Idiots Write About Sports

So who do you think has been the most valuable player in baseball? I posed this question to my wife, whose interest in baseball is limited to just how exactly the A’s are doing at any given point in the evening and how that might affect my mood, and she came up with Barry Bonds. Maybe you’d counter with Manny Ramirez or Gary Sheffield or any one of the triumvirate of Cardinals tearing up the league this year.

Well, unless you said, “Chone Figgins,” you’d be wrong. At least, according to John Kruk.

Chone Figgins, Krukkie?

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: No, not the American League MVP or National League MVP. I’m just talking about the most valuable player in the game today.

This year, I’m giving it to Chone Figgins of the Angels. Where would this team be without him? I can tell you one place they wouldn’t be — in the hunt for a playoff spot.

There is no better utility guy in the game today. Chone has played every position except first base and catcher. Oh, sure, he hasn’t pitched yet. But he probably would if they ask him.

Now there are plenty of guys out there who can fill in at a few slots, but none of them is a switch-hitter with a .288 average, 15 triples and 31 steals.

Think of what the Angels have gone through this year with injuries. At one time or another, they lost Troy Glaus, Garret Anderson and Darin Erstad, had to give Vlad Guerrero some time at DH because of his problems, and now Adam Kennedy is done for the year. Every time an injury happened, Chone stepped in and kept them on track.

I know about Bonds and Pujols and all those guys. But they show up to the ballpark every day knowing they’re going to play and where they’re going to hit in the order. Not Chone. He has to take a few grounders all over the field, and then find some time to hit. If you think that doesn’t sound like a big deal, imagine going to work every day and not knowing what your boss will have you do that day — but you have to be prepared for all of it.

If there’s a more valuable player in the league, then I’d like to meet him.

Boy, that’s just… um… well… hoo….

You know what? I can’t argue with Kruk. Not because I agree with him. But because it would be fruitful as walking out of my office and onto the street to debate the wino standing on the corner ranting about how tin foil keeps the government spy satellites from reading his mind pictures. You can’t argue with someone whose perception of reality departs so dramatically from your own.

I think Figgins had a really fine season for Anaheim. I think he’s made some valuable contributions to that team’s success. And don’t see how you can even pretend he’s the most valuable Angel — Vladimir Guerrero is still on Anaheim’s payroll, right? — let alone the most valuable player in baseball. And to stack what Figgins has done this year and compare it to Bonds — that’s just absolutely nutty.

If you don’t yet realize how very much better Barry Bonds is than everybody else — including the players on his own team — then please, head over to Salon and read King Kaufman’s eight-part argument. Me, I’m going to pour myself a stiff drink and try to imagine what color the sky is in the world John Kruk inhabits.

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