Matt Holliday, your NL FMVP

Nine games.

That’s all that separates us from the end of the baseball season. For most of the season I find myself wondering where the summer went. How could it possibly be late September already? These last few weeks of the season always seem to drag on and on to me. This is not to imply that I do not enjoy them. In fact the last few weeks of baseball season are without a doubt my favorite weeks of the year.

How could these not be my favorite weeks of the year when every thing seems to be going so well? Even if we ignore the fact that the New Style Running Rebels (my 20-team mixed league squad) are in first place with a commanding 13.5 point lead after spending the entirety of April in last place. And forget that the Evil Empire (my National League only team) is just a point out of first with either .002 of batting average, four steals, one save, or two wins good enough to grab that point. And especially if we do not mention that the Rebel Trade Alliance (my American League only team) seems to have channeled the Pittsburgh Pirates this season. It would be extremely difficult not to be enjoying these last few weeks of the season especially if you like me are a fan of the New York Yankees.

Anyone who has even the slightest inkling of the last decade of baseball history will acknowledge that the New York Yankees coming back to win the American League’s eastern division (and in the process humiliate legions of Red Sox fans across the country) has become a cliché. It’s like waiting for O.J. Simpson to do something stupid – it was bound to happen. After suffering through an extremely un-Yankee like first half the Yankees have romped through September as the hottest team in the sport. The Yankees are now 4½ games up on the Detroit Tigers for the American League Wild Card spot and now only 2½ games behind the Boston Red Sox in the American League East.

As much as I like to point out the differences between arguably the biggest rivals in sports, I thought it would be fun noting some eerie similarities they have this season. Both teams are built around strong rotations that call forty year-olds their ace. The Yankees and Red Sox are counting on Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling to be healthy and effective in the playoffs. Both pitchers are probably also in their last seasons with their respective teams. Rocket Roger of course is finally going to officially retire (hah) and Curt Schilling wants too much money to remain on a Red Sox team that really will not need him.

The teams from the Bronx and Boston also are the proud holders of two young aces. Josh Beckett and Chein-Ming Wang are both leading their respective teams and the league in wins. Beckett and Wang are also Cy Young award contenders. It will be these two pitchers and their playoff performances that will be key to their teams World Series chances.

The Red Sox and Yankees are both leaning on very young arms to give them quality innings down the stretch and will likely have key bullpen roles in the playoffs. The Yankees have gone from a very thin rotation to a stacked rotation thanks to the additions of Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy. Both pitchers could join Joba Chamberlain in the bullpen come the playoffs leaving Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Chein-Ming Wang, and Mike Mussina to staff the rotation. If they are nearly as effective in the bullpen as they have been in the rotation of late the Yankees will be very tough to beat. The Red Sox counter that trio with Clay Buchholz (the no-hitter dude) and Jon Lester. Boston’s pair of future aces is also likely to join the bullpen for the playoffs. Unfortunately for Boston fans, the Boston bullpen has been a serious liability of late – even Jonathan Papelbon has looked decidedly mortal of late.

The first base and designated hitter positions for the Red Sox and Yankees have been plagued with injuries. For the Yankees, this has almost been a blessing as it has allowed the Yankees to take out the weak link of their infield defense. Jason Giambi is a great bat when he is on but he is just a cog in New York’s massive machine of a lineup and Andy Phillips was not special in any department. The injuries also allowed Melky Cabrera to move to center field and thus improve the outfield defense as well. For the Red Sox, it has not been nearly so easy. Kevin Youkilis has been a great defensive first baseman this season and his bat is vital to the lineup. David Ortiz has played the whole season with sore knees and is easily the most important bat on the team, especially with Manny Ramirez’s mysterious back injury once again cropping up in September.

Counting the Ballots…

The two fantasy teams in contention I mentioned earlier have a huge common factor – Colorado Rockies outfielder Matt Holliday. The Rockies’ left fielder is on a home run tear with four homers in his last three games and eleven homers in the last twelve. A streak like that should make you a household name but the Colorado star continues to be largely unknown outside of fantasy circles. As of Thursday night, Holliday was second in the National League in batting average at .339. He was fourth in runs scored with 112. His 131 RBI represents a career high and leads the National League. He also leads the National League in doubles with 48 and hits with 205. He hit his 36th homer on Thursday and has the Colorado Rockies looking like real contenders in the very near future.

Without a doubt, Matt Holliday is my choice for the National League Fantasy MVP. The only player I think comes even close is Hanley Ramirez. Ramirez has had a great season, but Holiday edges him out in my book by providing power that Ramirez just cannot match. I would have left out the league qualifier and named him the Fantasy League MVP but Alex Rodriguez’s monster season puts that in title in the hands of the American League MVP.

I also happen to think that Matt Holliday deserves the real National League MVP award. If you judge the NL MVP based purely on numbers then the numbers posted above are a very compelling argument. If you are the type that loves those intangible types you need look no further than the National League standings where Holliday has his Rockies in playoff contention right up to the last two weeks of the season. Just the idea that the Rockies have been one of the better teams in the National League the last couple of months is testament enough for me.

You can send Jon your comments, questions and insults at JonWilliams@SportsGrumblings.com and have no doubt he will respond.