Numbers reveal MVP
A list of 2017 statistics tell the tale, and they don’t lie, pointing to Altuve, not Judge, as the AL’s top player
Brian T. Smith writes the stats don’t lie, Altuve’s the one.
He is having the best year of his career, has never slowed down and has only been better since the All-Star break.
His baseball team has the second-most wins in franchise history, is the third-best club in the sport in 2017, already won the American League West and has been a World Series contender since April.
He’s dynamite in the field, dangerous on the bases, a pure joy to watch every day and has evolved into the best overall hitter in MLB.
So, yeah, Jose Altuve better end up as the AL MVP.
Mike Trout had only played in 111 games entering Friday and had fewer than 400 at-bats. Stat nerds and hardball lovers (rightfully) adore him. But the Angels are fighting for .500 and already out of the playoff picture. And this is Major League Baseball — you need more than 400 ABs to be rewarded with the MVP.
The only other real candidate: Aaron Judge, who has struck out a staggering 205 times in 536 at-bats and is only hitting .226 since the All-Star break.
The Astros’ leader, driver and daily inspiration month by month: .326 in April, .313 in May, .354 in June, a scorching .485 in July, .304 in August (while Judge was hitting .185) and .316 in September.
Going to WAR
Did I mention that Altuve entered Game 159 of 162 with career highs in batting average (.350), OPS (.970), OBP (.415), runs (111) and slugging percentage (.555)?
Or that the 27-year-old from Venezuela — who is 5-6, 165 pounds and was never supposed to even make the majors — leads MLB in WAR (8.5), tops the AL in hits (204) and is batting a league-best .448 in clutch situations? MVP. I’d love to say it shouldn’t even be a discussion. But I’m not some horribly biased local (or coastal) homer, and Judge’s overall numbers are admittedly jaw-dropping.
The Yankees outfielder entered Saturday batting .283 with an MLB-rookie record 51 home runs, 112 RBIs, an AL-best 127 runs and a 1.045 OPS. He tops Altuve in all the big power numbers. And as Giancarlo Stanton’s 59 home runs (and counting) prove, this is again the era of the longball in modern baseball.
Judge’s OBP (.421) is also higher than Altuve’s, and his late September surge (six home runs in seven days) reignited a national debate that felt finished just two weeks ago.
If you’re back on the fence, dig deep.
The incredibly consistent Altuve hit .347 with a .968 OPS before the break. He’s batted .354 with a .973 OPS since the season paused, pushing the Astros to their best year since 1998 and never wavering.
Judge was horrible in late July and through August, striking out in an MLB-record 37 consecutive games and eventually being rested by New York manager Joe Girardi.
Since Opening Day, Altuve has played through minor injuries, only taken a rest day when it was forced and hit at least .304 every month.
Judge’s season peaked during the Home Run Derby, and it’s taken a late power surge just to push the expected AL Rookie of the Year back into the MVP conversation.
Altuve has been the heart and soul of the Astros since April 3. His division-winning club also has nine more wins than the Yankees and has benefited daily from Altuve’s presence at the plate, on the field and in the clubhouse.
The following numbers obviously can’t factor into the 2017 MVP vote, but they’re worth remembering when determining Altuve’s daily importance. Through 979 games, Altuve has more career hits (1,249) than alltime hit king Pete Rose (1,199).
Altuve also has a better average and OPS and more doubles .
Durable and steady
The point in 2017 draws a parallel to the recent James HardenRussell Westbrook MVP debate, but has deeper roots.
Baseball is every day. Inning upon inning, game after game, month after month.
Even when the Astros slid through a backward August (11-17), Altuve was always there. Carlos Correa, George Springer, Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers Jr. went on the disabled list. Altuve did everything to play every day — and didn’t have to be rested because he forgot how to hit. Need historic proof ? Only five other players in AL history have hit at least .350 with 32 steals and a .970 OPS. Ty Cobb and Shoeless Joe Jackson are two of the legendary names.
Altuve’s slugger-like OPS is also the fifth-highest by an AL second baseman in history and hasn’t been touched since Charlie Gehringer in 1937.
How about indisputable modern stats that can’t be bent to personal bias?
Altuve’s .391 average and 1.111 OPS on the road also lead MLB, while his Astros own a franchise-record 51 wins away from home.
Voting in America can be difficult in 2017. In baseball, it should be easy. Jose Altuve for AL MVP.