I hate sounding redundant as I have mentioned this several times in the past but here is a perfect example why I don't think a pitcher should win an MVP. Not just because they have there own award (Cy Young) but because I think the MVP should be given to a player who plays EVERY day (162 times a year & not 30-35 times a year). And no player has been screwed by this more then our own Don Mattingly. In 1984 he led the league in hits & doubles & won the batting title. The MVP was won by a relief pitcher (Willie Hernandez) & if that wasn't enough even another relief pitcher finished ahead of him (Dan Quisenberry) Mattingly finished 5th. In 1985 He won the award In 1986 again he lost out to a pitcher (Roger Clemens) Clemens had a great year & all Mattingly did was lead the league in hits, doubles, SLG%, OPS, OPS+ and TBs. All this while hitting 31 HRs driving in 113 & finished 2nd in batting with a 352 average. My main point is this, a pitcher has there award of excellence (The Cy Young) An everyday position player is only eligible to win ONE award MVP. A pitcher (part time player) has there own seperate award. JMO.
A big pet peeve for me also rick especially with kirby pucket in and no donnie baseball. Despite the fact the last 7 years of his career's back injury robbed him of his power donnie baseball still had better power numbers than kirbir and the other numbers were very similar. Aslo had 9gg's to 6 and like you said should have had 3 mvp's in a row no less to kirbies big 0. During a 5 year period donnie was the best player in baseball and acknowledged of such by his peers. Kirby was never in that type of class. An absolute disgrace to me this man is not in the hall of fame. Sucks big time.
I agree, pitchers should not be eligible for the MVP, they simply do not play in enough games, they get the CY, what reason is there for an individual in a team sport to get two major awards in the same season? it's a joke IMO, and guys like Cabrera who should have won in 2011 have to be steamed about losing hardware to a guy who only helped his team win in about 25 games, when he did so in many, many more, and as the OP said, Mattingly was even more robbed, probably more than once.
And no player has been screwed by this more then our own Don Mattingly. In 1984 he led the league in hits & doubles & won the batting title. The MVP was won by a relief pitcher (Willie Hernandez) & if that wasn't enough even another relief pitcher finished ahead of him (Dan Quisenberry) Mattingly finished 5th. In 1985 He won the award In 1986 again he lost out to a pitcher (Roger Clemens) Clemens had a great year & all Mattingly did was lead the league in hits, doubles, SLG%, OPS, OPS+ and TBs. All this while hitting 31 HRs driving in 113 & finished 2nd in batting with a 352 average. __________________________________________ Rick,I agree with you 1000%
