Tom Boswell is Misguided

It's this kind of thinking that drives me crazy.

It's this kind of thinking that brings me back from the brink.

From Boswell:

All of the encompassing offensive stats __and there's little difference between Total Average, Runs Created, OPS and others__ run the risk of overvaluing walks and singles while undervaluing the bases-clearly game-changing power of extra base hits. So, sometimes, you have to underline the obvious; for example, a first baseman with 146 RBI is "more valuable," especially when he plays on a first-place team, than a first baseman (Pujols) with 116 RBI on a fourth-place team.

He followed that with this:

Don't analyze beyond that. True, Howard can't field (19 errors). And Pujols outhit him by .357 to .251. Howard strikes out a ton while Pujols walks constantly. But none of it outweighs Howard's RBI total, built on his .320 average with runners in scoring position. For what it's worth, Howard wasn't even in the top half dozen in baseball in runners-on-base when he came to the plate. His 146 RBI wasn't a fluke. He's Mr. Multi-Run Homer.

I'm glad Boswell isn't the general manager of my team.

There were too many arguments from Posnanski refuting this way of thinking to list here, but Joe basically told Tom to look beyond the sexy stats and really dig around to find the MVP.  And I don't think I have to go into reasons to pick Pujols over Howard last year, especially around here.

I know that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and way of thinking, but Boswell seems to be pretty misguided in his article.  I realize this post revisits old arguments, but to choose Howard over Pujols based on RBI (a very team-dependent stat) and HR is ridiculous.  Hopefully Boswell can cure himself of this backwards thinking and come to a realization that it makes for a better MVP if you choose the all-around better player on a mediocre team than someone with one or two better stats in sexier categories that played for a team full of superstars and above-average players.

Good thing Joe Posnanski was there to come to the rescue.  I'm glad there is someone with some sense writing for a well-known publication that reaches the masses.  At least, I hope a lot of people read Joe.