AL MVP to Ichiro.

Normally I don't like commenting on what goes on in MLB as I don't feel I'm very qualified. After all, I tend to focus on baseball here in Japan, not "over there."

However, you left too much blank space on the page, so I feel like you're twisting my arm for a comment.

First of all, I'm one of those guys who thinks that the MVP is best the most essential person in getting a team to a pennant. Of course, in Japan that'd be the person who gets a team to the Nihon Series. So, it makes sense to me that one qualification is to have led one's team to the World Series in the MLB. Ichiro's team failed in that, so I wouldn't have given him a first place vote. A second place vote? Sure.

(I just want to confirm, the MVP is decided by a formula of first, second, and third place votes, right?)

Now, I also think that it's possible for a player to win the MVP and not be on a team that makes it to that final series. That is, if two (or more) people on the same team split the first place votes to the point that a player on another team could win due to a large number of second place votes.

I didn't see who got how many votes other than that Ichiro recieved more first place votes and that it was close. Did any other Yankee get a large percentage of votes, perhaps knocking his team mate out? If this was the case, then I can accept that Ichiro was more valuable to his team than any one player was to the Yanks.

On a more "money matters" note, did Ichiro draw more fans to the ballpark than any other player in either league? That sounds like a pretty valuable player to the team, league, and MLB over all to me.

Then there's the Rookie of the Year Award, also won by Ichiro. I said at the beginning of the season that I didn't think that Ichiro, Sasaki, Nomo, etc. should be considered rookies. They were all superstars in Japan, playing well above their level.

On the other hand, I had no problem considering Shinjyo to be a rookie, despite the time he put in in Japan. And I think that Shinjyo had done an incredible job to be listed in the "Best Nine Rookies." Congratulations, Shinjyo! You've really earned my respect this past season.

Somebody, somewhere during the season had pointed out that there is that much more pressure to perform at the MLB level than at the NPB level. I half belived it, half thought the person was belittling Pro Yakyu.

I know NPB is considered to be AAA and a half by many, so it isn't considered any different than a player from the farm moving up to the Big Leagues. But press coverage and the number of fans in the stadiums don't compare to AAA. The working environment that causes the pressures expressed by the above person is closer than a half step between the minors and majors. It's all out "major" in scope.

One ESPN annalyst once said that it's an insult to JPB to call these guys rookies, and I agreed with him. However, the Japanese are not insulted in the least. They're quite flattered as a matter of fact. I was told that Cubans who defected were also considered rookies, despite being some of the best players in the world. It wasn't an insult to them or their country. It's this kind of argument that started swaying me.

I'm kind of caught in the middle right now on the rookie issue. I'd really like to hear what others think about it, and the MVP.

I'm kind of caught in the middle right now on the rookie issue. I'd really like to hear what others think about it, and the MVP.

I have no problem with Ichiro being considered a rookie; it was his 1st season in the Majors after all. Keep in mind that Jackie Robinson won rookie of the year after many successful seasons in the Negro Leagues. I think a similar argument applies here.

I was also happy to see Ichiro win the MVP and think he was as deserving as any other player, despite the Mariners not making it to the World Series. The MLB MVP award is for regular season performance, not post season and not a single Yankee recieved votes (hurray!).

--First of all, I'm one of those guys who thinks that the MVP is best the most essential person in getting a team to a pennant. Of course, in Japan that'd be the person who gets a team to the Nihon Series. So, it makes sense to me that one qualification is to have led one's team to the World Series in the MLB. Ichiro's team failed in that, so I wouldn't have given him a first place vote. A second place vote? Sure.

The problem with this is that the votes are collected before post-season play begins. So getting to the World Series or not can't be a factor. However, I agree with the general principle: players whose teams made it to the post-season should be given the most consideration. So, Ichiro does fall into that category.

--(I just want to confirm, the MVP is decided by a formula of first, second, and third place votes, right?)

Yup! Although there are also votes down to 10th place, I believe. 1st place votes are worth 14 pts, 2nd place votes are worth 9, 3rd place votes are worth 8, etc., etc.

--I didn't see who got how many votes other than that Ichiro recieved more first place votes and that it was close. Did any other Yankee get a large percentage of votes, perhaps knocking his team mate out? If this was the case, then I can accept that Ichiro was more valuable to his team than any one player was to the Yanks.

The breakdown went like this:

1. Ichiro, 289 pts
2. Jason Giambi (Athletics), 281 pts
3. Brett Boone (Mariners), 259 pts
4. Roberto Alomar (Indians), 165 pts
5. Juan Gonzalez (Indians), 156 pts
6. Alex Rodriguez (Rangers), 141 pts
7. Jim Thome (Indians), 104 pts
8. Roger Clemens (Yankees), 67 pts
9. Manny Ramirez (Red Sox), 50 pts
10. Derek Jeter (Yankees), 42 pts

Before the release of the vote, the buzz was around Jason Giambi, who had a good season and was quite indispensable on his team. Most figured that Ichiro and Boone would split votes, and/or that Ichiro winning the Rookie of the Year would have an effect. No Yankees ever seemed to be in serious contention.

--On a more "money matters" note, did Ichiro draw more fans to the ballpark than any other player in either league? That sounds like a pretty valuable player to the team, league, and MLB over all to me.

Certainly the Mariners did very well, and they must have benefited from tourists from Japan, but how much of the Mariners' attendance success came from Ichiro and how much came from the fact that the team won 116 games is very much open for debate. However, certainly Ichiro was a bigger story for MLB than Giambi or Boone.

--Then there's the Rookie of the Year Award, also won by Ichiro. I said at the beginning of the season that I didn't think that Ichiro, Sasaki, Nomo, etc. should be considered rookies. They were all superstars in Japan, playing well above their level.
Somebody, somewhere during the season had pointed out that there is that much more pressure to perform at the MLB level than at the NPB level. I half belived it, half thought the person was belittling Pro Yakyu.

Personally, I don't believe it. Particularly when it comes to the Giants. Players on the Giants play with all of Japan watching them. That's more pressure than even the Yankees have to deal with. Any pressure MLB players face is decidedly local, at least until we get to the play-offs. I do think that the there's more pressure in the entire MLB post-season than there is in the Japan Series, but in terms of every day performance, I can't believe it.

--I know NPB is considered to be AAA and a half by many, so it isn't considered any different than a player from the farm moving up to the Big Leagues. But press coverage and the number of fans in the stadiums don't compare to AAA. The working environment that causes the pressures expressed by the above person is closer than a half step between the minors and majors. It's all out "major" in scope.

I agree. I would even venture to say that with the number of sports dailies, the media scrutiny and pressure is even greater in Japan.

One ESPN annalyst once said that it's an insult to JPB to call these guys rookies, and I agreed with him. However, the Japanese are not insulted in the least. They're quite flattered as a matter of fact. I was told that Cubans who defected were also considered rookies, despite being some of the best players in the world. It wasn't an insult to them or their country. It's this kind of argument that started swaying me.

I think the players make a distinction between playing a higher level than before, and being a rookie. To them, MLB is the highest level of baseball in the world, and they don't feel it's unusual for MLB is consider them rookies in the technical sense of the word. On the other hand, in the "spiritual" sense of the word, they are simply not rookies.

I thought Ichiro's attitude was very interesting. He said that he didn't feel like a rookie, but he felt that because of his veteran experience, the ROY was the one award he felt he really had to win.

--I'm kind of caught in the middle right now on the rookie issue. I'd really like to hear what others think about it, and the MVP.

I think it's important to remember that Jackie Robinson was the first winner of the Rookie of the Year. He wasn't a 22 year old right out of the minors, he'd played a season in the Negro Leagues. In fact, it was not thought odd at all for Negro Leagues players to be considered for the ROY, even though the general consensus has been that the level of Negro League play was pretty high.

I recall an article by someone who made this point: before Ichiro played a game, there were questions about whether he could adjust to the Major League game, about how much of an effect he'd have on the Mariners offense. Even during spring training there were many doubters. Even though he'd won seven straight batting titles in Japan and 3 MVP awards. The writer said you can't have both ways; you can't doubt him before the season and then say he's too experienced to be a rookie after he starts doing well. I agree with that assessment. I think the very fact that there were doubts qualifies Ichiro for the ROY. If MLB decides in the future to disqualify players who have played in the Cuban and Japanese leagues, I wouldn't have a big problem with that. But I can't say that the level of Japanese ball has yet been universally considered high enough to disqualify Japanese players from the Rookie of the Year award.

As to whether Ichiro deserves the MVP award this year... I think that it is a good choice. I think the voters could have picked Giambi or Boone and it would have been a good choice. The qualifications for the MVP have been deliberately made nebulous, so I don't think there is necessarily a wrong or right answer; it's all about perspective. People who like stats like OPS and Runs Created think that Giambi should have won. People who like well-rounded players feel that Ichiro's baserunning and defense as well as his prodigious hitting made him the better choice.

Ultimately, on the question of "deserves", I feel that if you are even mentioned as a candidate, you "deserve" to win it. There are generally 750 to 800 players who play on Major League teams over the course of a season. Usually there are 3 or so MVP candidates. When you pare 750+ down to 3 or 5, you get to an elite corps of players, and it's not a travesty of any of those players win, IMO.

I think that the regular season MVP should be for the best player in the regular season. In the U.S. we also have post-season and World Series MVP awards. So, the playoffs should not be considered in the regular season MVP voting. Also, the regular season should not be considered in the post-season or World Series MVP voting.