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A14 sports
Tuesday 27 sepTember 2022
Ohtani vs. Judge the latest of baseball's great MVP races

By NOAH TRISTER couldn't overcome the To-
AP Baseball Writer ronto slugger's 47 home
When Shohei Ohtani is runs and 134 RBIs.
pitching impressively and 1998 (NL): Sammy Sosa
hitting over 30 homers, he over Mark McGwire. Mc-
might always be the MVP Gwire (70) outlasted Sosa
favorite unless another (66) in the home run race
player in his league comes after both broke Maris' re-
up with something awfully cord, but the MVP vote was
special. lopsided in Sosa's favor. His
Like hitting 60 home runs, Cubs made the playoffs,
for example. and he led the league in
Ohtani vs. Aaron Judge runs and RBIs.
for the American League 2012 (AL): Miguel Cabrera
MVP figures to be the most over Mike Trout. In a con-
hotly debated postseason tentious race pitting tradi-
award this year. Judge is tionalists against new-age
closing in on Roger Maris' stats, the Triple Crown-win-
AL record of 61 homers and ning Cabrera took the MVP
might also win the Triple — and the vote wasn't all
Crown. that close. Trout settled for
He's done it while playing Los Angeles Angels Shohei Ohtani flies out during the first inning of the team's baseball game second place despite pro-
quite a bit of center field against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Minneapolis. ducing 10.5 WAR as a rook-
for a team that's nearing a Associated Press ie. After finishing second to
division title. Cabrera again the follow-
Ohtani, on the other hand, there are a couple factors win MVP this time, it will race even though Maris ing year, Trout won three
is pitching better than he — both last year and this have taken a truly spec- — who beat out Mantle MVPs of his own.
did when he was the unan- year — that keep Ohtani's tacular performance to for the 1960 MVP as well TRIVIA TIME
imous MVP last year. He WAR a bit below the Barry beat him. — hit his 61 home runs to This past weekend, Hous-
may even be putting him- Bonds/Babe Ruth strato- Here are a few other fa- break Ruth's record. Mantle ton's Dusty Baker became
self in the Cy Young con- sphere. As well as he's mous head-to-head MVP played a tougher position the fourth manager with
versation, to go along with pitched, the Angels are races through the years: and, while this obviously a 100-win season in both
his 34 homers. careful about not overus- 1941 (AL): Joe DiMaggio wasn't a factor back then, leagues. Who were the oth-
According to Baseball- ing him. He threw only 130 over Ted Williams. Perhaps he had a significant 10.4- ers?
Reference's wins above 1/3 innings last year and the most famous MVP race 6.9 edge on Maris in WAR. LINE OF THE WEEK
replacement stat, the two has 153 this year. His lack of came in the year DiMag- 1987 (AL): George Bell over Kolten Wong hit three
are pretty close. Judge was defensive value also works gio had his 56-game hitting Alan Trammell. Trammell's home runs and drove in
at 9.9 entering Sunday, with against him. streak and Williams hit .406. Tigers rallied past Bell's Blue five runs to lead Milwaukee
Ohtani at 9.0. That's just nitpicking, of 1961 (AL): Maris over Mick- Jays for the AL East title, to a 5-1 win over Cincinnati
As phenomenal as he is, course. If Ohtani doesn't ey Mantle. This was a close but the Detroit shortstop on Thursday night. q

Biden praises Braves' 'unstoppable, joyful run' to 2021 win

Biden called the Braves' "This team has literally been threats he faced during his
drive an "unstoppable, part of American history for pursuit of one of America's
joyful run." The team got over 150 years," said Biden. most hallowed records. He
its White House visit in with "But none of it came easy ... died in January at 86.
just over a week left before people counting you out. "This is team is defined by
the 2022 regular season Heck, I know something the courage of Hank Aar-
wraps up and the playoffs about being counted out." on," Biden said.
begin again. The Braves Players lined up on risers McGuirk said Aaron, who
trail the New York Mets by behind Biden, grinning and held front office positions
1.5 games in the Nation- waving to the crowd, but with the team and was one
al League East but have the player most discussed of Major League Baseball's
clinched a wildcard spot was one who hasn't been few Black executives, was
for the MLB playoffs that on the team in nearly 50 watching over them.
begin Oct. 7. Chief Execu- years and who died last "He'd have been there ev-
tive Officer Terry McGuirk year: Hall of Famer Hank ery step of the way with us
President Joe Biden holds up a jersey during an event celebrat- said he hoped they'd be Aaron. if he was here," McGuirk
ing the 2021 World Series champion Atlanta Braves, in the East back to the White House Hammerin' Hank was the added.
Room of the White House, Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, in Washing- again soon. home run king for 33 years, The president often honors
ton. From left, Braves President of Baseball Operations Alex An- In August 2021, the Braves dethroning Babe Ruth with major league and some
thopoulos, manager Brian Snitker, Biden, and Braves President
and CEO Terry McGuirk. were a mess, playing bare- a shot to left field on April college sports champions
Associated Press ly at .500. But then they 8, 1974. He was one of the with a White House cere-
started winning. And they most famous players for At- mony, typically a nonparti-
By AAMER MADHANI and upset kings of October" kept it up, taking the World lanta and in baseball histo- san affair in which the com-
COLLEEN LONG for their improbable 2021 Series in six games over the ry, a clear-eyed chronicler mander in chief pays trib-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- World Series win, as he wel- Houston Astros. of the hardships thrown his ute to the champs' prow-
dent Joe Biden said Mon- comed the team to the Biden called their perfor- way — from the poverty ess, poses for photos and
day the Atlanta Braves will White House for a victory mance of "history's greatest and segregation of his Ala- comes away with a team
be "forever known as the celebration. turnarounds." bama youth to the racist jersey.q