According to Yahoo! Sports, "Morneau received 15 first-place votes, eight seconds, three thirds and two fourths for 320 points in voting by a panel of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Jeter got 12 firsts, 14 seconds, one fourth and one sixth for 306 points."
Take one more look at that again. Notice anything bizarre? No, it's not the fact that Jeter lost--that's perfectly acceptable, even to Yankee fans (including yours truly). And no, it's not that Morneau won--that's also not wacky at all: the guy had a fantastic year. The red flag here is that one obviously mentally deficient writer gave Derek Jeter a SIXTH PLACE vote. That writer was the Chicago Sun-Times' White Sox beat reporter Joe Cowley.
Let's begin by saying Cowley is obviously retarded and/or chemically dependant. There's no other explanantion for his actions. Whatever you may think of Jeter--hate him intensely or love him deeply--there is no realistic way he should receive a SIXTH PLACE vote. Maybe you think he wasn't as good as Morneau? That's fine! Perhaps you think he should be 2nd or 3rd place? Accceptable! But SIXTH? Jigga what?
Anyone who follows baseball (Yankee fan or otherwise) knows that this year was perhaps Jeter's best year, and that he basically carried his team for an entire year--doing it all in a market 500 times more intense and demanding that any sports city in the world. Every marginally intelligent human being knows he should have at least been in the top 3 on ANY MVP list--even if you coudn't stand him. Apparently Mr. Cowley didn't get the memo when baseball knowledge was being handed out.
Cowley was given the chance to explain his voting thought process on the nationally broadcast sports talk show, "MIke and the Mad Dog (Mike Francesa and Chris Russo)." His grating personality should have been instantly evident when he greeted the hosts with, "how you doin' bro?" (Nothing like sounding like an 18-year old frat boy to foster respect) But it gets worse: When asked why he gave Jeter a 6th place vote, Mr. Cowley revealed himself to be a buffoon with seemingly no baseball smarts whatsoever.
He first claimed to have spoken to "guys around the American League" and asked "them" who "THEY" said they feared the most in the Yankee lineup, and he claimed they feared A-Rod more than Jeter. OK... No... Impossible. Cowley must have been talking to
Cowley then went on to say that most of his thought process is not based on numbers, but instead on what would happen to a team if the candidate in question were to be removed from that team. He claimed that if Jeter was removed from the 2006 Yankees, they would still be in the playoffs. (Which, in actuality is not necessarily true--they would have struggled to win 90 games). When presented with the same logic for David Ortiz--whom Cowley voted third--he began to fumble his words. Mike and Chris claimed that without Ortiz in 2006, the Red Sox would have won 10 less games and the result (no playoff appearace) would have been exactly the same. Cowley couldn't quite wrap his hed around this rather basic contradiction. Srike two, Joe.
To make matters worse, Cowley attempted to justify Ortiz' ranking ahead of Jeter because he was "more clutch" on a "team in contention." Sorry, Joe--the Red Sox were NOT in contention after August 11. They were done, end of discussion. Cowley then oddly claimed that if a team had fans "coming to the ballpark," that meant they were "contenders." Huh? Since when does attendance=contention? Tell that to the Cubs! Strike three, Joe.
The hosts then questioned Cowley's decision to put Frank Thomas ahead of Jeter. Cowley claimed that Thomas single-handedly carried his team for the last 6 weeks of the season into the playoffs. He then asked the hosts, "did Jeter do that?" Mike and Chris answered correctly: Yes. Jeter carried the Yankees the ENTIRE YEAR, not just in the last 6 weeks. However, since the Yankees wrapped up the division with a month to go, that's Jeter's fault in Cowley's eyes, and he apparently needed to be penalized for that. Translation: Carrying your team in the last 6 weeks is more imporatnt than carrying it the first 3 months and winning easy. Strike four, Joe.
The most glaring display of stupidity was yet to come, however. Cowley mistakenly said the Yankees "pulled away during the last 7 weeks of the season," which was incorrect: They pulled away during the 5 game series with the Red Sox in early August--leaving Fenway with a 7.5 game lead in the division. After being informed of this (something he should have known), Cowly asked the hosts, "oh, and Jeter won that series for them?" The answer is YES--and the hosts asked if he knew what Jeter had done in that series. Joe didn't know--which is not that good for a "sports" writer. Strike five, Joe.
But here's the best part: One of the hosts attempted to enlighten Joe as to Jeter's performance in that series by asking if he knew what Jeter did in the biggest game of the Yankees' season (the Friday night game in that series). Cowley laughed uncomfortably and quipped, "the most important game in the Yankee's season was when they lost in the playoffs." When asked if his MVP voting had anything to do with the post season, Joe said, "no." So why bring it up, Joe? Ummm... Because you're stupid and grasping at straws. Strike six, Joe.
The hosts then asked Cowley AGAIN if he knew what Jeter did in the most important games in the Yankee's season (those 5 games in early August that ENDED Boston's season). Cowley again deflected the question, and even questioned Mike and Chris' integrity by childishly asking them "how many games do YOU guys make it out to," for which he was silenced, because the hosts go to many games during the year. Strike seven, Joe.
Cowley was then asked AGAIN what Jeter had done in the second game of that 5-game series the ENTIRE SPORTS WORLD was watching in August. Finally, his answer was, "he probably had a good game." Yikes. He didn't even KNOW. That's a sports writer, folks. A sports writer. Strike eight, Joe.
After revealing the fact that he didn't watch important games, the most entertaining part of the interview occurred: Mike and Chris then asked why Cowley voted Jermaine Dye SECOND ahead of Jeter. His answer? "Look at his numbers!" But--wait, Joe: You just told everyine numbers weren't your main deciding factor--Didn't you? Cowley answers, "Yes, the numbers AREN'T the main issue." Ummm, but you just told us to look at Dye's numbers as the main factor! Which is it Joe? Joe was caught in his own contradiction, and became defensive--he then insulted the hosts like a child: "Let me explain -- I'll talk real slow, because I know you guys like to yell and that's your radio show, and it makes you feel good." Wow... score one for your professionalism! Strike nine, Joe.
Cowley then "slowly" explained that, while voting, the first thing he looks at are players on teams that are "contending for the playoffs" late in the year. The hosts then asked why, if contention was so important, was Ortiz higher than Jeter on his list--since the Red Sox were NOT IN CONTENTION after August 11th (2 months left to go in the season)? Joe answered by ignoring the facts and repeating that the Sox were indeed a "contender," stating that Ortiz did not have any lineup around him (someone tell Manny Ramirez--apparently he's chopped liver), and stating that Ortiz had "better numbers." When reminded that he previously stated that numbers weren't important, he beligerently explained that his order of importance is 1) is the player's team in contention 2) their numbers ON that contending team and 3) the numbers of a non-contending team player if they are "freakish numbers" (a la A-Rod's numbers with the Texas Rangers the year he won the MVP).
Sounds reasonable, right? Chris Russo then addressed the 3 points one by one: He first asked (again) why Ortiz was voted higher since his team did not meet criteria number ONE (being in contention). Cowley then stated, "because like I said, if a guy puts up freakish numbers." After confusing the issue by saying this, Cowley contradicted himself by repeating his order of importance: 1) A team in contention and--now-- 2) "if a guy puts up freakish numbers if (his) team didn't make it." Wait--wasn't that condition number THREE, Joe? Strike ten, Joe.
Finally, Joe was asked--AGAIN--if he felt the Red Sox were a contending team in 2006. He FINALLY answered yes, believing that they were "in contention until the last 6 weeks of the season" which is technically incorrect. Sorry Joe, no dice. You're out.
In summary, Mr. Cowley's order of MVP contenders was patently inane: Jermaine Dye was ahead of Jeter because of his numbers on a team that collapsed. Frank Thomas was ahead of Jeter for 6 weeks of work at the end of the season. David Ortiz was ahead of Jeter for having little effect on a non-contending team and being injured for the better part of a month. Johan Santana was ahead of Jeter for a great year--but as a pitcher, who, as we all know, have their OWN awards, and don't win MVPs unless they channel Sandy Koufax.
The point of this dissection of Cowley's stupidity is NOT to explain why Jeter should have won the award--far from it. No one here is saying Morneau didn't deserve the MVP. The problem here is that no alleged sports writer who had a vote could have logically placed Jeter SIXTH among these candidates. It's so strikingly unsubstanitated that one must assume either Mr. Cowley is--as stated above--some sort of mental deficient, or, more likely, a young, uninformed baseball writer who is a homer of the highest order and thinks that baseball begins and ends with the White Sox, and anything Yankee-related is evil and must be exterminated from the public purvue.
The funniest part about all of this hubbub is that Jeter himself could care less who wins or loses awards like this--nor does he spend one second thinking about the various reporters and columnists who have a vendetta agasint him or his team. The people who DO care about these awards--the fans--are the real losers here: They enjoy seeing their hometown heroes get recognition so much more than the players do themselves. But, because a vote can basically be swayed by one subjective, "second city," jealous voter with an obvious agenda, they are effectively punished.
Until Major League Baseball decides to start policing the votes a little better and/or defining the award itself a little more clearly, this is what we will all have to suffer through. Perhaps we can take solace in the fact that, years from now, when objective, educated writers and columnists have moved along in their careers and contributed to the tapestry of the American Pastime, Mr. Cowley will get his comeuppance and find himself subjugated to typing want ads for his local Pennysaver.
If only justice were always so fitting.
