Whoever the National League MVP is this season, somebody’s gonna get screwed.
Because there’s two guys who absolutely deserve it. Jimmy Rollins and Matt Holliday. Both these guys were linchpins in their respective teams’ unbelievable late-September runs for the playoffs.
Jimmy Rollins with the Phillies, who won the NL East after having trailed the New York Mets by 6.5 games with just over two weeks to go in the season.
Matt Holliday with the Rockies, who won 13 of their last 14 regular season games just to force a playoff for the NL Wildcard spot.
Which they won, thanks to Matt Holliday’s winning run on a controversial headfirst slide into home plate in extra innings.
Both players had career seasons.
Both players were undisputed leaders on their teams.
But I think Matt Holliday will win the National League MVP.
Why?
Even though both players had incredible seasons and led their teams to the postseason (against each other no less) – Holliday’s season was better.
And his September was one you couldn’t ignore.
| Matt Holliday | G | AB | Runs | Hits | 2B | HR | RBI | BA | OBA | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Season | 158 | 636 | 120 | 216 | 50 | 36 | 137 | .340 | .405 | .607 | 1.012 |
| September | 27 | 104 | 30 | 38 | 6 | 12 | 32 | .365 | .447 | .788 | 1.235 |
- Holliday won the National League batting title and RBI Crown.
- Holliday was incredibly consistent (.341 and 69 RBI before the All-Star Game, .338 and 68 RBI after it)
- Holliday turned it up in September and hit .365 with a 1.235 OPS and 12 HR
- Holliday was the September NL Player of the Month (fresh memories for voters)
- The Rockies’ late season heroics (14 of 15) were more unbelievable than the Phillies’
- The last play of the regular season (the aforementioned dramatic WildCard tiebreaker) resulted in Holliday’s photogenic bruised chin
- Holliday had more Hits, RBI, and HR than Rollins despite 80 fewer at-bats.
- Bugs and Cranks has jinxed Rollins by proclaiming today “Jimmy Rollins Day“
Someone will bring up the Coors effect – Did Holliday hit better at Coors?
Yes, he owned pitchers in Denver to the tune of .376 batting and .722 slugging. But he hit .301/.485 on the road.
All told, I think it will be Matt Holliday day (Holli-day?) when he is announced as the 2007 National League MVP today.
Entries (RSS)
November 20th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
Hom Run Derby has jinxed Holliday by proclaiming “NL MVP: It’s Matt Holliday“
The reverse jinx!
November 20th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
Pretty much. Congrats to Rollins.
November 20th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
You know who got screwed? David Wright. And Albert Pujols. Chipper Jones, and Chase Utley, too. Those four were clearly the four most productive players in the NL. All were huge on offense and added a lot of value defensively. If you want to include some sort of voodoo for playing on a playoff team, fine. But that doesn’t mean Holliday or Rollins were better players.
As far as whether or not Holliday deserves a Coors penalty, read this: http://skyking162.com/2007/10/myth-holliday-doesnt-deserve-a-coors-penalty/
Rollins and Holliday are fantastic players who had great seasons, but they were not the two best players in the NL, by a long shot.
November 20th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
uh….David Wright? Really….That bastard is dead to me.