Justin Verlander won the AL MVP. He's the first starting pitcher since Roger Clemens won the award in 1986. Relievers have also won the award in the past (most recently Eck). Jacoby Ellsbury finished second.
I don't have much of an argument with the results. A pitcher should only win the award when he has a transcendent year, and there is not a position player who stands out. Check and check. I agree with Peter Abraham's ballot. He is a Boston writer who voted for Verlander, followed by Ellsbury.
Abraham writes, "I think in most years, I'd vote for Ellsbury. But Verlander's performance was such that this wasn't most years". I'm fine with that.
Just a guess, but Ellsbury couldn't have been helped by the Red Sox collapse. Ellsbury played his best when everyone around him was at their worst. Whether them making the playoffs would have put him over the top, I don't know. Detroit doesn't make it to the ALCS without Verlander.
Pitchers winning the MVP brings back the 1999 AL MVP Race, which should have been won by Pedro Martinez. I have a clear Boston bias, so let's add in a New York writer's opinion - one where he blasts two colleagues for leaving Martinez off their ballots, costing him the award. This isn't even the worst example of a sportswriter's personal agenda outweighing common sense.
Back to Tennessee - Duke. Tied at 45 with 15:29 left. It's early, but I have seen them a few times, and to me, they don't look like much more than a Sweet 16 team. Wait a minute; that's a pretty foolish statement, since it is November, not March. They have young talent and a great coach, so we'll see where they are at tournament time.
I wonder how many early entrants into the 2011 NBA Draft wish they were still playing for their college team. Here is a list of some difference makers who could still be playing college basketball.
The Morris Twins and Josh Selby - Kansas
Shelvin Mack - Butler
Kemba Walker - UConn
Kawhi Leonard - San Diego State
Derrick Williams - Arizona
Kyrie Irving - Duke
Tobias Harris and Scotty Hopson - Tennessee
Brandon Knight and DeAndre Liggins - Kentucky
I know many of the top picks would not stay in college because of 1.) money, 2.) injury risk, 3.) belief there would be an NBA season, 4.) money - but wouldn't it be nice if some of these guys were still around?
Sidney Crosby scored a goal five minutes into his return to the NHL. Glad that one of the best in the game is back and hopefully he does not experience further concussions.
The JBS is simply my opinion, and was in no way intended to be a prediction of the BCS. My only argument with myself is between Virginia Tech and Stanford. I'll let Virginia Tech stay ahead until they lose again, which they may not do. I'll tend to put Houston and Bosie State at the back of the line, since Houston doesn't play anybody and Bosie State lost a game. I would still put Boise State in a BCS bowl ahead of someone like Michigan, but the more I think about it and the more I read, the more I don't see a one-loss Boise State in a BSC bowl.
I think I'm going to open up a live diary for the Patriots game now. I've got some pre-game ideas now that I've moved over to the ESPN pre-game show.
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