WasWatching.com

I would love to agree with you, Steve, but I just don't see it happening. I share your feeling that Matsui is going to have a big year, but just think what it takes to be a serious MVP candidate nowadays. For Matsui to be in the running he's need to hit 300+ with at least 40 HR and 140 RBI. Even with these numbers, all career highs (depending on the average), he probably wouldn't win because I can see at least 5 guys with better power (Ortiz, Manny, Mourneau, Hafner, Dye) capable of at least that much next year. This is also not considering the guys who mix power, speed and defense (see Jeter, Sizemore, even Damon, Abreu or Ichiro). I would love for Matsui to win, but I think he would have to have an extraordinarily monster season and single-handedly carry the Yankees from the brink of missing the playoffs to winning the division for him to win.

I can't see him having a MVP caliber season, but hey, stranger things have happened.

I wouldn't mind getting another year like 2004 out of him.

It seems like Matsui runs hot and cold all the time -- he'll hit everything he sees for a month, and then go ice cold and wave at bad pitches and look horrendous.

I expect bigger things this year from A-Rod, Jeter and, more than anyone, Cano.

Having "the streak" done could help Matsui, FWIW. With regular rest he could avoid those periods where he seems to be tired.

He'll be deserving of the award, but the &*^#@ writers will give it to someone else, because "he has all that help in the line up" or some such crap, just like his ROY.

(not that I'm bitter about his loss on that, oh no.)

If we're going by gut here, I'm thinking either Giambi or Cano...

Cano because... he's Cano, what ELSE am I gonna say? :-P

Giambi because of hopeful wishing that he doesn't wear down at DH...

and you just know Matsuzaka is gonna win ROY... stupid BBWAA.

I've researched BBWAA voting extensively, and have saved various comments they made when failing to make Hideki ROY. The voting system is unfortunately a sham. They were used to voting for Arod before he was a Yankee, but you won't get them to allow Jeter, Mo, or Matsui. Failing to vote for the Yankee gets the voter international celebrity, as I've documented. For another example, how did Mel Antonen, part of the Twins fortress (the mainstay of voters today & least likely to vote for a Yankee) become the 2nd Wash. D.C. voter for the MVP this year? That made 3 Minnesota voters. They couldn't come up with a local guy? (He's national supposedly, but is from Minn.)He was obviously selected by someone. Look at the local Newark Star Ledger--Ed Price didn't put Jeter first, and Dan Graziano had already said he wouldn't have voted for Jeter.It's a power thing for someone like Graziano. The NY Times and a bunch of other papers no longer allow their people to vote. I have many more details, but suffice it's a political award that's only geared to make the writers feel better. Also, Arod, Matsuzaka, Justin Morneau and others have BBWAA awards language written into their contracts, the first 2 in great detail. In a dying process like the BBWAA awards, a player who gives life or credence to them is obviously going to get the edge. I looked up Jeter's and Mariano's contracts (Cots) and there was no mention of bonus pay for any level of BBWAA award.

This isn't the first time the voters got an MVP vote wrong, it isn't the first time they got a RoY vote wrong, it isn't the fist time they got a GG vote wrong. It isn't an anti-Yankee conspiracy.

Susan,
I believe the Yankees' philosophy is: If you want bonus money, win the World Series. WS shares are your bonus.

(obviously doesn't apply to inherited contracts).

I would be more inclined to belive that this is Giambi's year, i like how he's suddenly hitting opposite field again.

Yes susan, it's always a conspiracy against the Yankees. That's all everyone else ever thinks of - how to screw the Yankees.

/sarcasm off