Happy Friday! Is everyone excited about the upcoming games between the
Red Sox and the Yankees? I'll be able to see most of the games (except
Saturday's FOX game - it won't be available in CA). I've got a good
feeling we'll be back in first place again. Go Red Sox!

Below a section of an recent ESPN story about baseball players that
deserve to win the MVP. I'll only post the part about Manny. To read
the entire story, go to:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=2551585&type=story

Have a great weekend,

Lynne

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"These guys deserved a trophy" - by David Schoenfield / ESPN

It's been a quiet year for the most unappreciated superstar in baseball.

No trade demands, no fraternizing in hotel lounges with enemy players,
no playing left field with a water bottle in his back pocket.

Nope, other than that little incident last Sunday when his 27-game
hitting streak ended in part because he didn't hustle out a ground
ball, it's just been another season for Manny Ramirez.

You know, just the same old, boring numbers: a higher on-base
percentage than David Ortiz (.431 to .397); a higher slugging
percentage than Ortiz (.619 to .616); in the top six in the American
League in OBP, OPS, RBI, HRs, walks and slugging.

And yet, last week ESPN.com ran a poll asking who will be the AL MVP.
The candidates listed were Ortiz, Jim Thome, Joe Mauer, Derek Jeter
and Carlos Guillen.

Which means, once again, Manny isn't even on the MVP radar. I'm not
saying he should be the MVP, but he certainly should be on the ballot.
It's amazing: Despite playing for the Red Sox, despite being one of
the most famous players in the game, despite appearing in the
postseason in eight of his 11 full seasons … he's still more likely to
get attention for being a comedy act than a fantastic player.

And this season, Big Papi's late-inning heroics have served to wipe
Ramirez completely out of the public's eye.

How valuable is Manny to the Boston lineup? Remember, he bats after
David Ortiz. How many more strikes do you think Big Papi gets to see
because of Manny? Forget about what you've heard those Yankee fans say
-- walking Ortiz to get to Manny is never going to be a good idea. So
when Ortiz wins the MVP this year and signs $2 billion in endorsement
deals, he better remember to give half to his left fielder.

But it got me thinking: No matter how great his hitting numbers,
Ramirez will never win an MVP award -- he just has too much baggage
with the lack of hustle and the, shall we say, erratic play in the
outfield (although I wonder how erratic Big Papi would be if he had to
play left field).

Yet, there's no denying he's one of the best players of his
generation. So, with that in mind, here is a list of the 10 best
players never to win an MVP award since 1976, the year I can recall
watching my first baseball game, but not including pitchers, because I
don't want to get into the whole Pedro Martinez in 1999 debate, and
also not including players who debuted after the 21st century.


1. Manny Ramirez
Best finish in MVP voting: third (1999, 2004)

To be honest, I'm not sure Manny has ever actually deserved an MVP
award. In 1999, he did drive in 165 runs, which is the most of any
player since Jimmie Foxx in 1938. Anybody else drives in 165 runs and
they win the MVP as easy as Meryl Streep going up against Lindsay
Lohan on an Oscar ballot.

And before you rip this selection of Ramirez, just remember that Juan
Gonzalez won two MVP awards. And Gonzalez was nowhere near the
complete hitter Ramirez has been.

Ahh, history will not look kindly upon us.

Others players mentioned on the list:

10. Eddie Murray
Best finish in MVP voting: second (1982, 1983)
9. Kirby Puckett
Best finish in MVP voting: second (1992)
8. Mark McGwire
Best finish in MVP voting: second (1998)
7. Tim Raines
Best finish in MVP voting: fifth (1983)
6. Edgar Martinez
Best finish in MVP voting: third (1995)
5. Ozzie Smith
Best finish in MVP voting: second (1987)
4. Roberto Alomar
Best finish in MVP voting: third (1999)
you ever got from Biggio was solid numbers on the field and at the plate,
3. Craig Biggio
Best finish in MVP voting: fourth (1997)
2. Mike Piazza
Best finish in MVP voting: second (1996, 1997)