Tom Hicks' and the other ostrich owners' acquisition of religion by Aug. 30 willing, A-Rod's blistering pace will give the "must be on a contender" sillies food for thought....

So many stoopid unwritten rules about who's allowed to be the MVP. Must be on a contender. Can't be a starting pitcher, but can be a reliever, although a reliever can't win the Cy Young even if he's the MVP. Oh, and you better have a great September because five killer months combined with a so-so September is not sufficiently "valuable," compared to someone who mailed it in for five months then went on a September tear even though, last time I checked, all of the games count equally in the standings. It's not like September W's count double (although don't make that suggestion too loud in front of Ugly Bud, he might run with it to create "fan interest").

Geez, why not just give the MVP Award to the best PLAYER in each league. In the AL, that's Alex Rodriguez. Hands down. No one's even close. In the NL, it's probably Curt Schilling, but he's somehow ineligible too.

Oh CITT, you had me nodding the whole way til that last sentence!!!

The NL MVP is Bonds, and with 34 homers vs 38 strikeouts, plus a 1.364 OPS, it's not remotely close. (Schilling is the league's best pitcher at the moment, but only by a whisker over the Unit.)

Got to agree with Bill W that the best players in baseball are clearly A-Rod & Bonds--though Pedro Martinez is charging hard in the AL.

But there is always the old argument of what "value" is. Does it matter whether the Texas Rangers win 70 games or 60? Does the fact that Bonds is rarely permitted to bat with the game on the line, and that the guys behind him have not been very successful in bringing him home, diminish his value?

I think the 112 or so runs Barry will score is an impressive total -- and getting on 57% of the time creates runs even when HE doesn't score, rippling throughout the lineup and game...

To say that Barry Bonds has less "value" than, say, Shawn Green or Lance Berkman's, is inaccurate. It may turn out that Bonds's *teammates* have less value than Green's or Berkman's.

It's the old "best" vs. "valuable" argument. A-Rod is the best player, no question, but is he the most valuable? What has he added to the Rangers? Has he lifted the team's record appreciably or would they be about the same without him? These are the questions selectors ponder, though the final question about the Rangers position without him is useless as that depends on what other players are on the team instead.

I'd vote for him as the MVP and cite Andre Dawson of the '87 Cubs to all those who bitch about a losing team MVP.

~Adam

Ick. I could vote for A-Rod, but Andre Dawson was a godawful choice for MVP. Not even the best on a non-contending team (Dale Murphy & Tony Gwynn were better).

In the AL, definitely A-Rod, without a doubt. In the NL, if Bonds goes on the DL again before the end of the season, I say give it to Schilling.

A-Rod is in line for the triple crown and Barry would be if they pitced to him. Give Curt and Lowe the Cy but not the MVP. Curt has Unit, whose numbers are equal, and we know who Lowe has.

Z