Will Wrist Surgery Affect Carlos Quentin's MVP Hopes?

The Chicago White Sox announced this afternoon that their MVP candidate, Carlos Quentin, will be undergoing wrist surgery that has the potential to terminate his season.

Prior to injuring his wrist, Quentin led the polls for AL MVP. His 36 home runs lead the American League, and are complimented by 100 runs batted in and a .288 batting average. In most other seasons, these numbers would not necessarily be seen as MVP quality, but the White Sox are competing for the AL Central title and Quentin has been their offensive leader all season.

There is no likelihood that Quentin would be chosen unanimously as the AL MVP even if he didn’t hurt his wrist.

Now he is out at least two to three weeks, with a possibility of missing the remainder of the season.

Depending on how September plays out for Alex Rodriguez, Justin Morneau, Dustin Pedroia, and Kevin Youkilis, Quentin’s injury has the potential to allow one of these players to snag the AL MVP.

Alex Rodriguez is hitting .315 with 32 home runs and 91 runs batted in. Keep in mind that A-Rod missed a month of the season due to a leg injury. Rodriguez’s fielding percentage is only .966, but if he can lead the Yankees to a miraculous run into the postseason, you can bet he will be a unanimous MVP. However, where he stands now is not comparable to the players who have a better chance at the playoffs.

Justin Morneau is the most prominent offensive power on the Minnesota Twins. The first baseman is batting .311 with 21 home runs and 109 runs batted in. Morneau can also get the job done with his glove, as of today he has only made four errors in 1205 total chances. He is a big reason why the Twins are still in contention for the postseason and should definitely be considered for MVP.

Dustin Pedroia may be young and short, but the guy can really play baseball. Pedroia leads the AL in batting (.333), hits (191), and runs (110); he is second in doubles with 44, only trailing Brian Roberts by three. In the field, he has cleanly gobbled up 99.1% of the balls that have headed in his direction. Considering how great his range is at second base, this high fielding percentage is all the more impressive. The second year player even has 17 home runs to compliment the rest of his outstanding offensive stats. Possibly Pedroia’s most remarkable stat is his 47 strikeouts in 574 at-bats. Pedroia is definitely a main reason that the Red Sox hold the American League Wild Card, and should absolutely be considered for the MVP of the American League. 

Pedroia’s teammate, Kevin Youkilis is also a threat to win the MVP. Youkilis leads the Red Sox with 24 home runs and 94 runs batted in. He also posts a .315 batting average. Youkilis is known for his extraordinary glove at first base and his versatility on the field, being able to play third base and outfield if the Red Sox need him there. He is an all around player and definitely has a shot at winning the MVP.

As a Yankee fan, it is hard for me to root for Pedroia to win the MVP, but I think that he has the best chance now that Quentin is out.

It will be interesting to see how September determines the MVP winner.