MVP

[WilliamPitt]

If Ortiz has one more walk-off hit in 2006, he'll be the first baseball hitter to have six in a single season since the division era began in 1969. ... Since the start of 2005, he's come up 13 times with the chance for a game-ending plate appearance and made an out only once (and he ended up winning that game in the 12th inning). ... He has the most walk-off hits in any four-year span (12, and that doesn't include the three in the 2004 playoffs, which made him the only player in history with three game-ending postseason hits). ... Since he joined the Red Sox in 2003, he has 15 walk-off hits and the rest of the team has 19 total. ... Since Aug. 1, 2004, Ortiz has hit 21 home runs in 138 at-bats in Late-Inning Pressure Situations (no other player has more than 13). ... Dusty Baker has the most career walk-off hits (25, including the playoffs), but Ortiz is 10 behind. And just for the record, none of those stats include all the times when he tied a game or gave the Red Sox the lead in the seventh or eighth inning.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060802

[MessiahRp]

1. Hopefully the media isn't on crack this year...

There is NO way Papi isn't MVP last year. The BS line about A-Rod playing a position (forget that he doesn't even play it well) jobbed him last year when he should have won it then also.

Only biased NY writers would screw him out of it this year.

Rp

[k_jerome]

4. A-Rod had better offensive statistics AND played a position...

every day. Given that, a DH will never win MVP unless they are dominant in the offensive category. Even if the everyday player is slightly worse offensively, they will win. As of now, this season, Ortiz is the MVP. That could change.

I am a Red Sox fan and Yankee and A-Rod hater. A-Rod deserved MVP last season, even though I hated to see him win it.

[PDittie]

2. We're already talking about this

over here. Well, I am, anyway...

[bigwillq]

3. I agree. Papi is the MVP.

And this is coming from a Yankees fan.

[k_jerome]

5. Ortiz is the most unbelievable clutch hitter I have seen...

and right now, he is the MVP.

[MaineDem]

6. I don't want to hear any of the BS about being "only" a DH

Ortiz, right now, is the MVP in the League. No doubt about it!

And the DH has been a legal position since, what, 1973 or so.

As an aside, he's the first BoSox player to have 40 HRs three years in a row, I believe.

[bigwillq]

10. Papi will probably break the team record

for single season HRs. I think it's 50.

[Broken_Hero]

7. David Ortiz

for sure...man is incredible in the clutch...and usually doesn't choke in teh playoffs, unliks A-rod...:) Sorry, disgruntled Mariners fan here.

[JohnKleeb]

8. Guess we could say A-Rod is Peyton Manning's baseball cousin

Sorry Colts Fans :D. I have to say yes right now David Oritz would be my pick for MVP, the dude is amazing in the clutch, has great numbers, etc.

[Bluzmann57]

9. Ok as an east coast hating baseball fan

and one who doesn't particularly like the DH either, even I have to admit that Ortiz is MVP worthy this year. Vernon Welles and a guy who will probably get around zero votes, Jermaine Dye, are also MVP worthy as well, imo. But Ortiz is basically carrying the Red Sox. Too bad they ain't going to the playoffs. The White Sox are going to be the wild card out of the A.L. and those damn Yankees will probably win the Eastern division again.
Now in the N.L., it is hard to pick one guy, but two obvious ones are Beltran and Pujols. When it is all said and done, Pujols, barring injuries, may very well break Hank Aaron's record and Beltran is a five tool player. Sigh. I wish my beloved Cubs would have signed him when they had a chance.