After having done some analysis, I think the MVP of the AL right now is Ichiro. The analysis isn't done, but, not factoring in defense, Ichiro seems to have created more runs just offensively than Manny.
I used the following formula:
(H+BB)*(total bases)/(AB+BB)
In any given year, almost every team will end up with runs scored within 5% of this number.
The results, to this point of the season:
Ramirez, 117
Ichiro, 113
Ortiz, 110
Guerrero, 109
Sheffield, 107
Correcting for park factor (even using three-year weighted park factors - 50%-25%-25% - which are more stable than individual years' values):
Ichiro, 124
Guerrero, 115
Sheffield, 112
Ramirez, 110
Guillen, 110
I haven't run this for everyone in the AL, just ten top guys.
But the results seem to indicate that Ichiro has helped his team far more than Ramirez has helped his - and that's not even factoring in defense or baserunning, which we know are going to favour Ichiro drastically.
At this point, Ichiro Suzuki is the AL MVP.
I used the following formula:
(H+BB)*(total bases)/(AB+BB)
In any given year, almost every team will end up with runs scored within 5% of this number.
The results, to this point of the season:
Ramirez, 117
Ichiro, 113
Ortiz, 110
Guerrero, 109
Sheffield, 107
Correcting for park factor (even using three-year weighted park factors - 50%-25%-25% - which are more stable than individual years' values):
Ichiro, 124
Guerrero, 115
Sheffield, 112
Ramirez, 110
Guillen, 110
I haven't run this for everyone in the AL, just ten top guys.
But the results seem to indicate that Ichiro has helped his team far more than Ramirez has helped his - and that's not even factoring in defense or baserunning, which we know are going to favour Ichiro drastically.
At this point, Ichiro Suzuki is the AL MVP.