Should a Pitcher Ever Win MVP?

by SodaHead Sports Posted 2011/11/24 20:00:00

Related Topics: Sports, Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers, MVP, MLB, Baseball, American League, Games, Justin, Time, Tiger, Writer, Game, Award, Fan

Read More

348 votes
Read all 235 opinions
Lightning Report View Results and Demographics + View Demographics

Loading Demographics... Click an icon to see demographic results Display unknown and private
	Yes	276 votes	79%
	No	72 votes	21%

Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander was voted the American League Most Valuable Player for 2011 this week -- but not without controversy. Verlander won the AL Cy Young Award for most outstanding pitcher and took the MVP award home as well, stunning many baseball pundits and fans alike. Keep in mind the MVP award is for the regular season.

The Major League Baseball regular season consists of 162 games. Verlander played 34 of those 162 games. The Cy Young award is an honor given not just to pitchers for outstanding performance, but also because they play fewer games than their teammates, making it tough to be considered seriously for the MVP award.

This time around, a majority of baseball's writers felt that Verlander earned the honor over other players such as Jacoby Ellsbury, who many are saying was "robbed of the award." Both players had phenomenal statistics for the season and deserved to be recognized for their efforts. But did Verlander deserve an MVP award on top of a Cy Young, especially as a pitcher? We'll let you SodaHeads decide.

+11

Add a comment above

zbacku 2011/11/24 20:47:00

Yes

+6
When a pitcher is in fact the MVP he should win the award.
>> See Replies

More polls by SodaHead Sports

Dave 007 2011/12/04 12:47:23

Yes

The big problem is they have an award for best pitcher but none for best hitter. MLB should give out three awards, best hitter, best pitcher and MVP.

reply
Get Bashed 2011/12/01 05:50:41

Yes

YES....if his efforts helped out his team, then yes, he deserves to be awarded MVP. I'm sure the team didn't sign him because he sucked. GIVE HIM HIS RECOGNITION!

reply
Niecey 2011/11/30 17:10:20

Yes

Yeah I guess if his stats are good. I know they have the Cy Young award but I guess anyone could be eligible for MVP.

reply
helga 2011/11/30 13:46:28

No

If that were allowed they would probably win it all the time. Pitchers are always the ones who get the most attention, win or lose. Most articles and sports commentary are always about the pitcher. Many great plays in the field get overlooked because the pitcher gets all the credit for the wins. They have their own award.

reply
erix 2011/11/30 05:23:32

No

They already have an exclusive award for pitchers- the cy young. MVPs should go to everyday players.

reply
coach k 2011/11/29 13:33:33

Yes

if they have the stats. verlander, willie hernandez, denny mcclain all detroit tigers have won both.

reply
Giantfighter 2011/11/29 05:40:40

Yes

Most Valuable Pitcher

reply
AK to Giantfi... 2011/11/29 15:11:49

I'll give you that one but not Most Valuable Player and yes, I know he is a player.

reply
Giantfi... to AK 2011/12/01 09:30:15

Opinion accepted, but not in agreement

reply
footyfan007 2011/11/29 04:25:53

Yes

Sure. Why not? A pitcher can be a verrrry valuable asset to a team!

reply
AK to footyfa... 2011/11/29 15:12:35

So can the guy who washes the uniforms and polishes the shoes!

reply
raine 2011/11/29 00:36:05

No

I really do not know anything about any sports. But is it not all about team work. Thus one person should not be better than others. We should be talking about more important issues as sports is nothing!

reply
AK to raine 2011/11/29 15:13:45

Then get the hell out of this discussion and go save the world and hug a tree and eat some tofu.

reply
have fork will travel 2011/11/28 23:59:43

Yes

Of course. Why shouldn't a pitcher win it if he earned it.

reply
AK to have fo... 2011/11/29 15:14:11

Because no pitchers earn it!

reply
Tennessee3501 2011/11/28 22:41:57

Yes

If Major League Baseball wants to prevent pitchers from winning the "Most Valuable Player Award," they should rename the award! It should be called "The Most Valuable Player Who Does Not Pitch Award"! If a rookie pitcher wins the Cy Young Award, should he be disqualified from winning the "Rookie of the Year Award"? Should that award be renamed the "Non-Pitcher Rookie of the Year Award"? I did not see any Saint Louis Cardinals Pitcher win the "Cy Young of the World Series Award?" Maybe we should have a "Most Valuable White Anglo-Saxon Protestant Player Award"? A "Most Valuable White Roman Catholic Player Award"? A " Most Valuable Jewish Player Award"? A "Most Valuable African American Player Award"? A "Most Valuable Hispanic Player Award"? A "Most Valuable Oriental Player Award"? A "Most Valuable Gay Player Award"? If we are going to be politically correct, how about a "Most Valuable Republican Player Award"? A "Most Valuable Democratic Player Award"?

reply
AK to Tenness... 2011/11/29 15:17:31

How about this? How about we give you a can of shut the hell up? Your rookie of the year analysis makes no sense at all. Go back to football or ping pong.

reply
Tenness... to AK 2011/11/29 23:58:01

It makes perfect sense if you understand baseball. For example, If I were managing the team, Justin Verlander was pitching and you were hitting, I would order Justin to throw at your head. He can't do any damage if his aim is good! LOL!

reply
Tenness... to Tenness... 2011/11/30 00:01:55

I hope you have the good sense to know I am kidding!

reply
houstonrahoyt 2011/11/28 22:41:55

No

+1
Pitchers have a Cy Young award; keep it simple.

reply
Dave 2011/11/28 22:40:35

No

+1
Verlander is great pitcher, but the MVP should go to a position player. Or we could award the Cy Young to a position player ! Silly, you say ??? Yes, but so is awarding the MVP to a player who is on the field once every five games.

But then again, Obama won a Nobel Prize for ....what ???? Oh, not being George W. Bush.

reply
Builder 2011/11/28 22:11:57

No

+1
As you said, the Cy was made for picthers. Verlander was great this year but he didn't play even half of his teams games. Beside that he didn't lead his team to a world series.

reply
Tenness... to Builder 2011/11/28 22:48:54

The votes are always in and counted before the post season starts! The MVP Award is for the regular season. There are separate MVP Awards for the post season.

reply
t.eliot, topbard 2011/11/28 20:55:33

Yes

"Most Valuable" is, by definition, subjective. Therefore, if enough people feel that a particular pitcher is the MVP, he is.

reply
AK to t.eliot... 2011/11/29 15:19:49

Yes, but subjectivity can still take on a clue and anyone who thinks a pitchers deserves the MVP has no clue!

reply
AK 2011/11/28 20:45:56

No

+2
No, absolutely NOT!!! What a disgrace to players in field positions who have no chance at winning the Cy Young even thought they are often save the pitcher's ass with outstanding defensive plays and offensive runs that allow pitchers to give up a plethora of runs. When a player only plays in 21% of the regular season games and only win in 15% of them, it is a JOKE to even think that Verlander should have been given that award. He was not even the MVP on the Tigers team. That should have gone to Cabrera but Ellsbury and even more so, former Tigers player now with the Yankees, Curtis Granderson should have won as the Yankees who were supposed to get spanked by Boston this past season actually won the division while Boston slid below even Tampa to 3rd.

reply
Tenness... to AK 2011/11/30 00:00:10

Is that you Jacoby, Jose or Curtis?

reply
Edgardo V. Olaes 2011/11/28 20:37:50 (edited)

Yes

Absolutely YES; MVP in basketball, football, hockey — one of these will be next…. indeed.

reply
AK to Edgardo... 2011/11/28 20:48:41

+1
This does not compare to the sports you listed. Pitchers have a Cy Young award. He played in 21% of the games. That's no MVP!

reply
Tenness... to AK 2011/11/28 22:51:35

Justin Verl;ander won 24 games! How many "position players" won 24 games for their teams with clutch hits and/or great defense?

reply
AK to Tenness... 2011/11/29 15:01:44

How many games did Verlander win without clutch hits and great defense? In his 34 games, if he faced the minimum number of players, which he didn't, he would have faced 918 batters. He struck out 250 of them or 27%. That means 73% did something else and remember, he didn't face the minimum! Please don't get me wrong, for 2011 he is deservingly so, the Cy Young winner. He's just not the MVP!!!

reply
gaylehelen 2011/11/28 19:58:26

Yes

It happens so rarely, but when it does that means that particular pitcher had one heck of a season. That's why I have to answer yes.

reply
AK to gaylehelen 2011/11/28 20:47:44

+1
That's why they get the Cy Young. Get a clue!

reply
gaylehelen to AK 2011/11/29 11:28:33

Ah, I think I know a thing or two about baseball. In fact, you have no idea how much. Every now and then, as stated in my previous post, a pitcher performs so stunningly he deserves the MVP as well.
You have your opinion, I have mine. God Bless America.

reply
AK to gaylehelen 2011/11/29 15:05:28

You need more than a thing or two and people like you who think subjectively instead of objectively ruin baseball. Denny McLain way back when won 31 games. That may have been "stunningly" but a 24 win season, while deserving the Cy Young, is not a stunning MVP performance.

reply
gaylehelen to AK 2011/11/29 21:24:39

"People like you?" "ruin baseball?" You've got to be kidding me. Now that is not "stunning" just downright ignorant.

reply
t.eliot... to AK 2011/11/29 22:59:50

You hand out "clueless" freely. Try a look in the mirror

reply
Torrid 2011/11/28 19:51:36

Yes

It is a wicked science. He played hard this season. He deserves it.

reply
AK to Torrid 2011/11/28 20:47:40

+1
Many played hard - he played in 21% of the games. think again!

reply
Tenness... to AK 2011/11/28 22:52:50

He won 25% of he games won by Detroit!

reply