MVP CANDIDATES

As we pass the 100-game point in league play, with more than two-thirds of the season in the books, it seems appropriate to handicap the likely MVP candidates from the clubs likely to earn a playoff spot. At this point, the standings are brutal:


Worcester, Casselton and Darwin lead their divisions. Pottsylvania, Yuma, Frostbite Falls, Brooklyn and Fresno are all within a half-dozen of their division leaders and Black Mesa is still within single digits of a wild card spot. So they could all legitimately boast MVP candidates. But (in order of record) Texas, Los Angeles, Madtown and St. Francis are in the second division to stay, and should not be counted.

So here are the likely MVP's, as one writer sees them, alphabetically by team and last name:

Brooklyn 2B Chase Utley (.280, 26 HR, 68 RBI)

Casselton C Mike Napoli (.280, 32 HR, 82 RBI)

Darwin OF Milton Bradley (.291, 19 HR, 62 RBI)

Frostbite Falls 1B Albert Pujols (.316, 25 HR, 89 RBI)

Pottsylvania OF Ryan Ludwick (.334, 27 HR, 69 RBI)

Worcester OF Jason Bay (.251, 28 HR, 80 RBI)

Worcester 3B Adrian Beltre (.309, 16 HR, 59 RBI)

Worcester SS Hanley Ramirez (.289, 21 HR, 64 RBI)

Worcester 1B Mark Teixeira (.273, 21 HR, 52 RBI)

Next time I'll look at the stats of the contending teams pitching rotations . . . SH

(shakes head ruefully . . . Mike NAPOLI ?)