Jeff Passan talks about player opinion on AL MVP race [Pat McAfee Show]

Jeff Passan talks about player opinion on AL MVP race [Pat McAfee Show]
byu/Mike7685 inNYYankees

23 comments

  1. No teams are afraid to challenge Raleigh in the zone. Judge is still getting IBBs from teams well out of contention. It’s clear who players and coaches fear most. That shouldn’t necessarily determine the MVP conversation, but it’s another point to consider.

  2. That shouldn’t be surprising even when you just look at the stats it is clear that Judge is a level of dominant that we haven’t seen clean in 100 years and maybe won’t ever again.

    MVP or not every fan and especially every Yankee fan should be enjoying every moment of Judge because he is almost certainly the best player you will ever see

  3. Between the fatigue nonsense, anti Yankees bias and this narrative that because the Mariners have sucked for so long it makes what Raleigh is doing more magical blah blah….

    Let’s just say I won’t be shocked when Judge is robbed. 

    Raleigh hitting 60+ homers is impressive and even more so as a catcher, but Judge is less than 10 behind and leads in by much more in avg ops war etc. 

    But the narrative…

  4. A lot of writers hate the Yankees. This one’s gonna be tough. I agree it’s all Judge for me but I guarantee if you ask him if he’d let this one slide for a ring he’d do it in a heartbeat. Keep your eye on the real prize

  5. I think it’s a relatively simple answer to the question “What player would you want on your team this season?”

    It’s Judge.

  6. I wont be surprised if cal gets it. Super disappointing if he does because it just shows the game doesnt care none other than the amount of HR instead of higher batting average that comes with it.

  8. I stumbled upon a [CBS “expert” poll](https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2025-mlb-awards-expert-picks-for-mvp-cy-young-rookie-of-the-year-as-aaron-judge-and-cal-raleigh-face-off/) while checking my fantasy team. Love the hypocrisy here…it came as no surprise to find out she’s a Mets fan and former Mets blogger.

    Kate Feldman on Judge:

    *”…let’s get some fresh blood in here. Judge is a superstar. We know. We get it. Raleigh is doing it all and squatting behind the plate most nights. Give the guy a trophy.*

    Kate Feldman on Ohtani:

    *”He’s the guy. He’s going to be the guy until he retires or the voters just get bored, and even then he might still be the guy.”*

  9. Both guys are having great seasons, both guys have an amazing case, both guys are deserving of MVP. If Judge wins, great, if Cal wins, also great. They’re two awesome players in the midst of a great race and let’s all just enjoy it

  13. I’m happy the players are smarter than the fans.

    Judge’s OPS+ is 213.

    Cal’s is a very impressive 172.

    But to put Judge in conversation with the modern greats: Miggy Cabrera, Trout, Ohtani, Pujols—the modern “best of the best—they all never had a season with an OPS+ of 200 or more.

    This is Judge’s third season with an OPS+ of 200+.

    The man is just playing the game at a different level.

  15. Simple fact is that Judge will only win MVP’s when there’s no worse but cooler “big brain” option for these self important pricks to choose. He got robbed in 2017 despite being better than Altuve, he’ll probably get robbed again this year despite being better than Raleigh. The only thing I want is for him to end up as the ALCS and WS MVP, because these dumbasses can’t take a ring away from him just because there’s a “cooler” option to pick from.

  18. I’ve made my peace with Raleigh getting the MVP.

    I don’t like it and I think Judge should be the winner.

    But I think Raleigh’s narrative is gonna sway the vote in his favor.

  20. If Raleigh gets MVP, the writers are just playing Hellen Keller with the evidence of Judge’s offensive dominance of the sport right now

  21. If a guy is batting .240, you are inherently going to pitch to him more than the guy batting .330. I get that BA is not the stat it used to be but it has to still mean something especially when Raleigh’s HR lead is quite literally bc he saw more pitches this season.

  22. Just want to add that its most valuable Player. Not most valuable catcher

    But i think mvp will go to one or the other if they have a crazy postseason that leads their team to the trophy

  23. If there’s anyone who thinks Cal is more deserving, please correct me, but I think their argument boils down to Cal is having a historic season, particularly for a catcher, and catcher is the most important position player on the field by a wide margin. This outweighs all the offensive categories where Judge is ahead of Cal. Oh, and Cal is just “more valuable” to his team.
    To me, more than any other sport, performance in baseball is measured by statistics. Sure, you can bring intangibles into the equation (and Judge has plenty of those too), but I just don’t understand how you can ignore all the statistical categories where Cal isn’t even close, in favor of some “feel-good” or “Judge-fatigue” narrative.

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