A-rod finally wins first MVP award - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

Abby828 · 11-17-2003, 02:00 PM

A-Rod finally wins first MVP award
Joins Burroughs, Gonzalez and Pudge
By T.R. Sullivan
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Rangers shortstop Alex Rodriguez has won his first Most Valuable Player Award.

Rodriguez was named the American League's MVP on Monday in balloting of the Baseball Writers Association of America. He won by a narrow margin over Toronto's Carlos Delgado.

Rodriguez won after hitting .298 with 47 home runs, 118 RBI and a league-leading 124 runs scored. Defense also played a part in his season; he won a second straight Gold Glove Award.

MVP had been the one award that has eluded Rodriguez in his career. He is a three-time winner of the Sporting News Major League Player of the Year and has three times been named as the Players Choice American League Player of the Year.

Rodriguez won even though the Rangers finished in last place in the American League for the fourth straight season. The Rangers poor finish was seen as the biggest obstacle for Rodriguez, who has been often viewed as the best all-around player in the game.

Rodriguez has finished second twice and third once in previous voting.

This is the fifth time that a Ranger won the award. Jeff Burroughs was voted MVP for the Rangers in 1974. Juan Gonzalez won it twice in 1996 and 1998 and Ivan Rodriguez won it in 1999.

Murphy3 · 11-17-2003, 02:12 PM

Congrats A-Rod
the Rangers recent domination continues.

bogey · 11-17-2003, 02:19 PM

He deserved it. Great job by ARod.

bogey · 11-17-2003, 02:20 PM

Did you know......

ARod is the first MVP winner from a sub .500 team in 16 years.

dirno2000 · 11-17-2003, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Murphy3
Congrats A-Rod
the Rangers recent domination continues.

It's been an amazing run when you consider how little the teams have accomplished.

u2sarajevo · 11-17-2003, 02:49 PM

Congratulations A-Rod... wish it could have been during a season that meant something.

FineCubanCigar · 11-17-2003, 02:58 PM

good, that ups his trade value. This supposedly stand up guy can't even shut his mouth for 252 million dollars, he ripped the owner, he ripped the manager, and he ripped his teamates last year, deal him for some young promisisng pitching and let the real stand-up guys like Young, Mench, Texiera, and Hank develop along with our pitching core. keeping A-Rod is pointless. He makes 1/3 of the teams TOTAL annual salary, and can't find anything better to do than whine.

kingrex · 11-17-2003, 03:32 PM

A-rod made comments to the media, and maybe he should have kept that to himself, but to say that he "ripped' at them is too strong IMO.

He is the top player at his position and how can that be bad for this team. He is being paid more than this team should be paying for that position, but that's not A-rod's fault. All you can ask from any player is to produce from their position. Has A-rod done anyless than that? I think this award proves otherwise.

Maybe it would be better for the Rangers to trade A-rod for pitiching, but don't denegrate A-rod just because this team is weak at pitching and management can't get a handle on the salary cap. Afterall, I can think of other players on this team that is more "overpaid" compared to what they produce (see Chan Ho).

bogey · 11-17-2003, 03:38 PM

Dude...don't even get me started on Chan Ho "out of the" Park.....[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img]

jayC · 11-17-2003, 04:10 PM

Quote:

He makes 1/3 of the teams TOTAL annual salary, and can't find anything better to do than whine.

Exactly as long as the rangers plan to keep their payroll around 70 million they will never contend.

And to be fair the rangers are still paying Rusty Greer 7 million dollars, Todd Van Poppel 7 million and the oft mentioned Chan Honrun.

dallas_esq · 11-17-2003, 04:22 PM

Wonders never cease. Congratulatiobns to the undisputed best player in baseball's American League and arguably the overall best.

arsenalth9 · 11-17-2003, 04:27 PM

Yes, A-Rod had a good year and deserved it, but what happened to the part of value to the team? I thought part of being an MVP was that you made the players around you better.

But anyway, props to A-Rod on a great year.

FineCubanCigar · 11-18-2003, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by: jayC

Quote:

He makes 1/3 of the teams TOTAL annual salary, and can't find anything better to do than whine.

Exactly as long as the rangers plan to keep their payroll around 70 million they will never contend.

And to be fair the rangers are still paying Rusty Greer 7 million dollars, Todd Van Poppel 7 million and the oft mentioned Chan Honrun.

What was the Twins, A's, and co. annual salary? Don't give me this 70 million dollar payroll can't win load of crap.

u2sarajevo · 11-18-2003, 11:19 AM

The World Champion Florida Marlins payroll was around 50-54 million. Pudge Rodriguez's contract was 15-20 percent of that.

FineCubanCigar · 11-18-2003, 12:28 PM

15% is a far cry from 33%, especially when we have no pitching, which aside from A-Rod is baseball's most sought after and expensive comodity.

u2sarajevo · 11-18-2003, 12:32 PM

Okay.. but the fact remains that if you take a 70-75 million payroll and subtract A-Rod's salary, you are still left over with enough money to win a championship, given the examples of the Florida Marlins and the Anaheim Angels.

FineCubanCigar · 11-18-2003, 03:18 PM

did you miss the no pitching part? That is why A-Rod needs to be dealt.

u2sarajevo · 11-18-2003, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: FineCubanCigar
did you miss the no pitching part? That is why A-Rod needs to be dealt.

I agree with you. If we can get two front line pitchers for A-Rod then do it. I am just sick of the excuse that we can't win a Championship with A-Rod's contract given a 75 Million dollar payroll.

But if it makes our team better, by all means trade him.

Epitome22 · 11-20-2003, 01:00 PM

I think Ranger pitching sucks, bit isn't as bad as some would think. I think a good chunk of poor ranger pitching is due in part to the fact that the ballpark in Arlington is one of the more unfortunate hitter's parks in the league. Barry Zito couldn't keep his ERA under 4.00 in that bandbox.

madape · 11-20-2003, 01:19 PM

ARod has been treated like shit in this town for too long. To suggest that the Rangers would be a better team without the best player in baseball is absolutely rediculous. It's not his fault the Rangers offered him so much money and it's not his fault that the GM can't find any pitching. Until the Rangers start scouting right and developing young arms, they'll never have a championship caliber club.

The only thing that moving ARods salary would do is to allow the Rangers to overpay on crappy free agents like Chan Ho. And I'm sick of trading away great young position players for worthless home-run chunkers from other teams. This team does NOT need more Rob Bells. It needs more Josh Becketts... more Esteban Loizas for that matter. We don't draft well. We don't develop the pitchers we DO have. And we get rid of Cy Young caliber pitchers for nothing. Pitching doesn't have to be expensive.

This organization has a lot of money. But it doesn't have what really matters: a clue.

A-Rod has been the only thing worth watching on this team the past few years. To make him the scapegoat for decades of terrible decisions in the front office isn't fair.

sike · 11-20-2003, 03:25 PM

so would you trade him for an Ace and spare parts Madape?

u2sarajevo · 11-20-2003, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: sike
so would you trade him for an Ace and spare parts Madape?

I think it would be laughable if we did this. Two aces would be more like it. A-Rod affects each and every game played, as opposed to every 4th or 5th game. I have a feeling that what will be settled on is somewhere in-between. Like an ace and a second-tier shortstop or outfielder. If they get a run-down DH in the possible trade I think I will throw up.

But I agree madape, A-Rod should not be traded if it can be avoided, and we CAN win with him here given a 70-75 mil payroll.

I don't like the posturing going on, and think it will hurt our chances for getting a good return value in the trade.

Murphy3 · 11-20-2003, 04:21 PM

I don't think the Rangers would get an ace for a-rod. you're not trading talent for talent. they would be trading a-rod for an opportunity to get out from underneath his contract.

You might get a nice pitcher or two and possibly a stud position player. You might even get a prospect that could develop into an ace. But, I don't believe the Rangers will get an ace for a-rod.

u2sarajevo · 11-20-2003, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Murphy3
I don't think the Rangers would get an ace for a-rod. you're not trading talent for talent. they would be trading a-rod for an opportunity to get out from underneath his contract.

Exactly the reason I say we don't do it. We can win WITH him.