Comments on: Can We Please Give Derek Jeter Some More Awards?

By: Sooze

Sooze — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:59:27 +0000

Oh my gosh, I wish text had a tone of voice! The Bartlett thing was more or less a joke… I was gonna use Willie Bloomquist as an example, but that would’ve been too blatant a lie. I hope you weren’t insinuating that I think he’s all badass cause he used to be a Twin! He sucked so bad back then and I was happy to see him go. But now that I actually compare the two, they were seriously VERY similar offensively last season.

We each have our opinions about the who is the best and who deserves what, which is what makes us Americans, right? Anyway, thanks for typically enjoying what I write!

By: The Big Guy

The Big Guy — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:05:55 +0000

Sooze, I wasn’t calling you a homer, but it’s hard to argue with that assumption when you try to claim that Jason Bartlett (a former Twin) was a better offensive player than Derek Jeter. He outperformed him how? By having a lower batting average and OBP? Or maybe it was having fewer runs, walks, hits and home runs? Could it be that he was thrown out more while having the same amount of steals? I’m not sure exactly which of those stats lead you to believe that Bartlett outperformed Jeter, but I guess you had your reasons.

I never said that Mauer would not have deserved the Hank Aaron Award, and I do believe that he will come out with the MVP. And that’s where we differ. It’s easy to see that Mauer could have just as easily won that award, and you would have not heard a peep from me about it. But alleging that Derek doesn’t deserve any of this is just asinine.

As for people claiming he’s overrated, are they watching the same baseball as the rest of us? No I’m sure they’re right, I’m sure these people have a better understanding of Derek Jeter’s abilities than people like Reggie Jackson, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays or any other of the countless legends who gush over him at the drop of a hat.

By: Sooze

Sooze — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:10:25 +0000

Geez, I hoping to get more than 2-3 ornery commenters. Anyway, sorry to disappoint you Big Guy. Yes, I meant A-Rod He was an all-around better career shortstop than Jeter before he was forced to move to third base. That was more or less a joke, but I’m not always hilarious. Jason Bartlett outperformed Jeter in almost every offensive category outside of plate appearances overall this season, though Jeter was a better defensive player. You can’t think of ANYONE who is a better “offensive” player than Derek Jeter? Seriously? *cough* Joe Mauer *cough* anyone who calls me a homer gets kicked square in the nuts. Thanks for your comment Big Guy – I sincerely appreciate your passionate response!!

By: The Big Guy

The Big Guy — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:26:52 +0000

Sooze, I’m fairly disappointed, because I typically enjoy your stuff. That being said, what a biased and unfair article. For starters what is this nonsense about not being the best SS on his team? There’s no way you mean A-Rod since he had more errors than Jeter in spite of playing 284 less innings and playing a less demanding position. I’d love to hear which AL SS was more deserving overall. How come we’re not examining the fact that Mauer somehow won a gold glove while throwing out only 26% of runners and not having a single pickoff. Joe had more passed balls and a worse stolen base percentage than Jorge Posada!

As for the Hank Aaron Award, it is given to the best “offensive player,” not the best “hitter.” So if we are deciding the best offensive player, how are the only necessary stats BA, hits, HR’s and RBI’s? Those are not an accurate barometer of the best offensive player. Jeter lead all of those players in stolen bases, runs and walks earned. He was second only to Mauer among those players in OBP. He also had a better stolen base average than any MLB player with 30 or more SB’s. You’re using BA, hits, HR’s and RBI’s? Come on Sooze, if that’s how you measure it than Aaron Hill is as good as any of those guys. He would lead the group in HR’s and RBI’s while having more hits than 2 of them.

The Roberto Clemente award is given to a player who is involved in charity and his community while excelling on the field. Jeter’s bat alone brought Turn 2 over $200,000 this year. Including $100,000 from Delta in a competition with David Wright and the Hard Rock contributing $52,722 when he broke Lou’s hit record. The Yankee hatred has now run so deep that we are disparaging a guy’s charity work? Sad stuff.

And honestly when you combine all of these things with the fact that Jeter is the catalyst for the best team in baseball. (And yes, they were the best team even before the playoffs.) It’s hard to argue that Jeter and Mauer aren’t a toss up for MVP.

By: Sooze

Sooze — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:51:43 +0000

Dave, thanks so much for the comment! MVP voting is done before the playoffs begin, to give each outstanding player from all 30 teams an unbiased shot, so winning the World Series really doesn’t have anything to do with it. Was Mark Teixeira not as productive as Jeter? What about A-Rod? How about Cabrera — the Tigers were on their way to the postseason during voting as well. Jeter is a great player and an even better man, and I agree that baseball needs more guys like him… I just think he gets more credit than he deserves sometimes.

By: davedallasfan

davedallasfan — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:45:54 +0000

mlb needs more derek jeters.

By: davedallasfan

davedallasfan — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:44:39 +0000

i say hell ya give it to him. he’s the one soild core on that team of super stars. he’s the glue. without him the yankees don’t win it all. so would’nt you give it to the man that best helped his team win a championship. does,nt that make him well, the most valuable player on his team? in case the world champion team?