Stats are Runs-2B-HR-RBI-SB

2001 – Bobby Abreu – 118-48-31-110-36

1999 – Chipper Jones – 116-41-45-110-25

Editor’s note: The stat requires they drive in MORE than than 110 runs. Yes, that’s a stupid stipulation. But the whole essence is ridiculous — thus, the “Obscure stats” headline. It’s dumb but accurate.

The AL MVP was tough because noone really jumps out. I voted for Yook, with Sizemore a close second (33 taters ain’t bad). Mauer to me is the weakest of the choices; all that love because he’s a catcher? What about Sizemore? He’s got much more power and production than anyone else up the center of the field.

True, Youk plays a rather easy defensive position, but he plays it extremely well, and he wasn’t too shabby with the bat (highest OPS+ of all the above candidates), even when presented with the the tough task of replacing a certain long-haired, space cadet left fielder.

Lincecum: A candidate for the new age sabretron voter. Was great from start to finish and had the most impressive combo of counting and quality stats. Could suffer from Santana pulling some of the sabretron vote after a really awesome August/September.

Webb: Appeals for obvious reasons to the deadbeat vote.

CC Sabathia: For anyone who treats the Cy like a MVP, BFP (but for pitchers). He had the greatest impact on the playoff race of any pitcher. And the three-day rest start (does this have it’s own name yet?) is the kind of mythic September moment voters could rally around.

Awesome race, and I can’t wait to read the blog post after they hand out the hardware!

I didn’t say I was surprised that Doc was a strong second. Readers of this blog are typically more insightful than the BBWAA voters. I suppose I’m just already anticipating the BBWAA being blinded by the gaudy saves stat and valuing 68 innings by the fifth- or sixth-best AL closer over almost 250 top-notch innings by a starter who’s been underappreciated by the mainstream media all year, as far as I’ve seen.

Regarding Sizemore, I admittedly didn’t know those second-half numbers – his September tank job completely flew under my radar. A .250/.320/.375 line? Wow. I did know that Choo’s been ridiculously good, particularly in September.

And I think Youkilis will be hurt in the BBWAA voting by the Pedroia-love going on all over. Both have been vital cogs in Boston making the playoffs, putting up huge numbers to make up for Manny leaving, Ortiz, Drew and Lowell being injured, Varitek and Lugo being terrible, but Pedroia’s gotten the ink, at least in part because of the fact that he’s short (virtually every article I’ve come across touting his candidacy makes mention of his height or calls him a mighty mite or some other such nonsense).

With no ridiculously overwhelming candidate, I could this being a year where the votes could be split, with the voters unwilling to pick two Red Sox, opting to drop a Twin in between the two. Oddly, four of the most likely candidates to get much support – Mauer, Morneau, Youkilis and Pedroia – come from two teams, so it’ll be interesting to see how the vote-splitting goes when the voters are faced with that conundrum. Likely, it’ll come down to the little guy versus the RBI guy. I’m actually starting to believe that some old-school BBWAA voters vote the way they do just to annoy the enlightened crowd.

The best thing I love about this guy–he’s always playing it full. Whoever his opponent called a LOOGY to face him, he’ll walk to the dugout, get a good discussion of his scouting report, and come back to the plate looking ready. That’s what players need to do. Be prepared. Think.

I like him. I hope there’s more outfielders like him.