My buddies Ben and Skin recently asked, "who is the most valuable athlete in the DFW Metroplex?" They didn't ask "who is the best player/athlete," they asked about the "most valuable player."
Webster's Definition of Value:
n: a fair return or equivalent in goods, services, or money for something exchanged
In other words, value directly relates to price. Dirk is a great player - but he is paid like a great player. As a result, he is not the most valuable player in the metroplex - at least not for this exercise.
Dallas Sports Keg will be taking on a 3-part series over the next few days titled: Ben-and-Skin's-and-Dallas-Sports-Keg's-Most-Valuable-DFW-Athlete-Award...also known as BASADSKMVDAA. Not the catchiest moniker - but we're not a freakin' advertising agency! We will examine the Mavericks, Cowboys and Rangers (since Bob Sturm is the only guy in town that watches hockey - we chose not to include the Stars in this exercise).
Part Two: Texas Rangers (yes...we still have a baseball team)
I know it comes as a surprise to most Ranger fans, but no pitchers qualified for this year's award.
Challenger #1: Chris Davis - $390k (2009)
80 Games
17 HRs
55 RBI
OPS - .880
162 game pace:
34 HRs
111 RBI
OPS - .880
$4,875/game (in 2008 and 2009)
Josh Hamilton - $397k (2008 and 2009)
156 Games
32 HRs
130 RBI
.901 OPS
$2,545/game (in 2008 – potentially in 2009 depending on whether he gets a new contract)
-Comparison-
Michael Young - $16 mm (in 2009)
155 Games
12 HRs
82 RBI
OPS - .741
$102,000/game (in 2009)
* During the coming season, Young will make more in a 4-game series than Davis or Hamilton made in all of 2008. Despite being the 2nd highest-paid shortstop in all of baseball, MY had the 11th highest OPS for all ML shortstops in 2008.
Davis exploded onto the scene in June of 2008. As a 22-year-old, he launched 10 homeruns during his first 25 games and cemented his spot in the Rangers’ everyday lineup. His OPS never dropped below .800 during any point in the season. He won the American League Rookie of the Month Award during July by hitting .303 with eight homeruns and 16 RBIs.
The Rangers acquired Josh Hamilton from the Cincinnati Reds for Edinson Volquez prior to the 2008 season. Hamilton won the American League Player of the Month Award in both April and May, becoming the first player in American League history to be awarded Player of the Month for the first two months of the season. Hamilton’s most impressive moment of the season happened after he was elected to the All-Star Team. In Yankee Stadium – during the Homerun Derby – Hamilton wowed the packed house by blasting monstrous homerun after monstrous homerun. Though he finished second overall, his performance led to the now infamous statement produced by Sports Illustrated write, Joe Sheehan:
“The House That Ruth Built, 85 years old, goes out as The House That Hamilton Knocked Down.”
Chris Davis has been a good, solid prospect since signing. As far as we know, he has been a straight-arrow kid throughout his career.
Hamilton, on the other hand, was a 1st-round pick who was derailed by extensive drug-abuse and has returned to form.
Like the rest of society, we enjoy rooting for a guy that made wrong decisions - ie...smoking crack - and then overcame that addiction, rather than a guy who has made sound decisions throughout his life. Sorry Chris - your story just is not interesting enough.
Congratulations Josh Hamilton. By winning the Rangers' most valuable player award, you have been entered into the BASADSKMVDAA Finals where you will face off against the most valuable players selected from the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Mavericks.
Stay tuned for Part Three featuring the Dallas Cowboys.
