The Baseball Writers Association of America members who vote on the postseason awards do not vote in secret. Every year, someone who’s a little cantankerous or independent is identified and often vilified, for casting a minority ballot.
George King of the New York Post and LaVelle Neal of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune didn’t vote for Pedro Martinez as an MVP candidate in 1999, reasoning a starting pitcher should never win it. As a result, Ivan Rodriguez won the MVP. People in Fenway Park still remember.
This year, Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer became notorious as the only man who did not vote for Joe Maddon as A.L. Manager of the Year, going for Minnesota’s Ron Gardenhire instead.
Never mind that Tampa Bay had never won more 70 games and managed to vault both the Red Sox and Yankees. Pluto gave Gardenhire more credit for overcoming the loss of Johan Santana. Sure, Gardenhire was a solid second, but please.
Chris DeLuca of the Chicago Sun Times became an epithet in the Bay Area when he left the Giants’ Tim Lincecum off his 3-man NL Cy Young ballot altogether. Lincecum won the award. DeLuca voted for Brandon Webb, Brad Lidge and Santana.
You can agree or disagree with Pluto and DeLuca but at least they paid attention and took their responsibilities seriously.
I won’t bother identifying the three BBWAA members who voted for Cincinnati’s Edinson Volquez as N.L. Rookie of the Year. Problem is, you have to be a rookie to qualify. Volquez isn’t one.
I had the A.L. Rookie of the Year vote and joined the unanimous brigade who favored Evan Longoria. But it’s a good thing I didn’t have an A.L. MVP vote. I’d have to be explaining why I voted for Francisco Rodriguez.
Which, come to think of it, I’ll be happy to do right here.
The Angels played 89 games decided by one or two runs. They won 19 1-run games on the road. Rodriguez was the reason why. He also saved a MLB-record 62 in 69 attempts. In other words, he saved 62 percent of their victories. With a merely decent closer the Angels would not have had the best record in baseball _ not that it did them any good _ and might have actually stumbled, because shaky closers infect the clubhouse with doubt. With no clear-cut offensive front-runner, Rodriguez was not a hard choice for me, but I’ll bet he gets no official first-place votes.
