Tehnične težave so onemogočile snemanje zadnjih dveh tekem. Se opravičujem MVPju in njegovima soigralcema, da njihov izjemni comeback in superiorna igra nista za vekomaj zabeležena v elektronski obliki.

1. tekma

2. tekma

Thanksgiving is upon us once again.

We all know that Thanksgiving is supposed to be about families and turkeys and a rapidly-depleting supply of shopping days until Christmas.

In the minds of baseball fans, Thanksgiving is just a pit stop between the end of awards season and the beginning of the Winter Meetings.

I’ve decided to combine the more traditional Thanksgiving festivities with my burning need for more baseball.

In doing so, I’ve created a list of things that the Twins have given me to be thankful for in 2009.

Check out the special Thanksgiving slideshow at BleacherReport.com.

Acting?
I just received a text message from good friend Luke Katuin, asking me if I would be able to rehearse Monday night.  Of course my reaction was “This must have been sent to the wrong person.  I’m not in a play.”  But Luke confirmed the text was for me.  He has cast me in some sort of improvisational role, as well as stagehand manager for a play he’s producing.  I haven’t decided if I will go along with this or not.  What do you think?  Is it time to return to my acting roots for the first time since DSU’s productions of Meet Me in St. Louis and Fiddler on the Roof?

MVP!  MVP!
Joe Mauer won the American League MVP on Monday, which wasn’t surprising since he had by far the best year of any player in the AL, but it was still suspenseful as many were lobbying for Derek Jeter to win the MVP as some sort of lifetime achievement award.  Thankfully Mauer destroyed the competition and became the second Twin in four years to win MVP.  One Japanese writer from Seattle voted for Miguel Cabrera ahead of Mauer, keeping him from being a unanimous selection.  Could Minnesota have another MVP this year with Brett Favre?

Birthdays
Happy belated birthday to good friend and local music up-and-comer Travis Bolton, who turned 27 on Monday.  And happy birthday today to co-best man and Nebraska native Jason LaPlant, who turns 27 today.  Late November is by far the busiest birthday period of the year amongst people I know.  That and early February.

Back to Best Picture Project
For those of you who had some interest in the project, I recently posted my two latest Best Picture reviews over on my blog for that project.  Be sure to read up on 1960’s The Apartment starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine, and 1964’s My Fair Lady starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison.

In Memoriam
It’s been a somber week here at the office as we all mourn the very unexpected passing of our VP of Marketing and Sales, Mike Laven.  I reported indirectly to Mike for four years as he was my boss’s boss.  Last night was the “celebration of life” for Mike in Stillwater.  He was in a wheelchair for most of his life and was a star wheelchair athlete.  On occasion we would have lunch together at Na’s Thai Cafe.  He’ll certainly be missed around the office.

I hate Brett Favre. With every fiber of my being I hate Brett Favre. I hate his God complex. I hate his Wrangler commercials. I hate that he sabotaged the summer sports news (again). I hate Brett Favre.

Which is why I believe the NFL should give him this year’s MVP award.

I know that doesn’t make any sense at all, but hear me out. Every time Brett Favre has retired (twice at this point) I have been ecstatic. The news filled me with such joy that I considered writing the world’s most sarcastic email to John Madden (although the odds that John Madden can check email aren’t great). But twice I have had this feeling thrown to the dirt when Captain Gray Bush decided he couldn’t leave the game for whatever teary-eyed reason. So it’s clear to me that Brett needs to go — and he needs to go right now.

This is why he needs to get the MVP award. We need to set up a scenario so that, at the end of the season, he feels he has achieved a note high enough to feel comfortable about retiring for good.

So give him the MVP. I don’t care if Peyton Manning and Drew Brees have far better numbers, just give it to Brett. It will make him feel special. He may even cry.

Come to think of it, the MVP may not be enough. We need to sweeten the deal. In that case, I would like to kindly ask the rest of the NFC to please let the Minnesota Vikings make it to the Superbowl this year. I know, I know. It’s a hard thing to give up and some of you may never have a shot at the title ever again, but it’s for the best. You have to understand this. As for the AFC, you all must fight it out to see who gets to let the Vikings win in February. You also have to let Brett Favre play one of the greatest Super Bowl performances in history. I’m thinking 30-32, 8 touchdowns (one on a 30 yard rush) and a 47-yard field goal. This will ensure that he is the MVP of this game as well.

That should do it. But in case it doesn’t, we have to make his season (hopefully his last) memorable. So let’s give him the defensive MVP as well. You know guys like Merril Hoge and Trent Dilfer would love to attempt to argue how he would legitimately deserve the award. Something along the lines of, “Well, think about it. He keeps the other team’s offense off the field for so long that he’s actually the best preventative defensive weapon they have.” Don’t worry, it’ll work. Darren Sharper might burn someone’s house down but these are the sacrifices that need to be made at this point in the story.

For insurance? Yes, you guessed it: The Heisman. Yeah, yeah, it’s completely against the rules of but we can make it happen. There’s no real standout Heisman candidate this year anyway, so let’s just give it to Brett because he was too busy pounding brewdogs to make it happen the first time around. This ought to do it.

Seriously, I see no other possibility here. Maybe if he has a career ending injury but that’s laughable. Brett Favre is incapable of getting hurt in any kind of serious way. He survived a car accident and countless Pro Bowl pass rushers slamming him into the frozen Lambeau ground. I think my way is our only hope.

Did you get all that, Roger? Good. Now get to work.

As a Cubs fan it’s easy to dislike Albert Pujols, but you have to respect the guy, even as a rival Cardinal.

Take a look at Pujols’ 162-game averages for his career and tell me there’s not a better player in the game:

.334/.427/.628 with 42 home runs, 129 RBIs, 94 walks, 124 runs scored, a 1.055 OPS and 374 total bases.

That from a guy who was taken in the 13^th round of the 1999 draft…and just another reason I love the game of baseball.

Ted Keith of Sports Illustrated wrote a terrific article on Albert Pujols’ third MVP Award. He sums up Pujols best with this line…

• Looking for flaws in his individual seasons is like looking for a stray brushstroke on a masterpiece. Even if you find one, does it really subtract from the overall beauty of the work?

It’s the perfect description of the best player in the game, a noted Cubs killer and a man also MVP-worthy off the field too, something a Mr. Bonds will never touch.

Of course I’d love Albert more if he played outside the NL Central, but then again, we’re lucky to watch him perform against the Cubs 18 times a year.

Listen, I’m not telling you to love or hate the guy, but understand this may be the greatest talent we’ll ever see play in our lifetime.

… Dave R  from the blog ‘Dinks And Dunks’!!!!

Here is how the scoring broke down:

Tim - Andrew Bailey, Andrew McCutchen, Zack Greinke, Chris Carpenter, Joe Mauer, Derek Jeter(2nd), Albert Pujols, Chase Utley(2nd)  8

WickedOrtega - Matt Wieters, Chris Coghlan, Zack Greinke, Chris Carpenter, Joe Mauer, Ben Zobrist(2nd), Albert Pujols, Hanley Ramirez(2nd)  9

Jordan - Matt Wieters, JA Happ, Zack Grienke, Chris Carpenter, Joe Mauer, Derek Jeter(2nd), Albert Pujols, Raul Ibanez(2nd)  6

Dan - Andrew Bailey, JA Happ, Zack Greinke, Adam Wainwright, Joe Mauer, Mark Teixeira(2nd), Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard(2nd)  9

Charles Beatley - Andrew Bailey, Chris Coghlan, Felix Hernandez, Adam Wainright, Derek Jeter, Joe Mauer(2nd), Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard(2nd)  6

unclemoe - Andrew Bailey, Chris Coghlan, Felix Hernandez, Tim Lincecum, Joe Mauer, Mark Teixeira(2nd), Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard(2nd)   11

Dave R - Andrew Bailey, Chris Coghlan, Zack Greinke, Tim Lincecum, Joe Mauer, Mark Teixeira(2nd), Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard(2nd)    13

BroadStreetBully - Gordon Beckham, JA Happ, Zack Greinke, Chris Carpenter, Joe Mauer, Mark Teixeira(2nd),  Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder(2nd)  7

Congratulations Dave!!!  With a score of 13 out of a possible 14 points you aced this years ‘Pick the Award Winners’ contest!!!

Please send me your mailing address so I can get your prize out to you.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering, I did very well predicting the Award winners too.  A perfect 14 our of 14 for ‘30-YOC’!!!!  Too Sweet!!!!

Albert Pujols won his third National League MVP award today, receiving all 32 first-place votes to become the first unanimous MVP since Barry Bonds back in 2002.

From MLB.com:

Pujols received all 32 first-place votes, good for 448 ballot points. Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez garnered 15 second-place votes and 233 points. First baseman Ryan Howard of the Phillies was a close third with 217 points. He was followed by Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder and Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.

“It’s an award you give to one person, but I believe if it wouldn’t have been for the help my teammates have given me for the past year, I wouldn’t be standing up here,” Pujols said. “I always say, if I could split this award and give a piece to every single player that had an impact with this organization, I would do that.”

It’s the second straight year that Pujols has won the award, and the third time overall. He is the 10th player in history to win three MVPs, and the fifth to win it three times in the National League. He is the 12th player to win back-to-back MVP awards. The last was Barry Bonds, who won it four straight years from 2001-04.

Ok, I’ve been a terrible blogger. I’m now behind on three weeks of Smackdown and one week of Raw. Oops. Those catch-up posts will be up tomorrow, promise. But for tonight, let’s focus on Survivor Series.

Batista vs. Rey Mysterio
Is there anyone who thinks Mysterio is winning this? I didn’t think so. Batista looks better and stronger as a feel than he ever has a face and it makes no sense for him to lose now. The only question is how badly will he hurt Mysterio?
My Pick: Batista

Michelle McCool, Jillian Hall, Beth Phoenix, Layla and Alicia Fox vs. Mickie James, Gail Kim, Kelly Kelly, Eve Torres and Melina

First of all, can I comment what an oversight it is that Natalya is not in this match? She’s probably the most talented woman on the WWE roster and I loved seeing her in the ring at Bragging Rights, it was one of the highlights of the terrible show. She would be a much worthier contribution than Layla or Alicia Fox, just saying. That said, team McCool is a little less useless than Team Mickie, so they’re winning.
My Pick: Team McCool

John Morrison, Matt Hardy, Finlay, Evan Bourne and Shelton Benjamin vs. The Miz, Jack Swagger, Drew McIntyre, Sheamus and Dolph Ziggler
Team Miz seems stronger since it’s got five hot, young stars including two guys (McIntyre and Sheamus) who are getting major pushes from the powers that be, while Team Morrison has three guys who are mid-carders at best and never going to be more than that, as well as two hot, young stars. But… The Miz and Jack Swagger seem to be headed for a big feud and I see that getting in their way tonight and giving the win to Morrison’s team.
My Pick: Team Morrison

Randy Orton, Ted DiBiase Jr., Cody Rhodes, William Regal, and CM Punk vs. Kofi Kingston, Christian, R-Truth, MVP and Mark Henry
We actually get to see Christian at a PPV! Yay! That said, I don’t think we’ll see much of him. This match is really about Kofi Kingston and Legacy, particularly Randy Orton. My prediction is that Kofi will be the last man standing on his team and he’ll be left facing Legacy, but that the three members of Legacy will start squabbling and somehow Kingston will manage the victory. This would solidify Kingston as a major player and it would start the long over-due destruction of Legacy. Not saying they’re breaking up tonight, but I think after tonight we’re going to be one step closer to the final split.
My Pick: Team Kofi

The Undertaker vs. The Big Show vs. Chris Jericho for the World Heavy-Weight Championship
I’d love for Jericho to win this, but we all know that’s not happening. And The Big Show doesn’t seem like a legitimate contender either since he hasn’t managed a one-on-one title shot in the last year, neither has Jericho for that matter. The Undertaker is retaining, but the destruction of the tag team champions is going to happen. They might not break up tonight, but the end will be in sight.
My Pick: The Undertaker

John Cena vs. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship
Cena got a clean pin over on Triple H on Monday, which makes me think he’s losing the belt tonight. The only thing I went back and forth over was which member of DX is going to win the title. In one way it made more sense for it to be Shawn Michaels to win to set up the eventual DX split since we all know they’re facing each other at Wrestlemania. After all Triple H used to be the guy who was all about the title, it would drive him nuts to see his friend with the belt and lead to a Triple H heel turn. But then, I realized that it also made sense and would be in character for Shawn Michaels to help Triple H win the belt (remember Michaels once laid down to give Triple H the European Championship) and would allow for tension down the road. The fact that Triple H took the pin on Monday made me think that that’s the way it’ll go.
My Pick: Triple H

Minnesota Twins Catcher Joe Mauer, who is also a mentoring spokesperson through the Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota (MPM), won the American League Most Valuable Player award almost unanimously Monday. Read more…

Albert Pujols won his third career MVP and his second consecutive on Tuesday.

Pujols becomes the first player to win consecutive MVPs since Barry Bonds did it from 2001 to 2004.

He beat out runner-up Hanley Ramirez, Ryan Howard finished third and the Brewers’ Prince Fielder finished fourth in the voting. It would have been a long shot for Prince to win but I would have loved to see it.

Pujols hit 47 home runs, had 135 RBIs, scored a league leading 127 runs and played exceptional defense all season long for the St. Louis Cardinals, who were a playoff team but were eliminated right away against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Pujols is under contract for next year with a $16 million option for 2011. You have to believe the Cardinals want to lock this guy up. But, deep down I think he’ll test the market.

Dodgers Outfielder Andre Ethier was a surprising – yet deserving – 6th in NL MVP voting.
Teammate Matt Kemp finished 10th.
This is on the heels of their Silver Slugger awards, and Kemp’s Gold Glove.

Here is the complete 2009 National League MVP Vote:

2009 National League MVP voting

The Baseball Writers of America announced to the sporting world today that they have unanimously elected God, legendary deity and basis of most Western religions, as the National League Most Valuable Player.  The decision left most baseball analysts surprised at the selection and set off an entirely new approach to most awards in the world of professional sports. Many of the writers were asked to explain their reasoning behind the selection at a press conference held earlier today.

“Well our first instinct was to give it to Pujols. The guy had an outstanding season and really put up some impressive numbers. When we went back to look at some tapes, we realized an important detail that we had overlooked. Every base hit, every home run, and every at bat, Pujols would do something to signal God. Whether that was an upward point, a quick sign of the cross, or throwing up a prayer before a game, he was constantly consulting the Big Man Upstairs before doing all these things that would have made him MVP,” said Matt Fiorello, writer for ESPN. “It made you start wondering where all of this talent was really coming from.”

“It seemed like every interview you had with Pujols, he was giving credit to God for his abilities and the way he was performing,” said Matt Stamp, writer for Sport Illustrated. “It made us question who we should be giving this award to. I mean, if God was behind his 47 home runs, 15 stolen bases and over 100 RBIs, who was really the most valuable player in the National League?”

Pujols was taken aback by the decision, but said that the awarding was fair. “I do play for God, but…well… I guess he gave me my abilities so…I can’t really argue with their decision.” Pujols shook his head and looked with bewilderment skyward before exiting the press-conference. Pujols finished second in voting with 32 unanimous 2nd place votes.

God was extremely pleased with this announcement and felt that this award was “A long time coming.” “I just think it’s about time,” said God through a divine translator later called a “prophet,” “I’ve helped Albert win 2 other MVPs, Silver Slugger Awards, Gold Gloves, and gotten that guy quite a few All-Star nods, very nice of him to give credit where credit is due.” God went on to address the fact that he feels he was snubbed for approximately 73 prior MVP awards in both the American and National Leagues, 37 World Series Rings, and various other athletic awards across sports. “I didn’t see Kobe Bryant sending me one of his NBA Championship Rings and the ‘miracle’ comeback of the Red Sox in 2004? Where was the credit for that one? Yeah, I’m looking at you David Ortiz.”

When asked what he thought of God’s NL MVP win, Joe Mauer, the AL MVP, said that he thought God was good this season, but not great. “Yeah, when you’re playing with a club that has Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday, not to mention the pitching staff of Carpenter and Wainwright, it’s easy to put up some big numbers,” Mauer said.

When asked if he would be sharing the AL MVP honor with The Heavenly Father, Mauer was reluctant to share the spotlight.

“Let’s get this straight, Joe Mauer plays baseball for one man: Joe Mauer.”

2009 NL MVP God says that he had a major hand in the MLB this year but swears he was not a part of the 2009 Yankees WS win. "Kinda the other guy's territory," He said.

‘Same Card, Different Paths’ – Card #19

1970 Topps - Card #189 – AKA – ‘The Thurman Munson Rookie Card’

Thurman Munson - An 11-year veteran and 7-time All-star, Munson’s life and career were tragically cut short when he passed away at the age of just 32.  A Rookie of the Year and MVP Award winner, Munson was a fan favorite for the New York Yankees.  He was a solid all-around player that had a knack for making key defensive plays while also driving in runs and hitting home runs.  Munson was a member of the Yankees championship teams of 1977 and 1978.

Dave McDonald – McDonald played in just 33 games between 1969-1971.  McDonald has 6 career hits, 1 of which is a home run.  He also drove in 6 runs while scoring 3 himself.

The St. Louis Cardinals’ international superstar performer and fan favorite Albert Pujols has won his second consecutive National League MVP title.

Despite injuries, Pujols finished the 2009 MLB season with a .337 BA, 47 home runs, and 135 RBI. Aside from earning his 3rd MVP trophy, Pujols joined the ranks of Mike Schmidt, A-Rod, Joe DiMaggio, Roy Campanella, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, and Jimmie Foxx in winning 3 MVP awards. Only Barry Bonds won more MVP trophies, with 7 in all. But Pujols’ vote came unanimously: he received 32 first-place votes, KO’ing Hanley Ramírez, Ryan Howard, and Prince Fielder. He also made a First Baseman record 185 assists. No wonder he would also receive $200,000 for winning the MVP Award!

Read more below:

Third Time is Charming for MVP Pujols

As a die-hard St. Louis Cardinals fan, today is a special day. Albert Pujols has won his third National League MVP Award. No basement-hiding stat geek or Fangraphs spin zone could stop this one. Pujols won the award unanimously. He’s now finished in the top five in the NL MVP voting in eight of his nine major league seasons. Unbelievable.

Pujols cooled off considerably at the plate late last season, but the voters recognized the entire body of work. And Pujols was dealing with hamstring and elbow injuries to boot. The steriods era (Barry Bonds in particular) has cost Albert a couple of more MVP awards, but maybe there’s a stat out there that would have shown that taking away the value of the steroid may have decreased Bonds’ statistics only by a fraction, or a certain percentage, and maybe he deserved to win anyway. Okay, I’ll stop.

I’m a young buck by comparison to many out there so I’m not going to make some dastardly pronouncement, like saying Albert Pujols is the best player in baseball history. No, it’s too early to make such a profound statement. But we are witnessing the greatest player of our generation, for certain, because we all know Bonds cheated, as did so many others. We all should appreciate what we are watching. Yo, Chairman DeWitt. Sign this boy up for a few more years, will you?

Larry Bird conquistó en tres ocasiones (1983/84-1984/85-1985/86) el premio al mejor jugador del año. El jugador de los Boston Celtics maravilló durante años con su baloncesto y con sus enfrentamientos con Magic Johnson, que obtuvo el mismo galardón también por tres veces.

Después del dominio de Michael Jordan, donde se intercalaron jugadores como Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson o Karl Malone, vino una nueva generación en la que brillaron Shaquille O´Neil, Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan y Kevin Garnett. Y, de repente, otro blanco apareció en escena. Steve Nash, un canadiense de 1,91 de altura y una figura que nada tenía que ver con los hombres nombrados anteriormente, se adueñaba del baloncesto americano. Sus pases imposibles, su modo de dirigir el juego, sus valientes entradas a canasta, sus tiros certeros, su desparpajo y, sobre todo, el hecho de hacer mejores a sus compañeros, le valieron ser nombrado dos veces seguidas mejor jugador de la temporada (2004/05 y 2005/06).

El cetro no iba a ser abandonado por los blancos a las primeras de cambio, y Dirk Nowitzki se convirtió al año siguiente en el primer europeo en recibir el MVP. El alemán, con un estilo algo tosco, muy lejos de la estética del vuelo sin motor inventada por Air Jordan, asombró a la NBA con una muñeca y una agilidad impropias de un jugador de 213 centímetros de altura.

Pero la hegemonía blanca tenía sus días contados. Kobe Bryant, que para entonces ya tenía tres anillos, reclamó el trono que antes se le había negado, y volvió a poner en lo más alto el estilo de juego inventado por Michael Jordan.

El último rey es King James. Desde luego, se parece más a MJ que Dirk Nowitzki, pero son jugadores muy distintos. Lebron James ha inventado un nueva forma de jugar al baloncesto, y ésta se basa en ser el más fuerte sobre la cancha. Nadie puede parar a King James, al menos no cuando está en carrera y menos cuando ha iniciado el vuelo.

No cuestiono la elección de estos hombres como los mejores de los últimos 25 años, eran los mejores. Pero me gustaría destacar la dificultad que entraña ser elegido MVP cuando se es blanco. Larry Bird, Steve Nash y Dirk Nowitzki no son precisamente un ejemplo de fortaleza física. Ninguno de ellos machacaba el aro como lo hace un jugador de color, ninguno alcanzaba la velocidad de los afroamericanos, pero supieron imponer sus propias reglas, basadas en el cálculo, la reflexión, la oportunidad.

As we leave baseball’s awards season, how did the writers do, as judged by my picks? Pretty well.

AL ROY: Andrew Bailey. I picked Bailey second and Elvis Andrus first. The writers flipped them. Tough to complain too strongly.
NL ROY: Chris Coghlan. Here was my biggest gap with the writers. I picked Andrew McCutchen, who only came in 4th. I didn’t put Coghlan in the top 3. Batting average appeared to rule all in this pick.
AL Cy Young: Zack Greinke. He won with ease, which was the only thing that surprised me.
AL MOY: Mike Scioscia. I wanted Ron Gardenhire to win, but Scioscia was not a bad pick. In particular, holding his team together after Nick Adenhart’s death deserved recognition. I’d have placed him third, behind Gardenhire and Joe Girardi.
NL MOY: Jim Tracy. The obvious pick won easily.
NL Cy Young: Tim Lincecum. I picked Lincecum and have since wondered if I was wrong. Given the closeness of the vote, the writers agree that this was a tough pick. Given the controversy over votes for Dan Haren and Javier Vazquez, both of whom had great years, I think the Cy Young ballot should be extended to 5 names. This makes easier to honor very good years that have been overlooked, and it would have done nothing to change the outcome of the voting.
AL MVP: Joe Mauer. My only complaint is that he was not unanimous. I am very pleased at how easily he outdistanced Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira. I thought it would be closer.
NL MVP: Albert Pujols. I realize this has not happened yet, but I suspect the world might stop spinning on its axis if Pujols lost. The only question: Will he be the first person this awards season to win unanimously?

The writers and I were basically on the same wavelength. I don’t know if that is a compiment to either side, but it happens to be true this year.

El receptor de los Mellizos de Minnesota Joe Mauer recibio el premio del jugador mas valioso de la liga americana. Mauer tuvo una gran temporada en donde  conquistó su tercer título de bateo y agregó 28 jonrones, 96 carreras impulsadas y 94 anotadas pese a que se perdió 24 partidos al principio de la temporada. Ayudó a que los Mellizos realizaran un gran rebase y ganaran el título de la División Central en un juego extra contra Detroit.

I wasn’t surprised when Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer was announced as the 2009 AL MVP. I was surprised when he received only 27 of the 28 first place votes. When a catcher pairs gold glove defense with a bat that led the league in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage, he’s the MVP. There isn’t even any question about it.

Yankee teammates Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter came in second and third while Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera and LA’s Kendry Morales rounded out the top 5. Six through ten were Kevin Youkilis, Jason Bay, Ben Zobrist, Ichiro and Alex Rodriguez.

Other than Mauer winning the award, I don’t agree with anything in this year’s result. I realize that pitchers have their “own” award in the form of the Cy Young, but you can’t truthfully tell me that Placido Polanco is more valuable than Felix Hernandez. Or that Cy Young winner Zack Greinke was the 17th most valuable player in the American League.

Here’s my AL MVP ballot.

1. Joe Mauer, MIN
Even having missed the first month of the season, Joe Mauer’s season was the single most impressive offensive campaign this year. He led the league in all triple slash categories. Mauer’s season was not simply good or great. It was historically great and there’s no one that was close to him this year.

2. Derek Jeter, NYY
Teixeira finished ahead of Jeter in the actual balloting, but not a soul who knows the Yankees would say that Mark Teixeira was more valuable to the team than the captain was. Switching from the number two hole to the leadoff spot, Jeter was the sparkplug for the best offense in baseball and had an outstanding year defensively as well.

3. Ben Zobrist, TB
Zobrist not only saved my fantasy team, he kept the Rays afloat despite predicted regression after their World Series run. He ranked fourth in OPS and third in Value Over Replacement Player (VORP).

4. Zack Greinke, KC
Pitchers get a short straw in this voting, mainly because they only play every fifth game. But, Greinke faced 915 batters this year. By comparison, the AL leader in at bats was Aaron Hill with 734. The amount of runs he prevented probably stacks up well with the amount that any hitter created.

5. Mark Teixeira, NYY
Teixeira bats third and plays first base for the game’s best offense. He’s expected to put up great offensive numbers and does. But players like him are fairly common. He led the league in homers and RBIs, and that’s probably why he fared so well in the actual vote.

6. Felix Hernandez, SEA
Same argument as with Greinke. Hernandez’s value to his team is very high and very real. A pitcher is nearly guaranteed to shut down the opponent every time he throws is of immense value to any team.

7. Roy Halladay, TOR
Halladay’s value is increased because of the fact that nine times out of ten he rests the bullpen. Plus, he’s one of the greatest pitchers in the game and performed like it despite dealing with circling trade rumors.

8. Kevin Youkilis, BOS
And here begins the run of players much like Mark Teixeira. Youkilis continued his impressive offensive work, improving on last year’s outstanding campaign. But disappeared in the playoffs (1-for-12).

9. Kendry Morales, LAA
Morales flew under the radar much of the season, but ended up nearly equally the production of the man he replaced in Anaheim.

10. Miguel Cabrera, DET
There’s no doubt that Cabrera’s on-field production throughout most of the year was incredible. But when his team needed him the most, he was out late, drunk and fighting his wife.

Our hometown hero, favorite son Joe Mauer was officially named the 2009 American League Most Valuable Player moments ago.

I remember the first time I heard of this Mauer fellow. It was my freshman year of college in the spring of 2006 and I was going to my first baseball game since 1991. (Yes, I am rather new to the game of baseball.) One of the guys in our “house” in the residence hall told us to keep an eye open for Joe Mauer, because he’s the hot one. (Side note: during that game my friend and I had no idea what was going on. We spent the game talking about everything besides baseball and left early. This was before I was converted to the game of baseball and all its wonders.)

Fast forward to the end of 2006. My roommate at the time (thanks Christina!) began the process of teaching me everything she knows about the game of baseball and the Twins ended their wild ride to winning the AL Central on the last day of the season. At this time I knew more about Mauer and just how much people in Minnesota love the guy. (It’s not difficult to figure this out.) However, I have this thing when a celebrity or public figure becomes too famous for being a heart-throb I lose interest. (For example, I had quite the crush on Robert Pattinson circa 2005 when he played Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter. Now? Bleh.) While nearly every woman (and many men) in Minnesota (and beyond) profess their love and adoration for Mr. Mauer, I say, “meh.” (In other words, I’m not one of the women dreaming about marrying the guy.)

I’m not saying that I do not find him attractive. No, I’m quite aware of his good looks. I’m more attracted to the fact that he truly embodies the qualities of an MVP. Many, many times this season his skills saved the day. I appreciate what he brings to Minnesota: being Minnesotan. This is why there is not a doubt in my mind that he will remain with the club forever. Lose Mauer and the Twins lose their fan base. There’s no use moving to Target Field if the fans don’t follow.

So, to all the fans in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles: keep dreaming. Only the fans in Minnesota can truly appreciate the phenomenon that is Joe Mauer. Until your big spending teams improve your own farm systems can you appreciate a similar feeling. I think it’s adorable and frankly, a little sad that you think you have the remotest chance of ever signing a guy like Joe Mauer.

Joe, to you I say this: Thank you. Thank you for every interview, your humility, the exasperating ease with which you play the game, and every hit, catch, swing, home run, and high five. You made Minnesota proud the day you signed with the Twins. Don’t go breaking our hearts, now.

Joe Mauer won his first ever American League MVP Award.

He was the odds-on favorite to win the American League MVP title. He was the fifth Minnesota Twin to earn the honor. His name: Joe Mauer.

Competing with the Detroit Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera and the New York Yankees’ Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira was no problem for Mauer. After missing the first month of the 2009 season, Mauer ended the season with a .365 average, 28 home runs, and 96 RBI, and was partly responsible for helping the Twins head to the postseason, Justin Morneau or no Justin Morneau. He finished with 27 out of 28 first place votes to earn his first MVP title. Cabrera had 34 home runs and 103 RBI; Jeter had 212 hits; and Teixeira made 39 home runs and 122 RBI. Unfortunately, too bad we the fans don’t get to pick the actual winners.

Read more below:

Mauer Handily Catches AL MVP Award

The National League MVP will be announced tomorrow, and Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals is the odds-on favorite.

Joe Mauer can now add American League Most Valuable Player to his already imposing resume.

Mauer received 27 out of 28 first-place votes to runaway with the award.

Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera received the other first-place vote but the first baseman finished fourth overall.

Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees finished second and third, respectively.

Mauer finished with 327 total points, well ahead of Teixeira, 225, and Jeter, 193. Despite garner the other first-place vote, Cabrera, finished a distance fourth with 171 points.

Mauer becomes just the second catcher in the past 33 years to win the MVP.

Ivan Rodriguez of the Texas Rangers won the award in 1999 and prior to that the last AL catcher to win the award was Yankees legend, Thurman Munson in 1976.

Mauer, 26, becomes the fifth Twin to win AL MVP honors, joining Zoilo Versalles (1965), Harmon Killebrew (1969), Rod Carew (1977) and Justin Morneau (2006).

In a historical aspect, Mauer’s season may have been the most impressive of them all.

Mauer accomplished the “modern triple crown” as he led the American League in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage with his amazing .365/.444/.587 line.

It was the first time anyone had accomplished the feat in the AL since Hall of Famer George Brett put up a .390/.454/.664 line to pace the league in 1980.

Mauer’s MVP season also saw him reach career highs in other categories including home runs (28), runs batted in (96), hits (191), and total bases (307).

Making Mauer’s accomplishment all the more impressive is that he spent the entire first month of the season on the disabled list recovering from a lower-back injury.

He returned on the first of May and made an immediate impact by hitting a home run in his first at-bat.

After his extraordinary return to the lineup, Mauer played in 138 of the team’s remaining 141 games.

Despite missing a month, and starting 28 games at designated hitter, Mauer managed to catch 939 innings, ranking fifth in the American League.

The MVP is just one of many awards that will adorn Mauer’s mantle this winter as he also won his third Silver Slugger, his third batting title, his second Gold Glove, and was voted the winner of the 2009 Players Choice Award for AL Outstanding Player, an award voted on by his peers.

Additionally, Mauer made his third All-Star team and lead the Minnesota Twins back to the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

The Twins were 11-11 while Mauer was out in April, but went 76-65 after he rejoined the club. In September, Mauer played a big role as the Twins overcome a seven-game deficit to win the AL Central.

Mauer is entering the final year of the four-year, $33 million deal he signed prior to the 2007 season. He is owed $12.5 million next season.

The Twins are currently trying to work out a contract extension with Mauer and his agent Ron Shapiro to the keep the MVP in Minnesota for the long haul.

It is routinely believed that Mauer will be traded this offseason or during the 2010 campaign if the club is unable to reach an extension.

ARE 2 FANCY 02 UPPER DECK , PLAYOFF PRESTIGE OF TOM BRADY PATS GREAT 08″MVP” “ALL PRO” QUATERBACK, LEADING THE TEAM TO 3 SUPER BOWL WINS