And they say money can't buy happiness... Now about of you have dismissed this before you fifty-fifty read it. I’d be lucky to go any of you back. To paraphrase my man Billy Hoyle, I’m going to write it anyway.

I know what you’re all maxim: Joe Mauer has to be the MVP of the American League. And I’ll bet you have all sorts of fancy statistics to back it upward, to â€Å"evidence me wrong.”

You’re probably thinking right now that I don’t know baseball very well, and maybe that’s true. But I estimate that I lookout man about 200-250 games a year of various teams, and then you’d think I would have picked something up by now.

And now you’re thinking that I simply don’t get how skillful a season Mauer is having, and that 1 I’m pretty sure isn’t truthful, as I’ve been cognizant of his greatness for, well, perchance longer than you’ve been. Dorsum on July 17, this site had this:

When all is said and done, Mauer may have one of the greatest seasons a catcher has e'er had, ranking up there with some of Mike Piazza’s finest.

Now you’re because that I probably don’t empathize all the statistical nuances that make Mauer so great – the VORP, WAR, wOBA, UZR, runs created and then on and and then forth. I’ll put information technology this way, I’ve read about sabermetrics (though don’t give me any pop quizzes) and feel that information technology has a place in the game in terms of scouting Major League players. I just disagree that these robotic statistical concoctions should supersede entirely what our eyes tell us.

I adopt to work in the abstruse with this award. I lookout enough of the game to come across players’ impacts on teams in existent life without needing some numbers to tell me what I should think.

And then all this isn’t meant to start a debate, and then put away your calculators and abacuses. I’m just going to explain why I call up Mark Teixeira’s the nigh valuable player to his team in his league.

Considering if you haven’t noticed a deviation between the Yankees this year and the Yankees last year, you lot haven’t been paying attention. And that difference is Teixeira.

Last year’s Yankees had no heart, no chemistry, no identity. They were a soulless, joyless, flawed grouping. They had a squad leader who seemed weary of his teammates and system, and a super-expensive superstar who wilted in the spotlight of outrageous expectations. They had a boom-or-bust first baseman who was popular in the clubhouse but lacking at the plate and especially in the field.

I empathize that the Yankees also brought in CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, beingness that they were the but team that could beget to import that amount of gratuitous-agent talent, and that provided a much-needed face lift to an aging rotation.

But Teixeira was the piece de resistance. Not only did the Yankees accomplish a huge upgrade over what they previously had at the position on both law-breaking and defense, but the signing meant that their biggest rival did non have Teixeira. Make no mistake, though they both made the playoffs, the Yankees were a lot better team than the Red Sox this year, and the main reason was that the Yanks had Tex and the Sox didn’t. You tin pinpoint the Yankees’ division championship to the day that they scored Teixeira.

Tex had A-Rod's back in ALDS Game 2 -- and for the rest of the seasonDerek Jeter had peradventure his best twelvemonth, making him the most logical alternative to Mauer for MVP. Know what? Matsui was great too, and Damon, and Posada, and Cano – even Melky Cabrera proved to have some value. Nick Swisher hit xxx points higher than he did last year. What was different for all these players from last? They were role of a lineup with Teixeira. A presence like his elevates everyone effectually him. It’s no coincidence that each and every ane of these players stepped up their game.

And Tex helped them on defense, likewise. Nobody seems to talk about Jeter’s defense being faulty anymore. He didn’t get improve, sure as hell didn’t get younger. But Teixeira’south Gold Glove-caliber defense raised the level of the unabridged infield.

I hateful, you talk about Mauer’s value over a replacement thespian. How nearly Teixeira’southward value over the player he replaced?

Possibly the greatest impact Teixeira has made is on Alex Rodriguez. Gratuitous of the burden of being the alone major ability threat in the Yankees lineup, A-Rod is immune to just be one of the guys. Well, as much every bit he can ever exist. But with the spotlight non shining quite so brightly on him, Rodriguez got more and more comfy as the twelvemonth continued. His batting boilerplate and OPS improved every calendar month from June on, to where he’southward peaked at exactly the correct time.

Of a sudden, A-Rod – who has spent his unabridged career being a flawed player at the worst possible times – has blossomed into a postseason force. What’s different this year from the past few? The presence of Teixeira. And that of Kate Hudson, I guess, but I’m not willing to give her my MVP vote.

I realize you can’t quantify Teixeira’southward influence on Rodriguez. Just it makes sense, doesn’t information technology? And if Teixeira has helped to enhance the Yankees’ return on their investment in Rodriguez, wouldn’t his value skyrocket because that A-Rod is a $275 million player?

This is a new Yankees squad we’re seeing. I don’t call back chemistry tin exist understated, and they finally have it after years of existence moribund. And I really do feel that Teixeira – in conjunction with Swisher and Burnett – has made an enormous deviation in that regard. He’sHas anyone yet figured out why the hell Kate Hudson was at a game with Jay-Z? Or why he insists on wearing glasses from the 1930's? changed the culture of this team.

Tex also led the league in homers and RBIs. You know, if you’re into that sort of thing. And yes, I know the ballpark is small.

I think Joe Mauer is a wonderful player. Evidently, he’s unequalled in terms of being a catcher, and his importance to a playoff Twins team that would have never made it in a meg years cannot exist discounted. In addition, he was probably the nearly well-rounded hitter in baseball this season – he led the American League in both on-base and slugging percentage, hit .365, most never struck out and doubled his career home run total. I can’t say enough almost him.

But Teixeira was just as of import to his team. He plays for the Yankees, the most significant squad in the sport, and one that was missing a major piece final year. Teixeira was that piece.

Mauer was the difference between the Twins making the playoffs or staying home.

In my interpretation, so was Teixeira. And in this instance, adding Tex may just take made the Yankees into globe champions again, and he most certainly helped modify their entire culture.

That, to me, is true, unmistakable value.

And that is why Teixeira is the most valuable actor in his league.

The following players all saw noticeable upticks in their production this season from last. I admit that the stadium switch played a fairly big office, particularly for left-handed hitters, but I contend that the presence of Teixeira fabricated a huge difference every bit well in improving the entire Yankees lineup, as it's too much to expect every one of these players to meliorate markedly.
Player 2008 2009
Derek Jeter .300, 11 Hr, 69 RBI, 88 R — 596 AB .334, 18 60 minutes, 66 RBI, 107 R — 634 AB
Johnny Damon .303, 17 60 minutes, 71 RBI, 95 R — 555 AB .282, 24 Hour, 82 RBI, 107 R — 550 AB
Jorge Posada .268, 3 HR, 22 RBI, 18 R — 168 AB .285, 22 HR, 81 RBI, 55 R — 383 AB
Melky Cabrera .249, viii HR, 37 RBI, 42 R — 414 AB .274, thirteen Hour, 68 RBI, 66 R — 485 AB
Nick Swisher .219, 24 Hour, 69 RBI, 86 R — 497 AB .249, 29 HR, 82 RBI, 84 R — 498 AB
Hideki Matsui .294, 9 HR, 45 RBI, 43 R — 337 AB .274, 28 HR, 90 RBI, 62 R — 456 AB
Robinson Cano .271, 14 60 minutes, 72 RBI, seventy R — 597 AB .320, 25 Hour, 85 RBI, 103 R — 637 AB