Quote: Rob Kamphausen said: and yet, even with all this debate, through a flurry of statistical differences, its been clearly noted by fans and players, alike, that of the two, jeter is hands-down the more inspiring, leader type.
But, don't you see the double-standard?
If Jeter plays through injuries, he's inspiring. If A-Rod does it, he's padding his stats. If Jeter compliments his team in the press, he's a leader, if A-Rod does it, he's trying too hard to be PC.
I won't argue that Jeter is a nicer guy, a more selfless guy. I just don't see how A-Rod's vastly superior career production can be declared moot against Jeter's unquantifiable, unprovable, intangible qualities. It can't be measured, it can't be analyzed, it certainly can't be compared, and it has no required result. Without yarn-weaving sportswriters and self-aggrandizing former ballplayers, I wonder if any of these ideas would be given any credence at all.
Quote: again, the argument for how to quantify such stock is certainly difficult.
but it can't be all that much more challenging than determining if 50 homers has greater value than a 340 batting average (etc)
50 homers and a 340 batting average are only large parts of the whole. You don't compare them, you compare the whole. So no, it's not challenging at all.
Quote: at the very least, it should be a factor in the award, particularly with a title named on "value"
Unquantifiable, unprovable value.
Of course, I'm sure Red Sox fans feel just as strongly about Ortiz's leadership and intangibles as Yankees do Jeter's. Twins fans are hardly going to concede that Joe Mauer does less for his team on and off the field as a catcher than Jeter does as a shortstop, even if he is young. Most Ranger fans wouldn't take Jeter over Michael Young and his intangibles for all the Toby Keith CD's you could find.
Just about every fan will agree his or her player is the best leader, and that you have to watch them every day to see it. And there can be no right or wrong answer(unless you pick A-ROd, of course), because there's no argument to be had. No proof. No evidence. Which is OK, but if you're going to have an award based on value, it shouldn't be a deciding factor.
Now, if you want to have the "leader award", like I mentioned earlier, great. I'm fine with that.
