what are the worst MVP selections ever?

[Tyrus4189Cobb]

I think we all have our preferences, so I limited mine to what I believe are five biggest snuffs:

1934 Cochrane over Gomez- I actually made a thread on this, but I still stand in the opinion that Lefty's performance in batter-dominated Depression baseball outweighs Cochrane's misjudged season as a leader.

1942 Gordon over Ted Williams

1974 Garvey over Schmidt, Winn, or Bench

1999 Rodriguez over Pedro Martinez

2006 Morneau Jeter

2011 gets a dishonorable mention because Kemp outclassed Braun in every way

[Tyrus4189Cobb]

Pedroia in '08 (Mauer was much better, but somehow Morneau came in 2nd place and got 7 first place votes.)

I think Mauer's lack of power cost him along with the bogus Red Sox Nation support behind Pedroia

[BigRon]

I think we all have our preferences, so I limited mine to what I believe are five biggest snuffs:

1934 Cochrane over Gomez- I actually made a thread on this, but I still stand in the opinion that Lefty's performance in batter-dominated Depression baseball outweighs Cochrane's misjudged season as a leader.

1942 Gordon over Ted Williams

1974 Garvey over Schmidt, Winn, or Bench

1999 Rodriguez over Pedro Martinez

2006 Morneau Jeter

2011 gets a dishonorable mention because Kemp outclassed Braun in every way

Good list, Ty. I'd add one of my "favorites", which I previously mentioned. Willie Stargell (co- MVP in 1979 with Keith Hernandez). It's dangerous to use WAR as the selector for MVP, but it certainly makes sense that the MVP surely must reside among the top 5 or 10 in WAR totals. In 1979 Stargell had a WAR total of 2.3- yes, 2.3. I doubt that he was in the top 20 in the NL in WAR.

Without looking it up, I'd guess that Stargell may have had the lowest WAR total of any MVP.

[pheasant]

MVPs listed first....to me, Gehrig's 1934 season is one of the best ever. In 1934, Gehrig had 409 total bases to Cochrane's 180. Cochrane's WAR was 4.3 to Gehrig's 10.7. Listed below are their triple crowns stats. Gehrig won the Major League triple crown in 1934 as well, one of only 5 times that has been accomplished. And Lou finished 5th in the MVP race.



Players MVP/ ranking/ year/ HR/ RBI/ AVG
Mickey Cochrane 1 1934 2 76 .320
Lou Gehrig 5 49 165 .363

Marty Marion 1 1944 6 63 .267
Bill Nicholson 2 33 122 .287

Joe Gordan 1 1942 18 103 .322
Ted Williams 2 36 137 .356

Joe Dimaggio 1 1947 20 97 .315
Ted Williams 2 32 114 .343

Zoilo Versalles 1 1965 19 77 .273
Tony Oliva 2 16 98 .321

Joe Dimaggio 1 1941 30 125 .357
Ted Williams 2 37 120 .406

Miguel Tejada 1 2002 34 131 .308
Alex Rodriguez 2 57 142 .300

[GiambiJuice]

Back then, I thought it should've been Boone too. But now playing Monday morning quarterback, the right guy probably won as he was clean while the other two were not.

I agree that Boone would have been a fine choice, but I still think Giambi should have won. Without Boone, the Mariners still win well over 100 games that year.

[Tyrus4189Cobb]

Without looking it up, I'd guess that Stargell may have had the lowest WAR total of any MVP.

I think you're right. After looking up some other possible candidates, I couldn't find anyone lower.

[Tyrus4189Cobb]

I am watching MLBN's "Prime 9." This episode features top 9 MVP snubs (players are only considered once).

9) 1997 Larry Walker over Mike Piazza- I agree with MLBN. Piazza played in a much tougher ballpark at a more valuable position.
8) 1952 Hank Sauer over Jackie Robinson- Here is where MLBN consultants aren't doing their homework. One historian (honestly the people at this site seem more intelligible than this man) notes how Sauer led in home runs and RBI, but shouldn't have been MVP because of his run-of-the-mill team. Then another "historian" discusses how Musial led in OPS, etc. Well, guess what? Voters were looking at homers and RBIs and average.
7) 1940 Frank McCormick over Johnny Mize- According to MLBN, the pennant race captured the voters' attention more.
6) 1962 Maury Wills over Willie Mays- Perhaps the stolen base record provided too much hype?
5) 1995 Mo Vaughn over Albert Belle- Personality triumphed over numbers
4) 1958 Jackie Jensen over Mickey Mantle- Mantle is coming off two huge years so he appears as "slipping." Less RBIs than Jensen, though he was walked way more with RISP, MLBN acknowledges.
3) 1944 Marty Marion over Stan Musial- Writers may have simply wanted to hand it to someone else because Musial had won it the year before. They may have wanted to avoid promoting one player.
2) 1934 Mickey Cochrane over Lou Gehrig- As we've discussed before, MLBN attributes the award to Cochrane's leadership as a manager. I still believe Lefty Gomez was the MVP, but I would prefer to at least see Gehrig. However, this snub is one seen more in hindsight IMO. Voters weren't really taking era into account, so they were going to consider a batter no more matter how favorable the hitting conditions. At the time, Cochrane wasn't a huge mistake (it still isn't) because he batted well for a team that won the pennant.
1) 1942 Joe Gordon over Ted Williams- Biggest snub ever. I was surprised to hear that Williams was on base for all but 11 games.

The list and reasonings belong to MLBN (unless I give my opinions otherwise). The more I think about these awards, the more they appear to be serving the voters' purposes than actually awarding the most valuable player. Then again, my cynicism runs deep.

[willshad]

The Cochrane choice has always confused me. If you are going to pick someone from the team, why not pick Gehringer, who had much better numbers, and also played a valuable defensive position? It's kind of silly that both of Cochrane's 2 MVPs came in seasons that were probably not among his top 7 seasons.

[EdTarbusz]

7) 1940 Frank McCormick over Johnny Mize- According to MLBN, the pennant race captured the voters' attention more.
.

What pennant race? The Reds won the NL pennant easily in 1940. The pennant race that season was in the AL between the Tigers, Indians and Yankees. 1940 was unusual in that era because there was a race in the AL and no race in the NL.

[PVNICK]

Vaughn over Belle still annoys me.

[Biofury]

Hitting 50 HR and 50 2B in a shortened season is pretty damn impressive. Mo winning the '95 MVP was not.

Dawson has the '87 MVP becuase Cardinal supporters had split their votes between Clark and Smith.

Blah! to any reliever winning the MVP.

[NYYankeesFan92]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Joe DiMaggio winning it over Ted Williams in 1941. I'm a Yankees fan so it's pretty obvious where i stand on this issue but it's still surprising.

[EdTarbusz]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Joe DiMaggio winning it over Ted Williams in 1941. I'm a Yankees fan so it's pretty obvious where i stand on this issue but it's still surprising.

That's a pretty unsurprising choice, in my opinion. Look at the Yankees record when DiMaggio's hitting streak began and when it ended. Factor in that the hitting streak was probably the most talked about story in sports in 1941 and I don't think it's a bit surprising that DiMaggio got the MVP that year.

[GiambiJuice]

That's a pretty unsurprising choice, in my opinion. Look at the Yankees record when DiMaggio's hitting streak began and when it ended. Factor in that the hitting streak was probably the most talked about story in sports in 1941 and I don't think it's a bit surprising that DiMaggio got the MVP that year.

Plus Dimaggio was a more well-rounded player. Defintely a much more valuable fielder and a better baserunner,

[BondsOverBabe]

Verlander 2011

Pedroia 2008

Morneau 2006

Pudge 1999

Ichiro 2001

Tejada 2002



a lot of dumb picks there

lol what???

[BondsOverBabe]

2006 Morneau Jeter

Don't you mean Morneau Mauer? Mauer>>>>>>Jeter

[GiambiJuice]

Don't you mean Morneau Mauer? Mauer>>>>>>Jeter

You know, one player can be better without being six times better. Mauer was a little better than Jeter that year not ">>>>>>". I am a Yankees fan and I would have voted for Mauer for MVP, but Jeter's numbers seasons were pretty darn close, and he played a pretty solid SS that year.

[Jackaroo Dave]

I don't know if this counts, but how about Doyle over Wagner for the 1912 Chalmers Award?

I know Larry is less underrated than forgotten, and the award might have been in part for his missing it in 1911, but still . . .

In fact, all the NL Chalmers Awards look pretty dicey: Schulte, Doyle, Daubert, Evers, fine players all, but not those that first come to mind when you think of NL stars of the teens.

[EdTarbusz]

I don't know if this counts, but how about Doyle over Wagner for the 1912 Chalmers Award?

I know Larry is less underrated than forgotten, and the award might have been in part for his missing it in 1911, but still . . .

In fact, all the NL Chalmers Awards look pretty dicey: Schulte, Doyle, Daubert, Evers, fine players all, but not those that first come to mind when you think of NL stars of the teens.

The Chalmers Award was intended to be awarded to a player only once. That may be why there odd selections for it.

[Jackaroo Dave]

The Chalmers Award was intended to be awarded to a player only once. That may be why there odd selections for it.

Right, and that's why I thought Doyle might have won, but on checking, those guys are the only winners: no Wagner, no Matty, no Pete Alexander.

[EdTarbusz]

Right, and that's why I thought Doyle might have won, but on checking, those guys are the only winners: no Wagner, no Matty, no Pete Alexander.

Larry Doyle was a colorful guy who was a writers favorite. He may have gotten some favorable votes because he was good copy.

[Jackaroo Dave]

Larry Doyle was a colorful guy who was a writers favorite. He may have gotten some favorable votes because he was good copy.

Well, hard cheese for Honus, but if he couldn't win it, I'm glad Laughing Larry did.

[EdTarbusz]

Well, hard cheese for Honus, but if he couldn't win it, I'm glad Laughing Larry did.

I have no idea why Wagner wouldn't have won it.

[dl4060]

That's a pretty unsurprising choice, in my opinion. Look at the Yankees record when DiMaggio's hitting streak began and when it ended. Factor in that the hitting streak was probably the most talked about story in sports in 1941 and I don't think it's a bit surprising that DiMaggio got the MVP that year.

I would not call it a surprising choice, just a bad one. Williams deserved it in 41, but 1947 was much more absurd.

[EdTarbusz]

I would not call it a surprising choice, just a bad one. Williams deserved it in 41, but 1947 was much more absurd.

I don't agree about 1941. I think DiMaggio deserved it over Williams. DiMaggio was more valuable to his team than Williams was.