Best player to never win an MVP?

[Chris Daddy Cool]

Who was the best player in baseball to never win a MVP?

[nolanfan34]

Well, I'm biased, but you know who I think it is.

Wait, is this best pitcher to never win Cy Young? Never mind.

Top non-MVP? It's a recent player, but I think Mark McGwire would suffice.

Going back further...Lou Brock was a seriously underrated leader of the good Cards teams of the 60s.

[ThaSaltCracka]

One of my favorites when I was younger...

Kirby Puckett.

[J.R.]

Of the top of my head, some HOFers/likely HOfers position players: Mel Ott, Paul Molitor, Wade Boggs, Tony Gywnn, Eddie Murray, Rafael Palmerio, eh Craig Biggio, eh Roberto Alomar, eh todd helton.

Babe ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner,..etc /images/graemlins/blush.gif. I don't think the MVP came into being until the great depression, but I could be wrong.

[DonWaade]

Duke Snider 1955

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
Babe ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner,..etc . I don't think the MVP came into being until the great depression, but I could be wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]
You are wrong, Ty Cobb was the first winner in the AL.

[J.R.]

According to the list on the MLB web page (http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/awards/mlb_awards_content.jsp?content=mvp_history) , Lefty Grove and Frankie Frisch won the first MVP awards in 1931.

[ThaSaltCracka]

I am not sure if there is a discrepency here, check out MVP Listing (http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/mvp_cya.shtml)

[nolanfan34]

Good link.

Looking at that list, I think if someone had offered me $1 million to name the 1995 MVP's, it would take me a lot of guesses.

[ThaSaltCracka]

BTW, that site is pure gold for stats on anyone. Dig around a bit and you'll find a lot of interesting stats and rankings.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
Going back further...Lou Brock was a seriously underrated leader of the good Cards teams of the 60s.

[/ QUOTE ]
He was 2nd in MVP voting in 74

[Toro]

In 1941 Ted Williams hit .406 the last player to ever hit over .400 yet he did not win the MVP that year. Anyone know who did and what record he set while doing it? This one is easy.

[daryn]

joe d, 56 game streak

[Toro]

bingo

[ThaSaltCracka]

I am a yankee fan and yet I cannot see why Williams didn't win it. The numbers were near identical in every category except AVG, OBP, SLG, and BB. Interesting stat from that season though was DiMaggio's 13K's in 541 AB's!!!!

[JTrout]

Cool Papa Bell

[Chris Daddy Cool]

[ QUOTE ]
The numbers were near identical in every category except AVG, OBP, SLG, and BB.

[/ QUOTE ]

Heh, that's not that identical then is it? /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

BTW, it was pretty obvious why Ted Williams didn't win. He was left off a couple of ballots by New York writers.

[Justin A]

Ken Griffey Jr. anyone? Had I said this four years ago I don't think I'd get any arguments, but now this is very debatable.

Justin A

[J.R.]

Junior was the 1997 AL MVP.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

This isn't really an answer, but in 1995 when Mo Vaughn beat out the always lovable Albert "Joey" Belle, the guy who deserved it was Edgar Martinez.

[John Cole]

Eddie Murray may never have been the MVP on his team--never mind the league.

[B-Man]

Among active players who have played at least 3 full seasons, I would say Manny, Vlad and Pujols (Pujols has never finished lower than 4th in the MVP voting--he finished 4th as a rookie, and 2nd the next two years)

Manny and Vlad both have an excellent chance to win the AL MVP this year.

Among pitchers, future Hall of Famers Pedro, Maddux and Randy Johnson have never won it (Pedro got the most first place votes in 1999, by got screwed over by two writers who left him completely off the ballot, so he finished second. One of the writers--George King from NY--justified it by saying he would never vote for a pitcher, but the year before he voted for David Wells /images/graemlins/confused.gif).

[John Cole]

I take it Wells was pitching for the Yankees then.

[B-Man]

nm

[ThaSaltCracka]

I don't really think pitchers should be considered for the MVP simply because they have their own award already. However, I can see the case that some pitchers may very well be the most valuable player on the team, but for me, the MVP has got to be a everyday player.

I would have to say though, if this was possible, it would have been cool if Schilling and Johnson had split it in 2001.

[B-Man]

I don't buy the "they have their own award" argument--pitchers have won the MVP on many occassions, and nothing in the rules says a pitcher can not win it. Why start changing things now?

In any event, if a writer is consistent in this belief, I could perhaps respect his opinion (even though I disagree with it), but to vote for David Wells in 1998, then leave Pedro Martinez completely off the ballot in 1999 (a ridiculously dominating season that earned him the most first-place votes) is hypocritical.

As for 2001, RJ and Schilling shared the WS MVP. For the regular season, however, Barry Bonds was the deserving winner (even though he is an a-hole).

[DonWaade]

Kurn, you are quickly becoming one of my best friends. Edgar Martinez? Hell yeah

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't buy the "they have their own award" argument--pitchers have won the MVP on many occassions, and nothing in the rules says a pitcher can not win it. Why start changing things now?

[/ QUOTE ] I know theres nothing in the rules, but I still think its redundant.

[ QUOTE ]
As for 2001, RJ and Schilling shared the WS MVP.

[/ QUOTE ] I know, but lets be honest, Arizona basically made it to the playoffs and eventually won because they had Johnson-Schilling. I think that would have been cool if the had won the regular season award.

[Justin A]

Thanks, I feel like an idiot now.

Justin A

[John Cole]

c

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Griffey spent a lot of that year on the DL and Edgar kept them in the race. The excuse given was that as a DH, he didn't help his team in the field, but if you ask me, both Vaughn and Belle hurt their team in the field.

Kurn, you are quickly becoming one of my best friends.

Here, maybe this will change your mind - I'll trade you Heathcliff Slocumb for Derek Lowe & Jason Varitek. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[nothumb]

I am a Boston fan, but Manny will never be an MVP until he starts breaking a sweat in the field. Call me old fashioned.

Pujols is a bad, bad mother.

NT