The NL Team MVPs
We're a little bit late, but there's still time to look at the NL team MVPs from last year as we look ahead to the 2003 season.
Arizona's standout performers, were, of course, the top two Cy Young award finishers, Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling. Johnson was the team MVP by a nose. No everyday player was dominant, but the surprising Junior Spivey, Luis Gonzalez, and Steve Finley all deserve honorable mention.
Despite a slow start and some poor defense, Chipper Jones was the Braves MVP in 2002, in a close race with starters Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Kevin Millwood. Andruw Jones' solid season merits an honorable mention.
As usual, Sammy Sosa was easily the MVP of the Chicago Cubs despite a late season swoon. Starters Matt Clement and Kerry Wood and infielder Mark Bellhorn also deserve notice for their outstanding performances for the mostly hapless 2002 Cubs.
There was no real standout on the 2002 Cincinnati Reds. Adam Dunn had a solid but sometimes frustrating sophomore season, while Elmer Dessens pitched well enough to get himself traded to Arizona in the offseason, but neither really deserves a team MVP award, so the Reds should go without a winner.
The names don't change much from year-to-year when one is looking for candidates for the Rockies' MVP award. Todd Helton and Larry Walker are always there, and this year Helton gets the edge with another excellent year in 2002.
The Florida Marlins didn't have any superstar performances, but their MVP race looks like a 3 way tie to me between three very good players: 1st baseman Derrek Lee, Starter AJ Burnett, and third baseman Mike Lowell. Cliff Floyd probably would have been the team MVP had he not been traded.
The Houston Astros also have a tie in the race for team MVP, but it's a tie at a much higher level. Lance Berkman firmly established himself as one of the top hitters in the league last season, while Roy Oswalt proved that he was one of the top hurlers in the league. Both had outstanding seasons and deserve to be the team MVP. Jeff Bagwell, Wade Miller, and Octavio Dotel also deserve recognition for terrific years that would have made them MVPs of other teams.
There's no question who the team MVP of the Dodgers was, though. Shawn Green had another dominant season at the plate and was the only major threat in the LA lineup. Only Odalis Perez, who was acquired from Atlanta in the Gary Sheffield trade, deserves an honorable mention.
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