No one predicted that would be the best hitting shortstop of 2012, but so far, the 38 year old has outproduced prime players like Jose Reyes and . Over the last month, The Captain is hitting .386/.412/.588 at a point in the season where this team desperately needs offense. With Septembers in sight, MVP discussion is beginning to brew, and Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune believes Jeter deserves to win. He argues that the shortstop’s contributions to a winning team make him more valuable than players like and , who may not fulfill their teams playoff births.
If I had a ballot in front of me today, with both the Tigers and the Angels outside the playoffs, I would vote for Jeter. He’s the best player on the American League’s winningest team.
During Tuesday night’s game, Michael Kay appeared to side with Rogers on this, adding that Jeter is in the midst of one of the best seasons of his career. While this is somewhat short-sided when you consider what he did in the late 90′s and early 2000′s, this is certainly the best season since 2009, and before that 2006. To be throwing up these types of numbers at 38 years old, at a position like shortstop, is nothing short of remarkable. After struggling with some batting changes in 2010 and early 2011, Jeter now looks age-less. Where he looked slow to the fastballs in 2010, he’s now destroying them.
Jeter's Strikezone Chart Against Fastballs in 2012
There’s no doubt that he is producing a spectacular season, but is it really MVP worthy? Of course not. Though he is now older and wiser, the majority of sports writers are not. Although I’m a statistician at heart, in regards to who he is, I’m willing to grant Jeter some bonus points on consistency and leadership. But when the discussion reverts back to the team a candidate plays for, I’m under the assumption that Most Valuable Player means most valuable player. I’m unwilling to waiver to this idea that someone’s production is worth more when they play with a better team. In fact, the MVP probably holds more bearing with players on losing teams if you consider they likely had less protection when batting, and had to deal with the mental battle of playing to their best talents while losing. Simply put, the MVP belongs to the best individual player.
AP
Jeter has definitely not been the best individual player. He hasn’t even been the best player on his own team. There lies an undoubted MVP candidate right now, Mike Trout, who currently sports a 7.5 fWAR. Where Jeter bats .324, Trout hits .344. Where Jeter draws on base rate of .365 rate, Trout posts a .407. Trout has almost twice as many homeruns, 30+ more steals, and he didn’t even play until April 28th. On top of all this, Trout has emerged as one of the best defensive center fielders in the game.
Trout is far superior to Jeter in every category, withstanding the amount of superstars the Angels front office could surround him with. Why should Trout be penalized for who he plays with? Assuming the Yankees make the playoffs and the Angels fall short, Rogers is arguing that, despite all the extra power and average and on base percentage and stolen bases and defense, Trout is worth less because of the team he plays for.
The baseball information age began decades ago and acclimated into front offices 10 years ago. Even the most casual fans today would agree that Trout has been more valuable than Jeter. It’s astounding that the writers at the forefront of the mainstream media can remain so far behind in the baseball stone age that they still rely on ridiculous and debunked intangibles in their analysis.
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
10 Responses to The MVP and Derek Jeter
Leave a Reply
-
TIQ IQ
“Assuming the Yankees make the playoffs?” That is rapidly becoming a big assumption, considering their Wild Card lead is now down to 4.5 games. After 5-1 and 5-2 post-All Star home stands, the Yankees fell on their faces with sweeps in Oakland and Chicago. They don’t deserve a Wild Card if they blow the division, and probably won’t get one if they do. Jeter’s wasted his fine year.
It´s only been 1 week since we beat the Rangers 3-1! Sayin Jeter´s fine year is wasted is a bit premature. Yankees got 3 @ Cleveland this weekend, if we dont win THIS series, then Ill really start to worry…
Trout or Cabrera are easily more deserving.
Could make a good case for a few others as well (including Cano)
I’d like to see Jeter win it because that would be awesome
“I’m unwilling to waiver to this idea that someone’s production is worth more when they play with a better team.”
This is not the definition of value. Value must include marginal utility; Value is not absolute and/or objective. There must be an agent that has to value: A player on a good team that brings that team into the playoffs is more valuable to THAT team (in a cardinal utility function) than the player to HIS TEAM that has no effect on a bad team. No player, good, service, exist independently within a vacuum. Substitution is not possible here. We have to make judgement to how much that person,good,or service is valued within it’s environment (AKA Utility Function).
[Note: I do not think this applies to LA and Trout. LA is not that bad.]
Ed is correct. Value must be seen within the full environment.if the team won nothing the player could not add value if the end result is nothing.
If the Yankees win and Jeter has added the most value to the teams winning then Jeter is the MVP.
I would use WPA as the statistic to judge who contributed most to the winning……not necessarily the player considered the best player. So if the Yankees win and Cano has a higher WPA I would vote for Cano for MVP.
Regardless of Jete’s numbers, there are as many (if not more) envious voters out there than there are supporters. He’ll never see an MVP.
If who you play with should count in your favor how can it also count against you? So you play with a bunch of bums, but you put up crazy numbers, but you don’t make the playoffs what real value do you have? Are you arguing that without Trout the Angels would miss the playoffs by more games so, since they are only going to miss by a couple he has some value to them? With 5 teams now making the playoffs per league, if you can’t find an MVP in that group of 60 or so players (9 batters in AL, top 2 starting pitchers per team and the closers) you aren’t trying or you’re a hater.
Dave – who are you talking to?
Just responding to the article. Author seems to think if you play with crappy players that it increases your value, which is an ok argument only if the player takes his team to the playoffs.
I bet a lot of writers vote for Jeter as sort of a lifetime achievement reward.