Morneau's shot

[Mudcutter]

think about this for a sec---- Morneau's shot came agst a guy throwing 99mph on that pitch-- (101 MPH on a pitch to Cuddy) and MoonShot almost pulled it foul. The quickness of JM swing is nuts-- plus the power. Zumaya will think better of it next time-- Other than DH ORtiz-- Morneau has to be in contention for the MVP. .321AVG 101RBI and 30HR

Muddy

[fisherman]

I think its between Morneau and Jeter at this time. Much can happen in the last 45-50 games. A DH "should not" win this awared.

[mnwild]

He should be a very strong consideration for MVP. I don't know how his number's compare to Jeter, Ortiz or Vlad but should be a top candidate.

[SledNeck]

Is it just me or does it always seem like Cuddyer strikes out at the worst possible times. Man on 3rd and forget about it. Maybe he needs a week off.

[Jorgie]

Current stats from mlb.com:

Ortiz: .288 avg, 41 hr, 110 RBI

Thome: .300 avg, 34 hr, 85 RBI

Morneau: .322 avg, 30 hr, 101 RBI

Guerrero: .315 avg, 25 hr, 88 RBI

I'd have to say its between Morneau and Ortiz. But now that Morneau got number 30 out of the way, I think he'll start getting more homers and ribbies. What really irks me is how the media is even considering Jeter a candidate. Look at this:

Jeter: .346 avg, 9 hr, 68 RBI

Mauer: .369 avg, 10 hr, 64 RBI

I'm not saying Joe deserves MVP, but if Jeter's numbers make him a candidate, Mauer should be considered over him. I guess its just another example of east coast bias.

[IFallsRon]

The East Coast Bias won't recognize Morneau unless the Twins make the playoffs.

[nofishfisherman]

Everyone is in love with Ortiz right now beucase of his game winning hits. If a DH wins the MVP I think its wrong. I want to see an everyday player who also plays in the field win the MVP.

Also if Jeter wins MVP that is a slap in the face to alot of players who are having much better years, two of them being on the Twins.

You will not however see a Twin win the MVP award because we are to small of a market and the names aren't big enough yet.

National media doesn't seem to have much respect for the twins, to them we are just a cute little underdog team that likes to act like a real baseball team.

[Willy]

What a game. Morneau has been clutch and has actually been the most productive hitter in the major leagues since June.

That was a heck of a HR and a heck of a win last night. I don't know if he'll be up for MVP just because everyone drools over guys like Jeter and Ortiz, but he sure deserves some consideration.

He is one of, if not the biggest reason the Twins turned their season around and are now in the thick of - actually leading the wild card race.

[Down to Earth]

I think Ortiz got shafted last year. I don't see any reason why a DH, can't win the MVP if he's putting up the offensive numbers to support it. You can't tell me Morneau should be in the MVP conversation because of his glove? He's in the conversation because of his offensive numbers. I don't believe he should get extra consideration just for being an average fielding first baseman. If he were a gold glove first baseman then, yes, the argument can be made for his position playing status.

[PierBridge]

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I think Ortiz got shafted last year.

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I wouldn't say he got shafted PayRod had a heck of year...

Ortiz is pretty much a lock for the MVP this year he would have go into a big slump not to get it....it's just the way the system works.......

[Juan Grande]

Yep, Morneau has no chance this year unles he has an unbelievable finish. Ortiz plays in Boston and came up short last year so he's a shoe in.

Mauer would have more of a chance if he had Morneau's power numbers because he's a catcher and because of the national publicity he's gotten.

I think Torii is by far the worst clutch hitter on the team. Cuddyer strikes out some times, but he does have 75 RBI and some of them have been big. Unlike Torri who hits all his solo shots when the Twins are up 10-0.

[First Ice-Mike]

I think Morneau is an above average first baseman. He's no Douggy Baseball, but he's pretty good with the glove. I think Morneau will ge plenty of consideration for MVP if he keeps up his pace. Who would you rather have protecting you?? - Manny and Mark Loretta(plus .300 hitter) or Torii/ Kubel/Rondell White/Tony Batista/Cuddyer. Morneau's best protection hits two spots ahead of him in the order. Morneau as least comes in second - I think there is a chance he wins it.

FI

[Down to Earth]

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I think Ortiz got shafted last year.

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I wouldn't say he got shafted PayRod had a heck of year...

Ortiz is pretty much a lock for the MVP this year he would have go into a big slump not to get it....it's just the way the system works.......

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Ok, I'll admit shafted may have been the wrong choice of words, but again the debate was made that A-Rod was a position player, and I can pretty much guarantee it wasn't his fielding that was putting him in the MVP race. It was strictly from an offensive standpoint that A-Rod was the MVP. It should be fair that Ortiz was viewed equally.

[Andrew Erickson]

i agree not putting morneau down but i think oritiz really should get it

[Eric Wettschreck]

Ortiz will prolly get the MVP, but I honestly think he only plays half the game. I understand all the players mentioned are not being looked at from their defensive play, but they are playing the whole game and not just hitting.

My .02.

Bustin Justin should absolutely looked at, but he's a Twin, a small baller, a pesant by comparison to the others, the little man, and therefore he will be passed over. Shame it's come down to a popularity contest much like the All-Star voting.

[SledNeck]

we dont want Morneau to win MVP, then we can keep a Twin longer for less $$$$.

[PierBridge]

I'm amazed they even pitch to him at all with nobody behind him, I'm guessing from here on out his not going to see a lot good pitches....

[CodyDawg]

I agree with boilerguy, the issue with a DH winning MVP is that since they dont have to play defense, they dont get dinged up, dont sit in the hot sun, dont have to think about defense, and dont have to think about it when they make an error.

All a DH has to do is wonder if they should amble over to get another Gatorade. You make Morneau a DH and he would have better stats. Make Ortiz a baseball player and not a baseball hitter and his stats would UNDOUBTEDLY go down.

[Down to Earth]

As long as its titled Most Valuable Player not Hitter/Fielder then the DH deserves just as much consideration. You can't tell me if Ortiz was still a Twin and putting up these numbers as a DH you'd be making the same arguments? Or if Morneau was our DH this season and racking up his current numbers you'd take him out of the equation.

Besides, if Rollie Fingers can with the MVP as a relief pitcher in 1981, surely a DH can win it in this day and age.

[fisherman]

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Is it just me or does it always seem like Cuddyer strikes out at the worst possible times. Man on 3rd and forget about it. Maybe he needs a week off.

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It's you. You have a selective memory. Can you blame a guy for sriking out against Zumaya??? Where would we be with out Cuddyer? He has gotten lots of big hits. As with all of the Twins. Cuddyer's stats arent bad .264 16HR 71RBI 48 extra base hits.

What about Morneau's AB's early in the game. He had a couple game breaking opportunity's last night where he didn't get the job done... gdip, 1st runner on 3rd 1 out. I believe he might have had another AB that there was runners on. It was all forgotten after his blast. You can't expect those guys to have a series like they did against KC.

[koonie]

Just think of the numbers Cuddyer would have if he didn't strike out on every two strike slider in the dirt. He's only as good as the guy in front of him and the guy behind him. The fact of the matter is we have a cleanup hitter who is hitting 265 and strikes out to much. Name another top team with a cleanup hitter hitting 265. However, we don't have much choice. Ideally Cuddyer would be a number 6 hitter.

Morneau is a stud and if he keeps improving he will have a legit shot at the MVP. Maybe not this year but his time will come.

[Cicada]

The big thing going for Ortiz is that so many of his hits affect the outcome of the game favorably for the Red Sox. He is just plain clutch. Having Manny hitting behind him doesn't hurt. (I hate thinking of that piece of dogmeat as a baseball player, an offensive talent but an embarrassment to the game. Where does Cleveland come up with all these one tool losers? Manny, Belliard & Joey/Albert Belle. If you watch baseball on TV at all, you'd thnk the Yankees and Red Sox played each other forty or so times this year. Every game is one of the networks big game, advertised relentlessly. You see ads run a week before the games start. Nineteen nationally broadcast Y-RS games plus a few thrown in for good measure. How many nationally broadcast games have the Twins been in? I don't think a player can win the MVP the first year he should. It takes that one awesome year to get noticed and then they will keep an eye on him next year.

[CodyDawg]

So Cuddyer struck out again with runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out. Ouch. Carl better find that loose change in his couch this winter.

As for the question of whether I would be making the same arguments against Ortiz if he was in a Twins uniform....well I would be hoping he wins cuz he would be a twin, however, I would still feel the same. As long as they call it the MVP and not the MVDH, then he should NOT win. He is not a player. He is a hitter. He is a clutch hitter, but on another board, I saw that Morneau has 16 game winning RBI, while Ortiz has 15. So much for that argument, Ortiz gets all the ESPN coverage, that is why people think he is so good. In reality, he has 9 RBI more than Justin. That sure doesnt make up for not playing in the field, no way, no how. Plus his batting avg is much worse.

[buzzsaw]

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So Cuddyer struck out again with runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out. Ouch

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I was thinking of this thread when I saw that happen last night. He has some big hits this year, but IMHO Torri has been far less disciplined at the plate and more painful to watch. You think the scouting report on Hunter reads "use any pitch in the dirt as your strikeout pitch"? The man swings and I swear he must close his eyes as he is soooo far off sometimes. I still say trade Hunter and use the money for filling our other needs.

[Maximum12]

Y'all need to take it easy on Cuddyer. If someone at the beginning of the season had told me he'd likely crack 20HR with around 100RBI I would have jumped up & down with glee. He's always had the promise. Keep in mind too that he's the only character in the lineup that's been able to do any even passable job in the cleanup spot all season. White, Morneau, Hunter all failed miserably. He's not great - but we all know, as mentioned, that he should be in the 6 spot anyhow.

Bottom line is he's stabilized an awfully important spot in the lineup despite not being really well suited to it.