I was at U.S. Cellular Field last night sitting behind home plate when Carlos Quentin hit his major league-leading 35th home run of the season into the left field seats. Seeing Carlos go deep this season was nothing new, but there was something different about his blast on Monday night.It didn't mean anything. The White Sox were already sporting a 12-5 lead on the Mariners, so his solo shot didn't factor into the game's result. Very rarely has that been the case for Quentin this season. Carlos came to the White Sox in an offseason trade with the Diamondbacks, and he came with very little fanfare.
At the time most White Sox fans - including myself - were still a little sore about missing out on Torii Hunter and local legend Aaron Rowand. So when they found out that Kenny Williams' big plan was to bring in some outfielder nobody had ever heard of, and one that was coming off of shoulder surgery to boot, Sox fans weren't pleased.
Well thank God Kenny Williams runs the team, and the fans don't.
The only reason Quentin even made the Sox roster out of spring training was due to a groin injury suffered by Jerry Owens. Owens' injury opened a spot in the outfield, and Carlos was going to keep it warm for a few games until he could come back.
Unfortunately for Jerry Owens, once Carlos took his spot in left field, he wasn't about to give it back. While the White Sox offense sputtered through the first two months of the season, Quentin put the entire team on his back and led them to first place in the AL Central. Nobody on the team has gotten off yet, either. Without Carlos Quentin in the lineup, there is just no way the White Sox are leading their division right now.
Latest MLB Photos
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Alex Cintron (R) forces out Boston Red Sox base runner Jason Bay at second base but Cintron's throw to first base trying for a double play was too late during the ninth inning of their American League baseball game in Baltimore, Maryland August 18, 2008. REUTERS/Joe Giza (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Baltimore Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora tries in vain to throw out Boston Red Sox batter Dustin Pedroia at first base in the ninth inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Baltimore, Maryland August 18, 2008. REUTERS/Joe Giza (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Boston Red Sox batter Coco Crisp dunks out of the way of an inside pitch thrown by Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Rocky Cherry in the eighth inning of their American League baseball game in Baltimore, Maryland August 18, 2008. REUTERS/Joe Giza (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Detroit Tigers' Edgar Renteria (8) looks at home plate umpire Marvin Hudson, left, after striking out against Texas Rangers' Frank Francisco in the seventh inning of a Major League Baseball game, Monday, Aug. 18, 2008, in Arlington, Texas. The Tigers won 8-7 Tigers. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
AP
Injured Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria watches their American League MLB baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in St. Petersburg, Florida, August 18, 2008. Longoria broke his wrist and is not expected back until sometime in September. REUTERS/Steve Nesius (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon follows through on his pitching delivery against the Baltimore Orioles in the eighth inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Baltimore, Maryland August 18, 2008. REUTERS/Joe Giza (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Tampa Bay Rays' Willy Aybar (L-R), B.J. Upton, Carlos Pena, Justin Ruggiano, Akinori Iwamura and Gabe Gross celebrate a 6-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels during their American League MLB baseball game in St. Petersburg, Florida, August 18, 2008. REUTERS/Steve Nesius (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura dives but comes up short on a single hit by Los Angeles Angels' Erick Aybar during the seventh inning of an American League MLB baseball game in St. Petersburg, Florida, August 18, 2008. The Rays beat the Angels 6-4. REUTERS/Steve Nesius (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Boston Red Sox base runner David Ortiz (L) slides across home plate safely as Baltimore Orioles catcher Ramon Hernandez reaches for the late throw in the ninth inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Baltimore, Maryland August 18, 2008. REUTERS/Joe Giza (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Boston Red Sox batter Jason Bay connects on a pitch from Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Rocky Cherry for a two-run home run in the eighth inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Baltimore, Maryland August 18, 2008. The home run was the second on the game for Bay. REUTERS/Joe Giza (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Quentin not only leads the majors in home runs, but he's also second in the AL in RBI (96), and slugging percentage (.586), while he's third in OPS (.981). Oh, and his OBP of .395 isn't half bad either.
Now while Josh Hamilton is the nice story of the season, and he leads the world in RBI with 114 (the only hitting category he's better than Quentin in), he's tailed off in the second half a bit. Plus, his team has no chance of making the playoffs this season. I know that being on a playoff team isn't a prerequisite to winning the MVP award, but for my money, it helps.
Really, Quentin's only competition for AL MVP this season should be Justin Morneau, who is having another monster season and carrying the Twins on his back once again. If the Twins can overtake the White Sox in the AL Central, you can bet Morneau will have something to do with it, and I'd give the nod to him.
As of now, though, the only real option, in my opinion, is the kid playing left field for the White Sox who nobody had ever heard of, and wasn't supposed to be there in the first place.
ADVERTISEMENT
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-19-2008 @ 1:56PM
FatherTomasino said...
I agree 100%. Quentin has been clutch, clutch, cluth. Josh Hamilton has been puting up some powerful numbers. That's fine. His past should not, however, be a factor in MVP voting. Carlos Quentin should not be punished because he was never a crackhead. Quentin did everything right. Hamilton didn't. It just seems that so many people fell in love with Hamilton becasue he stopped being a loser. Where's the logic there? Quentin has the numbers and will carry his team into the postseason. Is that not what the Most Valuable Player should do?
Reply
8-19-2008 @ 2:34PM
Adam said...
Another intresting thing about Carlos's season that people forget is that he didn't even play the first two games. Alexei Ramirez started the first two games in Center (with Nick Swisher in left), he went 1-8 and the Sox lost both games. Game 3 brought the now-typical Quentin in Left/Swisher in Center setup, the Sox went on a winning streak, and that was that. Ramirez barely played the next month and a half until Uribe got injured and he then became one of the AL's top rookies as a second baseman. How different would the Sox season had been if he'd started the season hot in center?
Reply
8-19-2008 @ 6:21PM
ron wolfe said...
I for one do not see your reasoning for MVP. The guy getting the award should have progressed and done well in prior years and then get rewarded for outstanding success. Carlos has done nothing on the major league level except stink up Chase Field in Phoenix,az. A 90 year old grandfather could have hit better and played the outfield better than Carlos until this year. I think the people that vote will have to ask, is he for real or is he a one time wonder? Is he on a new kind of Steroid??
Reply
8-19-2008 @ 10:37PM
mike said...
are you stupid? mvp is for the best player that year, nothing about your previous year has anything to do with it. why dont we give it big papi, he was great before, so what he is doing nothing this year.
8-20-2008 @ 12:32AM
d.rose said...
"I for one do not see your reasoning for MVP. The guy getting the award should have progressed and done well in prior years and then get rewarded for outstanding success."
what an idiotic thought! there's a reason why an mvp award is given every year. so if we follow your stupid mind, we should have awarded the mvp to elway and mj in 1999, the year after they retired.
8-21-2008 @ 8:00PM
Die Hard SOX fan said...
for sure for sure. Carlos Quentin definetly desirves the AL MVP Honors, you would have to be nuts to not vote 4 him. Tom has made every correct statement, Carlos is practicly leading every category in The AL except for RBI's, And trust me playoffs do make a difference whether a not a player is going to win the MVP Take 2006 for example. I really thought Jermaine Dye was going to win the MVP batting .315 44 homers and 120 RBI'S he was beating Morneau in every catorgory that matters,and who do u think won the MVP that Year Morneau. To end up losing in the first round of the playoffs. So when you think about no Josh Hamilton even know he has been putting up monster numbers but then again no playoffs for Texas, and i know u r only thinking he's only saying this because he is a sox Fan but Minnesota will need a miracle to make it to the playoffs! look at their schedule, which they are currently on a 14 game road trip starting off with a 4 game series with the angels then seatle which they just lost 2/3 at Safeco then 4 game series in Oakland which again they just lost 2/3 series then ends it in toronto against a well balanced over .500 Team. While the Chicago whitesox place safe at home with a following completely easy schedule in September, which Minnesota has to go play another 8 game road trip in the last week of september playing a 4 game series with Tampa Bay. So comes to my conclusion,sry no MVP for Morneau, and to all u shit fans that are hating on Carlos Quentin You are just fucking retarded to let him go and just watch him to develop into a great player he is now. I MEAN COMMON HE IS ONLY 24 YEARS OLD! Arizona basically had him 4 only 1 year neway thats because they r a shit team barely even over 500. So I think me and Tom have made our point and all the other people who are behind carlos quentin and just sit back and relax and just check up on the AL Central in a couple weeks while i am %100 percent sure that the White Sox will Have a 5 game Lead in the Central! So Peace out Bitches.
Reply
9-14-2008 @ 4:35PM
val said...
i think carlos quentin is hot but i also think he was a little stupid to hit that bat. im 19 yrs old i love him i really want to meet him but its a big shame for him to hurt himself when he was doing so good on the sox team.I like his hair alot it looks so soft. But alot of people think hes cause the sox some seirous TROUBLE.I hope he can heal so he can play. I didn't really get why he caused the sox so many trouble with his wrist now i know i hope he and the sox can get throughe this.
Reply