The War Room: Delgado, Helton Chase History

As the leaves begin to fall and the smell of autumn fills the Major League ballparks around the country, it is clear that playoff baseball is nearly upon us. The boys of summer will soon don their turtlenecks and take their swings, not under the warm rays of the August sun, but rather in the cool, crisp October air.

But before we start talking about playoff baseball, it is imperative that we give the top players in each league their proper due for this 2000 season.

In the American League we have seen two players emerge as the clear front-runners for the MVP race. Carlos Delgado and Frank Thomas have distinguished themselves as the most potent offensive forces in their league.

The Big Hurt didn?t inflict much pain on opposing hitters last season as he had only 15 HR and 77 RBI, while his Sox finished well out of the playoff hunt.

This season however, Thomas has rediscovered his stroke and the Sox have positioned themselves as the best young team in baseball. Thomas has remained healthy enough to play in 153 games thus far and he has compiled the following statistics:

Thomas: 556 AB, 113 runs, 187 hits, 42 HR, 142 RBI, .435 on-base percentage, .631 slugging percentage, .330 batting average.

Although he has extremely impressive numbers, three key factors stop him from being truly deserving of this award.

1. Frank Thomas is a designated hitter. He played only 30 games at first base this season, which probably is a good thing for the Sox as their defense is already the worst in the majors, and Thomas isn?t exactly Don Mattingly with the leather. It is difficult to give the MVP award to a guy who doesn?t have any impact on the defensive end whatsoever.

2. Thomas is one of the worst leaders in all of baseball. His behavior last season was indicative of a player who clearly puts himself before the team. In the past, Thomas has actually refused to play first base! He also has been reluctant to play when he is less than 100 percent. This guy does more harm than good in the Sox clubhouse and I think they have won despite his presence, not because of it.

3. Carlos Delgado.

The Toronto Blue Jays first baseman is the most dangerous hitter in all of baseball. He has chased the Triple Crown this season, a feat that most thought was virtually unattainable in this era of baseball.

Unlike Thomas, Delgado is considered by many to be one of the finest leaders in the entire sport. This guy is a work horse who has shown that his passion for the game is as strong as his swing. OK, so he plays a mediocre first base -- but at least he is out there.

His teammates love him and why shouldn?t they? This guy plays hard, treats people with respect, helps younger players, and hits the cover off the ball with amazing regularity. If you talk to people within Major League Baseball, they will tell you that he is everything you would want in a big league ballplayer, both on and off the field.

The Jays may have come up short in their playoff hunt and Delgado may be out of contention for the Triple Crown, but one thing is certain: This guy is special and he has the numbers to prove it:

Delgado: 156 games, 552 AB, 113 runs, 195 hits, 137 RBI, 41 HR, .475 on-base percentage, .681 slugging percentage, .353 batting average.

Honorable mention: Alex Rodriguez of the Mariners, Jason Giambi of the Athletics, and Pedro Martinez of the Red Sox.

In the National League, Mike Piazza of the Mets and Jim Edmonds of the Cards have stumbled down the stretch, leaving only three players to be truly worthy of the MVP award: Barry Bonds, Jeff Kent, and Todd Helton. These players have put up awesome numbers and while the Giants are headed to the playoffs, the Rockies were at least competitive, thanks primarily to the hot bat Helton has swung all season long.

Bonds and Kent have been a two-headed monster for opposing pitching staffs. Each player put up tremendous numbers during the course of the year:

Bonds: 138 games, 466 AB, 127 runs, 143 hits, 48 HR, 104 RBI, .440 on-base percentage, .689 slugging percentage, .307 batting average.

Kent: 154 games, 571 AB, 111 runs, 191 hits, 33 HR, 125 RBI, .423 on-base percentage, .601 slugging percentage, .335 batting average.

It is quite obvious though that without Barry Bonds, Jeff Kent wouldn?t have had the year he had, and the same can be said for Bonds playing without Kent. In essence these two hitters have canceled each other out of the MVP race.

And although Bonds may be the favorite to win the MVP -- due to his Hall of Fame career and big name -- it is important to note that his own team members have said that Jeff Kent is their MVP choice.

So, it begs the question: How could Bonds be the league MVP when he isn?t even his own team?s MVP?

That leaves us with Todd Helton, the sweet swinging lefty whose line-drive base hits have punished opposing pitchers all year long.

Todd Helton has put up the best numbers in the National League while also allowing baseball fans to dream another seemingly impossible dream, as he made his late summer run at .400.

Helton: 154 games, 559 AB, 133 runs, 210 hits, 38 HR, 136 RBI,.464 on-base percentage, .692 slugging percentage, .376 batting average.

Helton is a hitter?s hitter. He can hit lefties and righties. He can swing it during the day or at night. And yes, Todd Helton can hit when he isn?t playing in Coors Field. In fact, his road numbers are anything but light. Helton hit .354 on the road with a .440 on-base percentage and a .623 slugging percentage.

No one complains about Bonds playing at Pac Bell where it is a little league-like 307 feet down the right field line. Heck, Ted Williams played in Fenway Park -- which is not exactly the Grand Canyon of baseball stadiums -- but no one feels the need to bring that up when discussing his hitting prowess.

You only have to see Helton?s silky smooth swing once to know that he is the real deal--regardless of what stadium he is in.

This guy could hit frozen peas blindfolded swinging a toothpick.

It is important to note that the Rockies' first baseman produced without a Bonds or Kent in his lineup. In fact, Helton doesn?t even have the likes of Ellis Burks, J.T. Snow, or Rich Aurilia to facilitate his production.

The truth is that only one hitter in the Rockies' lineup besides Helton has even 20 home runs, that being Jeffrey Hammonds. The other big bopper in the Rockies' lineup is Jeff Cirillo, who has only 11 home runs to date. In the baseball world this is called ?hitting naked.? And no one in the majors was more naked than Helton this season.

Todd Helton is the best pure hitter in baseball, and this season he has proven to be the Most Valuable Player in the National League as well.

His season is the stuff of legends, and his run for .400 gave baseball fans the chance to dream in a summer without Mark McGwire.

Honorable mention: Piazza of the New York Mets, Edmonds of the St. Louis Cardinals and Jeff Bagwell of the Houston Astros.

For an opposing view, check out The War Room: Bonds, Thomas Lead Contenders by staff writer Matt Mochow

DISCUSSION: If you'd like to chime in with your opinions on this article, or on who you think should be this year's Most Valuable Players, fo to message board.