Rank the Cubs Team MVP

[jersey cubs fan]

I can't be the only person that things Soto is definitely the #1 choice for MVP of the team.

 

He is probably the biggest difference between last year's team and this, bringing the Cubs catching production from bottom of the barrel to top 2-3 in the league. But I don't think that's enough to make him MVP. Although he's hardly a bad choice.

[Electron Blue]

While I wouldn't say Theriot is much of a candidate or that Edmonds/Johnson as a single entity can be, or that Soto is the number one offensive player on the team, I think they are a special kind of MVP. Not the Most Valuable Players, but integral reasons we're succeeding. When you think about the expectations (and the past players we've thrown out at these positions), these guys are all the reason why we don't have a weak spot in the lineup (relatively speaking).

 

None of them should win an award for #1 anything on this team. But what if we had to keep throwing Pie's struggling line out there in CF all year, in addition to a Ryan Theriot that actually did break down into a months-long slump (like last year), in addition to a Barrett/Hill/Bowen/Kendall/Blanco year-long platoon?

 

Now I understand you can't credit them for being better than plan B -- they can't control what plan B is. But they're all playing quite well and are all great examples of immense improvement on this team, compared to just one year ago.

 

And for that, they're all valuable. And no matter how this season ends, they're all reasons we are where we are -- Best team in the national league (at least :))

 

But, oh yeah, Dempster/Zambrano/Ramirez/Soriano . . . they're your "MVPs". :)

[carolinacubbie]

1. Dempster (the guy has just been great all year, he never seems to have a bad start)

2. Soto (At a position where do you don't get much offense, he has been great, plus he lets very few balls by him)

3. Soriano (He is probably the most valuable player to our team, but he just hasn't played enough games to grant the MVP of the team honors)

4. Ramirez (I think our lineup would be completely different without him, you would have to move everything around if he wasn't in our lineup)

5. Zambrano (He is just such an emotional leader out there for us, even if he doesn't pitch well he will still hit the ball)

[rynefan]

1. Zambrano

2. Soriano

3. Dempster

4. Soto

5. Edmonds

 

It might not be a popular choice, but I would think Theriot needs to be in the top 5. He has been consistently good all year while playing every day, unlike Soriano, Soto, and Edmunds.

 

I could not agree more. When I saw the list of the original 5, my first thought was that Theriot was not there. He does play every day and his defense is good. He's often and unsung hero, not a lot of flash, but I don't think the Cubs are where they are without him.

 

He doesn't play everyday, his defense isn't that good, and he's only marginally productive.

 

Theriot does play every day and he's in the top ten avg. for the NL. He gets on base and has a good eye for the strike zone. I'd only put everyday players on that list. I like Edmonds, always have, but the more he plays, the more his productivity goes down.

He plays more than anyone else on that list, his defense is good enough, and he's productive enough to be the starting SS on the most productive team in the majors.

[rynefan]

I do agree that Soto needs to be on everyone's list. It's not so much about his numbers, it's more that he serves the role as team leader and seems to really want to make it work with the pitchers... seems to know how to handle them. We needed that on this team. I just love his energy, too. Seems like a true team player

[jersey cubs fan]

Theriot does play every day and he's in the top ten avg. for the NL.

 

I'm going to assume this is the part you wrote and mixed into the othe quote.

 

 

A) Theriot is tied for 5th on the team in games played.

 

B) Who effing cares about how his average ranks in the NL? It's meaningless. It has no baring on who should be the Cubs MVP.

 

 

Theriot has been a nice role player this year. Nothing more, nothing less.

[YearofDaCubs]

Too many to list just one player this year. A lot of players have really contributed a lot.

[Backtobanks]

Theriot does play every day and he's in the top ten avg. for the NL.

 

I'm going to assume this is the part you wrote and mixed into the othe quote.

 

 

A) Theriot is tied for 5th on the team in games played.

 

B) Who effing cares about how his average ranks in the NL? It's meaningless. It has no baring on who should be the Cubs MVP.

 

 

Theriot has been a nice role player this year. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

Exactly my point. As others have pointed out, nobody is the standout MVP of the team because of the depth of the team. Everybody is a role player on this team, while only Soto and Dempster are doing more than expected. Picking one MVP on the team is a personal choice, but listing the next 5 or 6 is really hard because of the depth of the team.

[Electron Blue]

Theriot does play every day and he's in the top ten avg. for the NL.

 

I'm going to assume this is the part you wrote and mixed into the othe quote.

 

 

A) Theriot is tied for 5th on the team in games played.

 

B) Who effing cares about how his average ranks in the NL? It's meaningless. It has no baring on who should be the Cubs MVP.

 

 

Theriot has been a nice role player this year. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

Your second critique seems to be grasping at straws... It's meaningless? Surely you can infer that someone who is sixth in the NL in BA also compares well to his teammates. No bearing on the cubs MVP? You mean batting average has no bearing?