr.Ortiz and mr. Santana you all had wonderfull seasons!
But I must say I did a bit of a happy dance when I heard the news, congratulations Dr.!!!!
So...

O Canada
Our home and native land
True patriot love in all thy sons command...

Although I haven't had the opportunity to verify, a friend told me the last time two teammates won the Cy Young and MVP, the following season that team won the World Series.

Food for thought...

I'm not shocked that Morneau won the MVP. I think he is a very legitimate candidate and is every bit derserving of the MVP as Jeter if not more.
What I am shocked about is how 5 voters left Mauer off their ballots. HUH? He is an outstanding defensive catcher, almost hit .400, became the first catcher to led the majors in hitting, and got on base 45% of the time. I just don't understand how these writers leave a guy like that off their ballot.

i HOPED it to happen. i WANTED it would happen. but i still wasn't sure...

after arguing with my co-worker, who is the sports director for my radio station, i was CERTAIN it was going to happen. i even said at 11:40am today: "i can feel it. i feel it in my whole body" (but that was just the pseudoephedrine talking to me.)

and then! i saw the results on the associated press and i nearly had a heart attack! CONGRATS TO JUSTIN!! well deserved. you gave me butterflies in my stomach, light-headedness and a racing heart all season, and you continued the trend today! YAY!!!!!!

mvp mvp mvp mvp mvp mvp mvp mvp mvp mvp mvp ... etc

I don't wanna stir things up again, but I would like to apologize for my earlier comment. It was unfair to all involved, and I pride myself on being more objective and reasonable than that.

Constructive arguments can (and should) be made for all worthy candidates. Mine wasn't constructive at all, and was the opposite of the kind of sass that makes this place fantastic.

I hereby apologize to all Batlings far and wide for stirring the flames and for just being an idiot in general.

- Freez

the very definition of pleasently suprised. I was sure Jeter's 'intangibles' would get it. (funny thing - we just had a big review at work and I was worried because I felt the processes wasn't going to recognise my intangibles, but it worked out in the end)
When was the last time a team had the batting champion, Cy Young and MVP? That's an amazing feat.
Also given that David Ortiz lead the AL in Home Runs and RBIs that means that players who made their major league debuts with the Twins lead the league in wins, strikeouts, ERS, Batting Average, Home Runs, RBIs and won the MVP. I hope the Twins scouting and front office people are breaking out the champaigne and enjoying generous bonuses. The very model of how a lower than Yankees payroll team can compete, and more than compete.
Is there any team with a more exciting batch of young players than the Twins?
On the subject of the heated discussion above no one has ever definitively defined what is meant by MVP and it is weighted towards RBI guys, but Morneau is a great choice, though not the only possible one (he's not Johan Santana). Here's hoping it's the foundation for more great things

D

Nitsuj Uaenrom teab Kered Retej!

For all those people who said that the writers got the MVP backward...it's fixed.

While again I agree with the outcome, it kills me to read that if Jeter would have won it that it could be chalked up to "east coast bias" or "intangibles."

As someone who watched enough of the Twins and more than enough of the Yankees, let me say that Jeter was extremely valuable to the Yankees this year. The media (and therefore infused public sentiment) cannot have it both ways. They cannot say that Alex Rodriguez cannot produce in the clutch and that it does not matter that Sheffield, Cano and Matsui missed considerable parts of the season, and then also say Jeter isn't valuable because look at the team he plays on. The fact is that Jeter carried the team through the season, when players slumped or got injured. Yes, the Yankees have a gargantuan payroll, but it's not like division rival Boston doesn't spend as well ($51.1M to talk to the pitcher?). Someone had to come through for the Yankees, and time-and-time again it was Jeter.

I said it during the season, but as Jeter went, so did the Yankees. Though the playoffs do not count in MVP voting and the like, the 4 game set with Detroit provided a microchosm of the Yankee season. Game 1, Jeter goes 5-5 and the Yanks win. Games 2-4, Jeter fails to produce, and who picks up in his place? Nobody. Game over.

Remember the feeling that anyone could come through on any given night? That Punto or Mauer or NBP or the Doctor or Cuddy or could win the game for you? We had that when names like Williams, O'Neill, Martinez, Knoblauch, Brosuis or were on the team. No more. It was Jeter or bust.

I just want to make the point that Jeter came in second for a good reason -- not because of intangibles or east coast bias. If Jeter would have come in first, I can't imagine what would be said about it, but I am shocked to see it even though he didn't win.

Morneau deserved to win it, and this article makes the MVP win more special in my opinion:

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/11/22/Rays/Benching_forced_Morne.shtml

As for the award itself, I'll let Jeter explain my sentiments (thanks to only JC who bothered mentioning Jeter's reaction):

"[Morneau] is a special player and I suspect this won't be the last time you will hear his name mentioned when awards are being passed out."

"While I know that voting for these awards is primarily based on differing opinions and statistical debates, it's also part of what makes baseball such a great sport."

Aint that the truth.

YankeeFan

Interesting tidbit:

Morneau was only the 10th player in MLB history to win an MVP, but not be an All-Star in his MVP year.

click my name for the link, or paste this:

http://thepastime.net/2006/11/mvp-but-not-all-star.html

What a great picture to wake up to this morning: The entire upper half of the Sports section of the Strib has a really wonderful picture of the good Doctor. In color, 'natch.

Congratulations, Justin!

Morneau is from New Westminster, British Columbia, population 54,656, according to a 2001 census. He's heading back there for another honor.

"Parade marshal in the Santa Claus parade," he said.

How cute!

Much Love
Wonder Woman

Well, JustIncredible, you really are JustIncredible! Well, For not playing good post-season games, this makes up for it. I just hope we can have another year like this! To bad Cicso got hurt. We could of had the Rookie of the Year too, but, this was pretty awesome! Justin, You did good! Congrats!

-We love you!!!

OK... too much sass and not enough stats, so I'm going to make up my own stats to "justify" Morneau's value. It's based on the premise that Value = Cost versus Benefit (or V=C/B -- kinda like E=mc2, but more sassy).

Here Goes...

Justincredible: $385,000/130 RBIs = ~$2900 per run.

Jeter: $20,000,000/97 RBIs = ~$200,000 per run

Ergo... The Doctor = INCREDIBLE Value!!! :)

Congrats Doctor Morneau!!!

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Derek Jeter, well, DEAL WITH IT!
Ok, Justin Morneau won the MVP, Joe won the Batting Title, and Santana won the Cy Young, yet, Derek Jeter is getting payed more than Morneau, Mauer and Santana combined....That doesn't seen right.... Well, Congrats Dr. You did good. Ya know, when people call Justin the "Dr.", he should be refered to as the "Dr. of baseball..." only beacuse, when were not playing good, he always comes and fixes it up! Well, keep it up!

It would be great if people could stop snarking about Justin winning MVP. I'm really tired of seeing the words "criminal" and "unfathomable" being tossed around by ESPN writers. Jeter gave him a run for his money (nobody can deny the fact that he was a key player for his team, too, but that team is *chock full of valuable players*), but the good Doctor prevailed. Voting's done, he's been named, so please do us all a favor and get over the fact that Jeter didn't win. Justin was plenty valuable to our team this year, and he was rewarded for his work. I, for one, find that incredibly fantastic. What a year for our boys. 2007 is gonna be stellar.

P.S. The Doc's gonna be Marshal in the Santa Claus parade? Hee. That's awesome.

TwinsPrincess, you can call me whatever you want! Thanks for the compliment.

I think Justin Morneau deserved this award. Period.

And if baseball wants a stupid Lifetime Achievement Award so badly, they should create one, rather than trying to force Jeter into an MVP Award he clearly did not win this year.

If Morneau didn't win, I would've taken Jermaine Dye over Jeter.

Let's hear it for short term memory...

The last time two teammates won the Cy Young and MVP was...

2005 - Chris Carpenter and Albert Pujols.

And we know what the Cards did in the World Series the following year...

I like line of thinking, heraldguy. Here's hoping.

That's exactly what I wrote to my brother, Batgirl: Holy crap.

What do you say Twins fans, it's time to get an attitude!

I live in NY, and if I have to hear one more person say "Jeter got robbed!" I may have to bite them or something.

Woot Justin!!

Breaking News: HooliganKat just got to ride the elevator with Harmon Killebrew!!!

I almost couldn't breathe I was so excited. He's a very nice man and said it was unfortunate that I didn't have anything he could sign, because he'd be happy to.

mlb.com has the link to the press conference video up on their front page:

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/index.jsp

Hey, more 34 stuff I'm sure someone has pointed out that Santana started 34 games this season (and 34 in 04).
Also the numbers of the players that appeared in the all-star game for the twins this year where #7, #47, and #57 respectfully. 3+4 =7 fun huh?

Today's Headlines In New York:

The New York Post:

JEETED! - on the FRONT PAGE! not even the back sports page
"Anti-Yankee Yokels Cheat MVP Derek"
and "CAPTAIN SNUBBED" inside

Reaction from Yankees fans can be summarized as:
"There's another baseball team in the AL?"

"OH MORNEAU! DEREK LOSES"
See the cover here:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/11222006/frontback.htm

The Daily News, which is usually the Yankees apologist publication:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ips_rich_content/575-BACK_LARGE.jpg
"JETER WAS NOT ROBBED"

I am snickering. And wishing you congratulations, because your team truly deserved it.

Wow, when the New York Post, the last bastion of objective, impartial journalism, the most understated newspaper in the country, says things like that, it really, really shakes my faith in the news media. I'm surprised they didn't run the MVP story it in their 'Weird but True' section.

It was annoying when Jeter lost out to Scott Posednik for the AS spot because of anti-Yankee bias, but to lose out to a one year wonder like Morneu for the mvp because of it is sicking.

In the future I hope the good baseball people of the midwest shut up about the east coast bias and how the yankees are evil.

It looks to truly be a great day in the storied history of Canazuela.

First of all, although I'm blatantly contradicting myself by saying this because I don't want to prolong any arguments, BUT I've thought for the past couple of years that there should be an MVP and Player of the Year for each league. MVP means that if that player did not have the year he had, his team would have been affected. Player of the Year had the "best" year statistically speaking. Just a thought.

Secondly, I am super-excited that cutie-patootie Justin Morneau won MVP. I think that sometimes Minnesota athletics can sometimes get lost in the fold of larger sports venues, so it's nice that our boys can get some recognition.

Next spring can't come soon enough!

SH! Morneau isn't monotone . . . he's CANADIAN!

Congrats to the Doctor. Job well done.

See I for one agree and disagree with PEM on this one.

First the disagreement: Even if Morneau is a one year wonder (which I guess remains to be seen, but I doubt it) the fact is that he was a great choice for MVP and received the necessary votes to win the award.

Was Jeter a good choice? Yes. If Jeter would have won it would he have been deserving? Yes. But Morneau was a deserving candidate and, unlike Jeter, received the necessary amount of votes to win.

Hats off to the good Doctor.

Now the agreement: I think that too much is made of "East Coast Bias." Either trust the voting system or fix it. You cannot have it both ways (and by "you" I mean the generic, not the specific people here). Can't say "look the systme works, Morneau wins" and "if Jeter wins it is East Coast Bias."

And stop telling Jeter to shove it. Take the high road people...

Warmly,
YF

This has turned out to be a pretty disappointing month for Derek Jeter fans and Republicans. And p.e.m., I would posit that if there is an anti-Yankee bias in the hinterlands, it is in large part a backlash to the nauseating hype heaped upon the Yankees by the east coast-based national sports media (I'm looking at you, ESPN). That and the sense of entitlement that seems to permeate the Yankees establishment, i.e. all other things being equal, the Yankees are better because they are the Yankees. I was surprised and pleased that Morneau won the MVP, but I was much more pleased when Mauer held off Jeter and Cano to win the batting championship on the last day of the season, because that honor is based only on objective measureable achievement, not on the subjective opinions and whims of fallible sportswriters trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to gauge the relative importance of performance statistics and intangibles.

I agree with YF regarding the Jeter jabs. He's a class act as shown is his remarks regarding Morneau's win. Don't hold his Yankee-ness against him.

Congrats to Morneau on his well-deserved MVP win. That's our boy!

Happy Thanksgiving all!

Oh, if only everyone could just be as kind and reasonable as YankeeFan is, the world would be a better place. I agree, there's no point in making rude remarks about Jeter. We can all have different opinions and still get along. Now, lest I sound too sappy, or preachy, or whatever, I'm really glad that Justin won this award. Maybe it'll motivate him to be even better next year.

Best to all,

Tricia

Check outwww.canada.com/vancouversun/index.html for a really neat story that includes all that Larry Walker also did for MVP Justin.

Ooofda! This is all making me so tired! Jeter is a great player and some day he may get his, but for now I'm happy that this years AL MVP is our sweet Canadian. Woot woot.

My problem with SOME Yankees fans is that they feel everything in MLB is their god-given right-winning the World Series, having the AL MVP, the AL Cy Young, etc. Plus the Yankees' players seems to do curtain calls for every little thing they do in a game (A-Rod, you got a hit in the postseason, take a curtain call!). Joe Mauer did a rare curtain call after it was announced he won the batting title. Rare since you don't see that a lot from Twins' players.

Jeter may have held the Yankees together, but when Sheffield went down, the Yankees swung a big trade and got Bobby Abreau and his big contract. And guess what? He did a pretty decent job filling in for Sheffield-so much so he is sticking around and Sheff is in Detroit now. Matsui going down was huge, but Melky Cabrera came out of nowwhere and had a solid season at the plate at least. So right there you have 2 guys who filled in well while Jeter was getting his hits and finishing second in the batting race. On the other hand, if Cuddyer goes down, the Twins stick some minor leaguer in RF and have to rely on a guy like Morneau even more to win. Fact is the Twins went 71-33 after June 8th which is exactly when Morneau went on his tear. How can he not demonstrate his value anymore clearly than that?

Ah, it's so nice to feel the love that in everyone's hearts and minds this time of year flowing in these posts. "One year wonder"? Three years ago, one might have said that about the Cy Young winner, one Johan K. Santana. I think he's proven that to be false. And since when is the MVP a cumulative award? Has Ryan Howard ever had such a good season? If not, does that mean he wasn't deserving of the NL MVP? How many good seasons must someone have before they get to be considered for the MVP? Two? Three? As for the good Doctor versus that Yankee fellow, why can't we all agree that either could have realistically won? I think Jermaine Dye should have been in the mix as well, but the collapse of the Bitches (so, so sad...boo hoo!) killed his chances. The truth is that Justin Morneau is the AL MVP ("Criminal!" sez Dayn Perry of Fox - moron!), and we who proudly call ourselves Twins fans are elated. And, as usual, the Yankees fans (save the always-erudite YF) have their pinstriped panties in a bunch because they didn't receive what they feel they deserved. Well, Yankees fans, if you look closely you'll notice that lately you haven't been getting all the things that used to just fall into your laps (you know - World Series titles, batting championships, top free agents, etc.); one might surmise that your Era Of Unbridled Arrogance is coming to a close, at long last. It's good to see you're taking it so well.

YF, I cannot count the number of times I have been impressed by your class. Well done. I am proud to know you and read your remarks.

Stacie,
Jeter's remarks regarding Morneau's MVP win were classy, but they were almost assuredly written by a public relations firm or a Yankees' media relations person. There's more spin in that statement than there is on a Francisco Liriano slider. In the business this is called a standby statement, one written in advance to be issued in the event of a possible but unfavorable contingency. It has all the characteristics of PR writing - concession to the obvious, high road tone, deflection of negatives, minimizing competitor impact, positive positioning of the client/product, repetition of key messages. It's actually some of the better PR writing I've seen recently. And I, too, think that Jeter has class. I wish he'd have shown more of it during the A-Rod controversy this year, though sometimes ego and personality conflicts get in the way of doing the right thing. And Jeter's statement is spot on about one thing. I'd trade away Justin's MVP, Johan's Cy Young, and Joe's batting title for a World Series Championship any day.

I've never seen PEM be so hostile about a Twin winning something - what's up, dude? I don't like seeing you take this so hard. It wasn't that Jeter was undeserving, but I still think Morneau means more to his team than Jeter does.

I know that there's been a lot of "East Coast bias" talk lately, but hey, maybe we're calling it like we're seeing it. There does seem to be a huge East Coast bias when it comes to baseball, just like there's a big West Coast bias when it comes to basketball. *shrug* That's where the "big" teams with astronomical payrolls are, so those are the teams that are going to get huge coverage. You can't deny that it's there, because it clearly is. If Jeter had won MVP, yeah, there'd be some grumbling, but we all know that he did put together a good season, and we would recognize that fact.

So, can we please stop grumbling about it? If you read BG, you must be at least a little bit of a Twins fan, so celebrate for the good Doc. He deserves the support, especially after getting bashed by the nation's press.

from the Vaancouver Sun article:

It’s remarkable. The best basketball player on the planet is from Victoria, baseball’s American League MVP is from New Westminster and the best hockey players in Vancouver are Swedes. What a world.

Sometimes of all this just makes me want to scream..

I just want people to realize that both Morneau and Jeter were valuable to their teams and that just because Morneau got more votes doesn't mean Jeter sucks or anything. At the same time, give Morneau credit for what he has done this year! Admit stuff, realize that there are other good players out there, and just be happy for the guy. You are always going to be able to make cases for other players. I mean, consider the AL Cy Young last year.. we all have a great case for Johan, but ultimately it went to Bartolo (who I am sure had a great year). But anyway, sorry about that, just had to get it out..

Dear HooliganKat,

Cool!!!

I hear Harmon has a very legible signature, and has taught numerous other Twins proper penmanship too.

I hope you at least had a nice conversation with him.
He is an amazing man.

bubblemint

Dear Yankeefan,

I saw Jeter's remarks today too.
Kudos to him for being above all the fray.

If only everyone else could take his comments to heart and let Morneau enjoy this moment.

Happy Thanksgiving to you, to my fellow batlings and to baseball fans everywhere.

And also of course, to Batgirl and the entire ever growing Bat family.

bubblemint

I think a certain public enemy needs a box of tissues. Jeez. I guess someone forgot to tell the media folks that the MVP award is supposed to go to the guy who's strung together the most above-average years in a row instead of basing it on what went on in a single season. Maybe next year, that will get clarified.

I think it's a great benefit to the BG "community" to have regular contributions from folks who are primarily fans of other teams. But when all you have to offer to the discussion is to trash the Twins and their players, then you're just being a troll.

fun bit of trivia, the only previous time in history where one team had three players, one winning MVP, another winning the batting title, and a third winning the Cy Young Award is the 1962 Dodgers, Maury Wills - MVP Tommy Davis - Batting Title Don Drysdale - Cy Young
not sure what that means but it's a pretty cool thing the Twins have done this year.

D

I would have had very little issue if it had not been for the 4th place and 6th place votes. Saying that Jeter was no more valuable then 4th and 6th is just total horsebleep.

3 different twins received votes yet one is the most valuable ? Its a Joke. This was a complete stick it to Jeter stick it to the Yankess crock of bleep.

I wish they would release the ballots so we could find out who voted for what. I would go to the guy that voted him as 6th and beat the living bleep out of him.

p.e.m.

p e m

reading through all (well most) of these posts I've come to the conclusion that no player is more polorising that Derek Jeter.
There are those who think he's, all things considered, about the best player in baseball, other's... don't.
There are so many articles and comments about him that just go off the scale, check out fire joe morgan for lots on the rubbish people say, that it sends those who haven't quite drunk the kool aid going in the other direction (I plead guitly to that). Jeter will find it hard to win an mvp because there will always be one or two guys who really think he's overrated and vote him down.
The mvp process is flawed but hey, sometimes it works for a player we like, sometimes it works against them, much like life.
if it's any consolation I saw an interview with Bob Dylan who said that he couldn't understand how anyone who loved baseball wouldn't love Derek Jeter, (a paraphrase because I have to go to work and haven't got time to hunt it down).
And just the headline numbers for the good Doctor look a lot like MVP to me, a good candidate among a field of good candidates

When do pitchers and cathers report? talking about games is so much better than talking about numbers

long live sass

d

Slider Away spells it out above as well as anyone can. Rob Neyer does a pretty good job too. The fact is ('facts' being things that I like to rely on), any empiricist can tell you that Justin didn't deserve to finish in the top 5.

As a life-long Yankees fan (and a big-time Batgirl fan as well), it would've been a minor thrill to see Jeter win it. It was very close, but Mauer is probably most deserving. To see Morneau win it... that's just gut-wrenching. Not at all surprising though... in a country where two out of three people don't believe in evolution (!!), we can't expect baseball writers to examine all the evidence and get the MVP vote correct.

How can you call it gut wrenching, LOL. The team pretty much came out and said at the end of the year who they thought the MVP of the team was and although Mauer was great the season turned around when we finally had a real slugger in the middle which is what the Twins have lacked for years.

'From June 8 to the end of the season, he led the majors with a .362 average, while hitting 23 homers and driving in 92 runs. The Twins finished 71-33 and caught Detroit.'

Could there be a debate on what people think is the most important when considering an mvp? yes. But to call the choice gut wrenching is hardly true either. Actually I find it astounding that people find it an outrageous choice. I watched this team when they were losing and when they started winning the difference was Justin's impact. When I look at those #'s I find it reasonable why Justin won the award. This award is not based on the toughest position in the game it is based on power #'s of a player to make it to the post season on most occasions.

I think the Boyfriend of the Year award counts for something, actually quite a lot. We should be listening to Batgirl more :-)

"With every Twins victory the B.O.D. Supreme High Commandress will select that Team Batgirl boyfriend who has most contributed to said victory. That boyfriend will be the Boyfriend of the Day." That The Doctor was that player more often than any other (and this wasn't a Twins team lacking in great contributions) pretty much makes the case for him as team MVP over Mauer.

AP Wire Services----

Under a barrage of politically motivated questioning, President Bush admitted to receiving a telephone call from Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in the early hours of Monday morning prior to the American League's selection of the MVP. Bush admitted to later calling baseball's commissioner Bud Selig about the matter, but would not expound upon any comments he made.

When Bush was asked if the voting was influenced by foreign government intereference, he simply said, "If ya don't love that Canadian kid, ya must have bats in the belfry" which he also repeated in Spanish.

Darren Thomas, a professional volcano bungy jumper and Derek Jeter advocate, decried the news. "I think there is a conspiracy here; we've only scratched the surface." Certain baseball writers seemed in agreement.

An annoyed spokesman for the Jeter camp mentioned that those who voted for Morneau simply like Moosehead beer more than Budweiser. "I think he (Morneau) might be better at felling trees than Jeter, but I am not sure as I haven't seen either of them swing a hatchet." When informed that a hatchet really didn't need to be swung, the spokesman quickly apologized for his remark, but added, "We are in the process of assembling a team of lawyers to see if there were any violations in the voting procedures and to make sure that the ballots were all accounted for and properly punched."

Others thought the victory by Morneau was due to a powerful but little-researched phenomenon known as the "Batgirl tide." Although little is known about this tide, it is said to sweep over an individual and make them a Twins fan for life.

p.e.m.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ny-spvotes1122,0,2346956.htmlstory?coll=ny-main-bigpix

the ballots of all voting media are listed. I posted this earlier in the thread too but apparently your gut was wrenching at the time.

Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times is the man you're looking for. The same one who left the AL batting leader totally off his ballot... but did list AJ Pierzynski.

Joe Cowley, NICE Voting, (Brilliant) I can't think of any more sarcastic things to say right now but...

i sure wish there was baseball on thanksgiving!! happy turkey day to all bat-girl fans... god bless

Justin said he was at his girlfriends apartment when he heard the news. I thought Cuddy said he was single. Way to break my heart. That's ok the age difference and the long distance wouldn't have worked right now.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Melissa,

Thanks for the info! I didn't know he was dating anyone! I guess it's okay...I have other boyfriends...:)

Wow, I haven't seen this much whining from non White Sox fans in like, well, ever. You'd think Justin had played like Luis Rivas this year or something with all the outrage. Sheesh.

Congrats to Morneau. He deserved it.

Happy thanks-giving everyone!
Long live base-ball.

If you click on the URL I posted, you'll read a story from a writer who knows so little about baseball that he actually says that the Twins didn't make the postseaon this year...what a tool. I suggest we all POLITELY correct him.

here's my two cents...
In my opinion, Mauer was MVP... Hands down.
But the fact that all of the Twins pointed to Morneau as their MVP, that really says something for me. When Johan was asked what he thought of his chances at winning the MVP when he won the cy young last week, he said "Hopefully Morneau wins it". If Morneau is an MVP for Johan... He's an MVP for me. Plus he had awesome numbers too.

Angryscott, thanks for the link. At least that writer has inserted an "edit note" acknowledging his brain fart and the fact that it deludes his point a bit.

Fact is, I was less offended by that error than I was by his point that Jeter didn't have the same support that Morneau did.

When the Yankees lost Matsui and Sheffield, they bought Abreau. When the Twins lost Stewart/Ford/Hunter, they brought up Tyner.

Jeter had a 19-win pitcher to play behind just like Morneau. Their 19 game winner was backed up by names like Johnson and Musina. Morneau wouldn't have recognized the starting pitcher on the mound half the time if the guy's name wasn't on his jersey.

Just before the playoffs, you couldnt turn on TV or radio without hearing the talking heads drone on about how this Yankee lineup was the most impressive since 1927. Now those same guys want us to believe Jeter carried the team? You can't have it both ways (unless you're an east coast sportswriter or a Yankee fan, of course).

Jeter, Dye, Morneau, Mauer... and others... all had great years and any of them could have been a legitimate choice for MVP. I can understand anyone who wants to make the case for their favorite having been a more deserving choice. But I am deeply offended by those who are so blinded by something that they feel the choice of Morneau was completely without merit. It's to those people, that I raise a one-finger-salute with one hand as I raise my glass in the other to toast the Doc.

JC

JC

Amen!!!!

Baseball Betty

You know...in retrospect...how can anybody argue that an Anti-Yankees mentality lead to Jeter getting snubbed.

Didn't the same set of voters elect a Yankee in a highly contested MVP race not but a year ago?

I, too, am sick of hearing all this whining about how Morneau didn't deserve AL MVP. I was reading the paper this morning, when I read something interesting. I believe Joe Christiansen (sp?) said it. "If you take Jeter away from the talent-rich Yankees line-up, they still win the AL East. Take away Morneau, and the Twins don't make the playoffs". Very true.

Dear Torhu

Do you think that Jeter getting a 6th place vote was a fair judgment on his season ?

p.e.m.

You know, if he'd lost by a point or two, I could see dwelling on one writer's ballot... but he didn't. If the guy had listed him 2nd or 3rd, you wouldn't be able to whine so much but Jeter still would have finished second.