Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Barry Wins 7th MVP
Barry Bonds has won his fourth straight National League Most Valuable Player award and seventh overall. And this is no surprise here in our camp. Talk Beltre or Pujols or Edmonds or Rolen all you want, but there is nobody more valuable in the history of the game than Barry Bonds.
And of course, people still hate him. But Jayson Stark gives more than a few reasons why he's the greatest, by far.
• Bonds' win makes it five consecutive MVP awards won by Giants. Jeff Kent, last seen cavorting with Tigers officials in his free agent time, won the award in 2000. Barry's taken every one since.
• Anahaeim's Vladimir Guerrero won the A.L. award. And interesting trivia pops up: Over the last nine seasons, every single American League MVP and seven National League MVPs have come from the leagues' West Divisions, meaning of course that only two players have won the MVP award while playing in divisions other than either West Division. Who are they? Answer below...
• Oh by the way, the Giants signed Omar Vizquel to a three-year deal. Meaning that this past season's surprise success, Deivi Cruz, will have to share action if they both want to play shortstop. Strange, but I wasn't thinking shortstop was one of our highest priorities.
• This week's Monday Night Football intro, which featured Desperate Housewives star Nicolette Sheridan dropping a towel and molesting Terrell Owens in the locker room has ABC getting flooded with complaints. Hey folks: Lighten up. ABC, stop apologizing. You did nothing wrong. Same stuff happens on your network on different shows. Big deal.
• Trivia answer: Chipper Jones of the Braves in 1999 and Sammy Sosa of the Cubs in 1998. (Larry Walker of Colorado in 1997 and Ken Caminiti of San Diego in 1996 were the other N.L. West MVPs.)
And of course, people still hate him. But Jayson Stark gives more than a few reasons why he's the greatest, by far.
• Bonds' win makes it five consecutive MVP awards won by Giants. Jeff Kent, last seen cavorting with Tigers officials in his free agent time, won the award in 2000. Barry's taken every one since.
• Anahaeim's Vladimir Guerrero won the A.L. award. And interesting trivia pops up: Over the last nine seasons, every single American League MVP and seven National League MVPs have come from the leagues' West Divisions, meaning of course that only two players have won the MVP award while playing in divisions other than either West Division. Who are they? Answer below...
• Oh by the way, the Giants signed Omar Vizquel to a three-year deal. Meaning that this past season's surprise success, Deivi Cruz, will have to share action if they both want to play shortstop. Strange, but I wasn't thinking shortstop was one of our highest priorities.
• This week's Monday Night Football intro, which featured Desperate Housewives star Nicolette Sheridan dropping a towel and molesting Terrell Owens in the locker room has ABC getting flooded with complaints. Hey folks: Lighten up. ABC, stop apologizing. You did nothing wrong. Same stuff happens on your network on different shows. Big deal.
• Trivia answer: Chipper Jones of the Braves in 1999 and Sammy Sosa of the Cubs in 1998. (Larry Walker of Colorado in 1997 and Ken Caminiti of San Diego in 1996 were the other N.L. West MVPs.)
