Re: This "Jeter for MVP" Nonsense

Allan Barra (insufferable contrarian) had an article up in the WSJ yesterday - Strib rebuttal linked at right. Please read, then feel free to leave comments at wsjonline as to how asinine it is. I've actually tried to, but my server apparently won't let me post in their format.

Both of Barra's specious arguments in favor of the vastly statistically inferior Jeter suffer from the fact that Jeter's primary competition is Joe Mauer. For one thing, if there's one guy in the entire Majors who can give Derek Jeter a run for his money in salt-of-the-earthy, All-American boy, I want my daughter to marry that guy-ness, it's Joe Mauer. His professionalism, ownership of his team, consistency and all around obviously solid character take a backseat to no one. Anyone who doesn't recognize this is obviously not getting outside the bubble of the A.L. East enough. The only difference is that Jeter's been America's shortstop for longer than Mauer's been America's catcher, and has had the blessing of being in the biggest baseball market in the world on a team filled with stars his entire career. As for the "Lifetime Achievement" concept Barra puts forth, his Martin Scorcese and "The Departed" analogy would work a lot better if Jeter's MVP competitor were the standard RF/DH/1B putting up big RBI and HR and other traditional counting stats. If you restricted all this to "Who's the MVP of the 2009 Yankees?" then he'd have a case. But those aren't the circumstances. Jeter's facing a Gold Glove catcher (the only position on the field that's more of a defensive premium than his) having arguably the best hitting season by a catcher ever. Had "The Godfather" been released the same year as "The Departed" Scorcese would still be waiting for his statuette.

I have not seen an argument yet, from any of the Jeter/Texeira pushers, that would lead me to think that their "value" is somehow even approaching Mauer's. It's obvious to anyone to who has actually watched the Twins on days other than when they visit the Bronx that, day to day, Mauer is the quintessence of whatever value might be. Every case made for Jeter/Texeira (can we stop calling him "Tex" please? The "x" is pronounced "sh" and he's from Maryland and Georgia Tech) inevitably reduces to "but the Yankees are great!"

Someone make a case for Cabrera. He should finish second in this thing.