The 2009 DRB Awards: Most Valuable Position Player

by R.J. Anderson on Sep 23, 2009 6:00 AM EDT

Because starting pitchers aren't allowed to win "player" awards, right?

I hate to be heavy-handed with things like this, but really, if you don't think the team MVP(P) isn't one of the two listed options, then I have no idea what you are looking at. Zobrist and Longoria hit well, fielded well, didn't let anything dumb they did off the field take them out of games, and neither made much money.

Anyhow, have at it.

Poll

Who is your 2009 Rays MVP(P)?

Ben Zobrist 2B/OF: .288/.399/.526 (.400 wOBA), 24 home runs, -0.03 Clutch, 22.3 UZR, 7.4 WAR

268 votes

Evan Longoria 3B: .282/.363/.534 (.381 wOBA), 31 home runs, -0.17 Clutch, 16.4 UZR, 6.8 WAR

54 votes

322 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 25 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

Somewhere, FreeZo is smiling

82% to 17% currently.

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by Buc Wild on Sep 23, 2009 8:31 AM EDT reply actions

FreeZo voted 49x

by sternfan1 on Sep 23, 2009 8:56 AM EDT up reply actions

I like having this tough decision and look forward to many more years of a 7.4 WAR 2B/RF and a 6.8 WAR 3B

Embrace Eternity

by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 23, 2009 9:10 AM EDT reply actions

Congrats Ben on achieving the greatest individual season in Rays history

Not bad for a utility player.

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Sep 23, 2009 9:22 AM EDT reply actions

Can't wait...

I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.

by kericr on Sep 23, 2009 9:28 AM EDT up reply actions

For?

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Sep 23, 2009 9:37 AM EDT up reply actions

You know what for.

I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.

by kericr on Sep 23, 2009 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions

Definitely Zo

We were all pretty sure that Evan was going to put up big numbers…Zobrist was huge.

Props to CC on an excellent season as well.

by TallMatt on Sep 23, 2009 9:28 AM EDT reply actions

So, how many more comments before someone comes in blasting R.J. for no MVB option?

What you think all the guns is for? All purpose war, got the Rottweilers by the door. And I feed 'em gunpowder, so they can devour the criminals, tryin' to drop my decimals.

by PriceMultiCyYoungs on Sep 23, 2009 9:31 AM EDT reply actions

Cue Topkin in 3..2..1

Embrace Eternity

by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 23, 2009 9:32 AM EDT up reply actions

'a .288 hitter for mvp, .288, Jesus left testicle aka MVB

hit .323, and we’re talkin ’bout .288?

the ghost of stokes, camp, lugo strikes TB-sept 2009

by CubFanRaysaddict on Sep 23, 2009 9:34 AM EDT up reply actions

You can't cue Topkin here. The defense has been 'worse', so clearly that's MVB's fault. He's got more errors this year. He's no MVB.

I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.

by kericr on Sep 23, 2009 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Evan had a great year, but he seeemed to disappear at times

Even when BenZo was ‘struggling’ he was still getting base knocks and getting on base. This IMHO is the biggest difference this year between the two. This difference was magnified because we had other streaky guys (PtB, Pena) and some black holes (Upton and Navi) so when Evan disappeared we had major holes in the lineup.

Can we get robots for umpires and a computer to make in game strategy decisions? I'm sick of inconsistently bad umpiring and Joe's pitiful in game management. Oh and Navi (and BJ) need some PED's. BenZo, Bartlett, and Pena do not.

by matthan on Sep 23, 2009 9:38 AM EDT reply actions

I love Longo and suspect he'll win a league MVP at some point,

but I have to give Zobrist the nod this year for his consistency and ability to play multiple positions – well. I hope his numbers this year are close to his long-term mean.

by Deepdoodle on Sep 23, 2009 9:45 AM EDT reply actions

How cool if our next utl player, S-Rod can do the same?

by sternfan1 on Sep 23, 2009 9:50 AM EDT reply actions

That would not suck

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Sep 23, 2009 9:57 AM EDT up reply actions

That would make the Kazmir trade almost look lopsided.

I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.

by kericr on Sep 23, 2009 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions

Man, I remember BenZo's first game, thinking

“We traded for this guy?!”

He was thin, looked lost with a bat in his hands, and I think he was clean-shaven and seemed to be 16 years old. Wow! What a change! I swear he looks 6’8" when he comes up to bat now.

I convinced my fiance to use Rays colors for our wedding. What have you done lately?

by BWoodrum on Sep 23, 2009 10:17 AM EDT reply actions

Oh yeah, adding

16 steals didn’t hurt either.

I convinced my fiance to use Rays colors for our wedding. What have you done lately?

by BWoodrum on Sep 23, 2009 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions

I can't wait until people boo Zobrist for not being a 7 WAR player next year

Embrace Eternity

by Sandy Kazmir on Sep 23, 2009 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions

BOO HIM NOW

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by Buc Wild on Sep 23, 2009 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions

I think you're overestimating how much stock they put into Zobrist's season this year.

.285/.405/.445 next year is my random, stab-in-the-dark prediction, and I don’t think anyone would be booing. I suppose it depends what the hype-machine spits out in the offseason. Also, a good majority of that WAR came from defense and while he preformed well this year I think the majority don’t think its going to be at the same level regardless of where he plays next year. The boos will come from a lack of offensive performance or ridiculously small sample sizes of bad play defensively.

by Navi's_Navy on Sep 23, 2009 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions