Mike-Greenberg.com
I think it should either be CC Sabathia or - I know this is going to make you crazy - Manny Ramirez. Now, Manny Ramirez has only been in the National League for 40 games, but boy oh boy, has he made his presence felt. Courtesy Elias Sports Bureau, since his debut in the National League on August 1st, is leading the National League in batting (.396), RBIs (40), and home runs (14). He is the first mid-season acquisition to go 14 homers, 40 RBIs in his first 40 games with a new team since 1949, and, more significantly, when the Dodgers acquired Manny Ramirez, they were 2 games out in the division: they are now 3 1/2 games up in the division. If the Dodgers win that division, then I don’t know how you can tell me that Manny Ramirez does not at least deserve consideration for MVP. As much as I abhor his behavior, as much as I abhor the way he and his agent got him out of Boston, I think it is a disgrace and I would not go out and give him $20 million no matter what he does the rest of the season. I would put him in the discussion for MVP, but I would actually give it to CC Sabathia, who, in his 13 National League starts, is 9-0 with a .159 ERA, 102 strikeouts and 21 walks, and six complete games, which leads the National League for the entire season despite his not having shown up until early July. When he got there, the Brewers were half a game out in the wildcard race; they are now four games up in the wildcard race.