Time To Give A-Rod The Nod
By Rich Lederer

My American League MVP top ten list (excluding pitchers) is as follows:
Rank Player Team Pos
1 Alex Rodriguez TEX SS
2 Carlos Delgado TOR 1B
3 Manny Ramirez BOS LF
4 Bret Boone SEA 2B
5 Jorge Posada NYY C
6 Vernon Wells TOR CF
7 Bill Mueller BOS 3B
T8 Nomar Garciaparra BOS SS
T8 Alfonso Soriano NYY 2B
T10 Aubrey Huff TB RF
T10 Magglio Ordonez CWS RF
"THE QUAD" STATS
Rank Player Team Pos TOB OBP TB SLG
1 Alex Rodriguez TEX SS 283 .396 364 .600
2 Carlos Delgado TOR 1B 300 .426 338 .593
3 Manny Ramirez BOS LF 290 .427 334 .587
4 Bret Boone SEA 2B 258 .366 333 .535
5 Jorge Posada NYY C 238 .405 249 .518
6 Vernon Wells TOR CF 264 .359 373 .550
7 Bill Mueller BOS 3B 237 .398 283 .540
T8 Nomar Garciaparra BOS SS 248 .345 345 .524
T8 Alfonso Soriano NYY 2B 248 .338 358 .525
T10 Aubrey Huff TB RF 259 .367 353 .555
T10 Magglio Ordonez CWS RF 256 .380 331 .546
BA/OBP/SLG (OPS) STATS
Rank Player Team Pos BA OBP SLG OPS
1 Alex Rodriguez TEX SS .298 .396 .600 .996
2 Carlos Delgado TOR 1B .302 .426 .593 1.019
3 Manny Ramirez BOS LF .325 .427 .587 1.014
4 Bret Boone SEA 2B .294 .366 .535 .901
5 Jorge Posada NYY C .281 .405 .518 .923
6 Vernon Wells TOR CF .317 .359 .550 .909
7 Bill Mueller BOS 3B .326 .398 .540 .938
T8 Nomar Garciaparra BOS SS .301 .345 .524 .869
T8 Alfonso Soriano NYY 2B .290 .338 .525 .863
T10 Aubrey Huff TB RF .311 .367 .555 .922
T10 Magglio Ordonez CWS RF .317 .380 .546 .926
No
Ichiro Suzuki, everyone at ESPN's favorite one month ago. No
Shannon Stewart and how he awoke the Twins. No
David Ortiz and his clubhouse presence. No
Miguel Tejada and his intensity. No
Garret Anderson and his coolness. I'm just going by the facts. Pure and simple. Stats. Productivity. Objectivity. Cutting to the chase, A-Rod's stats are as good as anyone else's--and he plays a Gold Glove shortstop to boot. 'Nuff said.
Check back on Friday and Saturday for the National League "Quad" honorees and MVP top ten.
Richard Lederer
Rich's Weekend Baseball BEAT
www.baseballbeat.blogspot.com