MLB Weekend Roundup: Most Valuable Manny?

If the voting for the AL MVP took place this weekend, the Baseball Writers Association of America might have to swallow hard when picking between three candidates who each have less than glowing reputations in their past. Boston Red Sox resident flake Manny Ramirez and Texas Rangers teammates Josh Hamilton and Milton Bradley lead the way statistically, but will that translate into BBWAA votes?

The voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America are going to have a dilemma on their hands. The early candidates for American League MVP aren’t exactly the bastions of all that is good and moral in baseball, which is what conventional writers are all about these days.

Here are my current Top 3 AL hopefuls.

Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
Hamilton has a .316 batting average, 17 home runs, 71 RBIs (tops in the majors) and a cannon for an arm in centerfield. Hamilton has also run afoul of the MLB drug policy on more than one occasion.

Milton Bradley, Texas Rangers
In his first season with his sixth MLB team in nine years, Bradley is hitting .333 with 14 homers and 45 ribbies. He also had to be restrained on Wednesday from introducing himself to Kansas City Royals television announcer Ryan Lefebvre after some unfavorable comments.

Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox
Manny has 15 dingers, 48 ribbies and a .302 average. But he’s never finished higher than third in MVP voting. Ramirez is a poor defender with a reputation of checking out mentally from time to time – “Manny being Manny” in the Townie dialect.

Hamilton has been the best player of the three so far. He’s a five-tool player handling one of the most important positions on the diamond. But will the BBWAA vote for him? Perhaps they will now that he’s been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Albert Chen’s June 2 article (posted online May 27) spoke glowingly of Hamilton as a repentant ex-junkie who regrets the 26 tattoos he got on his arms when he was off the wagon. Perhaps his story of redemption will strike a chord with the BBWAA. Otherwise, Manny’s the man, and he probably won’t have to worry about David Ortiz (.252 BA) splitting the Boston vote this time.

Character issues aren’t front and center in the National League, where players like Lance Berkman and Chase Utley are on a tear. Neither of them will have a chance, though, if Chipper Jones keeps performing like this.

The 1999 MVP is hitting .414. That’s not an “empty” .414, either. Jones leads the majors with a 211 OPS+, comparable to Barry Bonds in his Pittsburgh years. He’d be a lock in the American League MVP race – just don’t mention anything about that Hooters waitress.

Meanwhile on the diamonds this weekend...

Marlins at Rays
Game 1: Friday, 7:10 p.m. Eastern
FLA: Ryan Tucker
TB: Andy Sonnanstine

Game 2: Saturday, 6:10 p.m.
FLA: Mark Hendrickson
TB: Matt Garza

Game 3: Sunday, 1:40 p.m.
FLA: Ricky Nolasco
TB: Edwin Jackson

Interleague play is back, and the two Florida-based teams are going at it this weekend. They used to be in first place in their respective divisions, but the Marlins have lost 10 of their last 16 to fall to 36-30, while the Rays are coming off a tough 3-6 road swing that included a sweep at the hands of the Red Sox. Tampa Bay is now 38-28, 2½ games behind Boston in the AL East.

Florida’s decline may not be over. The Marlins have been outscored 325-324 on the season, translating with ease to a pythagorean record of 33-33. Tampa Bay is up 299-275 on the opposition for a pythagorean record of 36-30. But the Rays will send the back end of their improving starting rotation to the mound, while Florida’s Ryan Tucker spun a gem in his MLB debut on June 9, holding Cincinnati to one run and two hits over five innings. Tampa Bay is a 1140 chalk with Tucker starting the opener.