2011 AL MVP: Just Say No to Curtis Granderson, Please

Curtis Granderson as AL MVP would be a travesty.  In early October, he was voted as the AL MVP by the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America.  And he’s a favourite to win again.  Essentially, his 2011 was as good as Jose Bautista’s 2010 season when Bautista finished fourth in MVP voting.  It’s just that Granderson did it for the Yankees which, of course, makes all the difference. 

Being in the biggest market with the most successful franchise that's perpetually in the playoff hunt helps.  Considerably.  We don’t want to overstate our case here, though.  This isn’t like an environmental or meteorological disaster.  This isn’t life or death.  It’s along the lines of Andre Dawson being named NL MVP in ’87.  Granderson’s selection would be just as frustrating.

1987 gave us two controversial selections.  There are those in Tiger-town who still think an injustice was perpetrated against Alan Trammell when George Bell won the award.  And memories are long, too.  Bell had the right numbers in the right categories to mount a successful campaign, even though Alan Trammell’s WAR was superior (8.4-5.0). 

But Bell’s WAR was among the top seven totals among batters in the AL that year.  André Dawson had sexy numbers (49 HR, 137 RBI) too, but he had the second-lowest WAR among the 19 vote-getters for NL MVP.  With 2.7 WAR, he was marginally more valuable than Phillies closer Steve Bedrosian (2.5).  "Bedrock" finished 16th in NL voting.

In 2011, Jose Bautista finished at the top of the AL in WAR among position players (8.5).  Pitcher Justin Verlander matched Bautista’s total and was joined by Jered Weaver and James Shields as the only pitchers among the top 11.  At 5.2 WAR, Curtis Granderson didn’t finish in the top 10.  His 5.4 oWAR tied him for sixth in the league with Alex Avila, but his –0.2 dWAR was indicative of his all-round contribution to the playoff-bound Yankees.

Then there’s the consideration that must be given to the team for which he played.  The benefit is two-pronged.  First, of all the Yankees he inspired, the least fear.  It sheds some light that Granderson was one of  only two Yankee hitters not to receive any IBBs all season.  The other was Derek Jeter. 

With the game on the line, teams were least likely to pitch to Robinson Cano (11 IBB), but most likely to pitch to Curtis Granderson or Jeter (0 IBB). That said, he produced all season long.  Does that surprise anyone else?  The second consideration is that the Yankees lineup included Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, Nick Swisher and Alex Rodriguez. 

It’s sort of a modern-day Murderer’s Row, and Granderson benefited from it.  Surrounded by such players, Granderson achieved career highs in a number of statistical categories, resulting in a career year.

Is Curtis Granderson a viable MVP candidate?  Of course he is.  Is he the best candidate for the honour of being named 2011 American League MVP?  Hardly.  Better cases can be made for Miguel Cabrera, Jacoby Ellsbury, Robinson Cano, Jose Bautista, Adrian Gonzalez, and Justin Verlander.  The inclusion of a pitcher is incendiary; some think that pitchers have their own award (the Cy Young).  But arguing against the reality of their inclusion is futile.  The rules and the voting tell us what we need to know.  Additionally, the Cy Young and MVP are not equivalent awards.

These candidates present their own pros and cons, as well.  Among them, Justin Verlander stands out as an excellent—and perhaps the best—candidate as AL MVP.  His season was similar to Roger Clemens’ 1986 campaign, and 1986 had one other oddity in common with 2011: no everyday player emerged as a clear favourite.  Had Jose Bautista continued the torrid pace he set during the first three months, he would have distanced himself from the group. 

The same can be said about both Adrian Gonzalez and Curtis Granderson (for a forgettable September).  But Granderson had his own difficulties (low BA; poor defense by his own standards; fourth in strikeouts in the AL; the significant team-oriented benefits he enjoyed; same position as Ellsbury; etc.).  Miguel Cabrera is an excellent candidate, except for two factors: his defense, and he’s Justin Verlander’s teammate.

If Curtis Granderson wins the American League Most Valuable Player Award, it won’t be the end of the world.  It wouldn’t even be the first poor choice (Mo Vaughan?  Don Baylor?  Jeff Burroughs?  Boog Powell?).  But don’t misunderstand, it would indeed be a poor choice. 

In a year when no single candidate from among the everyday players distanced himself from the pack, Justin Verlander did two things: he dominated the American League in a manner that’s rare for pitchers (with apologies to Pedro Martinez, who had Jason Giambi’s and Pudge Rodriguez’s outstanding seasons working against him), and he gave the Detroit Tigers every opportunity to win each game he pitched.  If that’s not a clear outworking of the meaning of "most valuable player" as defined by the American League, I don’t know what is.  Would Verlander’s selection redress the wrong of 1987?