Three’s Company: Red Sox MVP Race

The Boston Red Sox have three potential Most Valuable Player candidates who fill out the top spots in their lineup.

Jacoby Ellsbury has blended power and speed to create a force at the plate and on the basepaths to opposing pitchers. Before July, Ellsbury was having a solid season with a batting average that was hovering around .300 with nine homers. Then Ellsbury turned his good season into a spectacular July that has continued into August. Ellsbury knocked eight balls out of the park in July (the most home runs by a Red Sox centerfielder since 1946). He also batted .382 in July.

During the first week of August, Ellsbury had two walkoff hits in back-to-back nights versus the Cleveland Indians. On August 2^nd, Ellsbury stepped up to the batter’s box with pinch runner Jarrod Saltalamacchia at second base and Josh Reddick standing on first base. Saltalamacchia pinch ran for Jason Varitek, who had started the rally with a one-out single. Ellsbury drove a ball to center that fell in off Indians reliever Vinnie Pestano. Saltalamacchia raced around third base and was able to beat Ezequiel Carerra’s throw home. Then the next night, Ellsbury continued his dramatic flair by taking a 0-1 pitch fromCleveland reliever Joe Smith to straightaway center field in the bottom of the ninth. In the same homestand, Ellsbury deposited a three-run home run off New York Yankees ace pitcher and Cy Young contender C.C. Sabathia to put the Red Sox ahead by five runs. The Red Sox would eventually win by a score of 10-4.

Currently, Ellsbury has 20 home runs, 31 stolen bases, and a remarkable 74 RBI’s while batting leadoff for the majority of the 2011 season. Ellsbury is projected to drive in over 100 runs, which means hitters in the bottom of the order are getting on base. Usually, leadoff batters are high on-base percentage players who are fleet-footed and able to get into scoring position for the power hitters in the middle of the lineup.

While Ellsbury is a threat, the number two hole in the lineup consists of a player who has already won a World Series and an MVP in consecutive seasons. Dustin Pedroia followed Ellsbury with astronomical numbers in July. His average was .411 and he had a 25-game hitting streak, which is the longest in the American League this season. Pedroia also reached base in 37 straight contests. In the seventh inning or later, Pedroia’s average is around .330. He has 16 homers and 23 stolen bases. He is among the league leaders in on-base percentage with .401. Pedroia has provided clutch hits in late-game situations while also bringing a spark to the clubhouse. He is one of the top fielding second basemen in the game.

Adrian Gonzalez has prove himself worthy of being traded to Bostonfrom San Diegofor top prospects Casey Kelly, Anthony Rizzo, and Reymund Fuentes in December 2010. Gonzalez’s power numbers are down, but he is hitting for a consistent average and is leading the American League in that category. While Gonzalez had a substantial advantage in RBI’s for most of the season, his recent funk has dropped him to second behind the New York Yankees’ centerfielder Curtis Granderson. Gonzalez also tops  the ALin hits (167) and total bases (263). The mere presence of Gonzalez in the third spot has helped the Red Sox lead the league in most offensive statistics. He has also helped David Ortiz improve against left-handers and have a more consistent season. Gonzalez has not hit a home run since July 30^th inChicago against the White Sox. Despite these low numbers in home runs, Gonzalez has three triples, which is one more than Ellsbury and his slugging percentage is at a career high .553.

All three players were not with the team at this point in 2010. Ellsbury (ribs) and Pedroia (foot) were learning that they would be out for the rest of the season and Gonzalez was playing through a shoulder injury that would require offseason surgery for the San Diego Padres. They have helped the Red Sox climb to first place in the AL East with a record of 73-45. While a case could be made for all three of these players, Gonzalez is the MVP on this team. He has solidified himself as an upper echelon player in the league. Adrian Beltre and Victor Martinez were big losses, but the trade for Gonzalez helped Red Sox fans forget these subtractions. Pedroia’s intangibles and Ellsbury’s breakout season have been impressive, but without Gonzalez, they would not be able to produce the way they have in this lineup. These players will most likely cancel each other out in the MVP race. With the way Granderson has been playing throughout the entire season, he is the odds-on favorite. There are still six weeks left in the season and while one or two individuals may stand out among the pack, there is a lot of baseball to be played.