(Every week we will take a look at one award and break down the race on who we think the favorites are. One week we will breakdown MOY, the next week ROY, following week MVP. And then we keep rotating until the voting is done at the end of season)
We still don’t have a definitive black and white answer when judging what the qualifications are for an MVP, but an all-around game and being a part of a good team certainly helps. That means that it’s not just about choosing “best players” or “ranking advanced metrics” though it’s surely a little about those things too. It’s about getting into the minds of the electorate, knowing that the voters often take into account how well a player’s team did or how many good teammates he had in terms of assigning “value.”
Last year we had two divisions. In the American League, Charley Robinson won the MVP for the first place Savages with 60% of the votes. In the National League, Mike Velez of the second place Shooter McGavins, won the MVP in a razor thin race with 35% of the votes.
1. RAFAEL LIRIANO (THE ONES)
.714Avg/2.21Ops/6HR/18r/32rbis
Rafael leads in some of the biggest categories the voters like to look at. He leads the entire league in Home Runs (6), has a commanding lead in RBIs (32), leads the league in total bases (44), and is second in runs (18). His versatility on defense also gives him additional points with his ability to play multiple positions. Some negatives that may haunt him later is his teams .500 record and that he may split votes with his teammate Denen Olson who is also having a fantastic season.
2. NICOLAS TIMPONE (THE NORTH)
.875Avg/2.982Ops/4HR/13r/21rbis
In his first summer in SASL, Nick has acclimated to the League very well. He has made 2 outs all year. He leads the league with an astounding .875 batting average and an absurd OPS of 2.982. That OPS leads the league by quite a mile, just showing the damage he has done on the field. His advanced metrics (Avg/OBP/Slugging/OPS) leads the league in every metric, but now it will be a matter of getting the consistent counting stats. He is also a plus defender at LCF.
3. OMAR HERNANDEZ (DYNASTY)
.810Avg/2.445Ops/4HR/17r/17rbis
He has been the best player on the best team. He has been a spark plug, and constant thorn for the opposing teams at the top of a lethal Dynasty lineup so far. He has the second highest BA in the league, as well as third highest OPS. So he has been a constant extra base machine and when he gets on base, he almost always scores (third in the league in Runs). Couple that with A+ defense in the outfield, and Omar is finally being recognized as one of the best players in SASL.
4. NARISH RAMOUTAR (BLACK MAMBAS)
.750Avg/2.258Ops/2HR/15r/15rbis
In his first exposure in SASL, Narish has been one of the biggest stories of the young season. His defense at SS/3b has been Gold Glove caliber and a game changer. He has coupled that with an elite bat to boot. He is ranked 6th in Avg, 5th in OPS, and 5th in Total Bases. The addition of Dan may split votes later, but he is batting in front of Dan. That means he will get pitches to hit all season and we expect the counting numbers to rise very fast. If Black Mambas can rise up the standings, Narish is a dark horse to win the MVP.
5. CHARLEY ROBINSON (THE NORTH)
.773Avg/2.451Ops/5HR/16r/21Rbis
The reigning MVP is also in the thick of the 2020 race as well. He is third in batting average, second in OPS, third in home runs, third in RBIs and 4th in Total Bases. His management as the captain of the second place The North also gives him additional points. The word “Valuable” in MVP encompasses leadership as well. This season, he may be splitting votes with his teammate Nick. But if he continues how he performed in the first month of the season, he will be a mainstay in these rankings all season long.
Next few on the list:
Denen Olson (The Ones) .750Avg/2.090Ops/3HR/15r/25rbis
Ramy Abdelhamid (Hit Squad) .679Avg/2.035Ops/5HR/16r/17Rbis
Kunal Oak (Dynasty) .762Avg/2.168Ops/3HR/12r/16Rbis
Yamin Patel (Dynasty) .680Avg/1.930Ops/3HR/12r/18Rbis
Hashim Naveed (Dothrakis) .714Avg/1.674Ops/15r/2HR/12Rbis
Chris Mui (TSFE) .600Avg/1.991Ops/4HR/11r/20Rbis
Majid Raufi (Troopers) .545Avg/1.994Ops/8r/4HR/16rbis
Ahmad Halimi (Hit Squad)
.500Avg/1.928Ops/6HR/15r/16Rbis
Vincent Florido (MonStars) .684Avg/2.024Ops/3HR/12r/13rbis
