Bonds Should Win MVP in a Walk

The most important postseason awards -- most valuable player, Cy Young, rookie and manager of the year -- are voted on by committees of the Baseball Writers Assn. of America.

In the case of the National League’s MVP, many of the league’s managers have already endorsed Barry Bonds again -- and I agree, a lone voice amid the deafening MVP chants on behalf of Adrian Beltre as the Dodger third baseman and San Francisco left fielder have engaged in a final mano a mano this weekend.

Bonds has drawn 231 walks, 120 of them intentional, an acknowledgment of his game-altering capability and a willingness among managers to challenge just about anyone else in a patchwork lineup. The Giants reached the final weekend still alive in the division and wild-card races despite the absence of another substantive run producer and a revolving-door rotation and closer’s role, and it is all largely because of Bonds.

Take away his 45 homers, .365 batting average and combined 1.427 on-base and slugging percentage, and the Giants’ season would have ended in July, which is not to say that Beltre was surrounded by the ’27 Yankees. It’s just that Bonds virtually stands alone by just about any measurement other than defense.

Maybe the official vote will produce a surprise, but the likelihood is that Bonds will win his seventh MVP, relegating Beltre to a distinguished field of players who have been runners-up to the Giants’ star in his two decades of domination.

My ballot:

Most Valuable Player

American League: 1. Vladimir Guerrero, Angels; 2. Tie, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, Boston; 4. Gary Sheffield, New York.

National League: 1. Bonds; 2. Beltre; 3. Albert Pujols, St. Louis.

Comment: Swayed by Guerrero’s great September and the inability to separate the impact of Ramirez and Ortiz on the Red Sox. Special mention to Miguel Tejada’s sensational debut with the Baltimore Orioles. Why did Arte Moreno have to stop at $146 million last winter?

Cy Young

American: 1. Johan Santana, Minnesota; 2. Curt Schilling, Boston; 3. Pedro Martinez, Boston.

National: 1. Roger Clemens, Houston; 2. Randy Johnson, Arizona; 3. Carl Pavano, Florida.

Comment: If Bonds and Clemens melted down all their postseason gold they could square the national debt. Life may not begin at 40, but it definitely doesn’t end there. Santana went 13-0 in the second half and significantly improves Minnesota’s postseason outlook, particularly in a five-game series.

Rookie

American: Bobby Crosby, Oakland. National: Jason Bay, Pittsburgh.

Comment: Crosby is a no-brainer, having impressively eased the loss of Tejada. Bay, who has 26 homers and 82 RBIs, overtook Khalil Greene, the injured San Diego shortstop, with his production in September. The Padres could have been looking at a future that included Bay and Greene if they hadn’t included Bay in the trade for Brian Giles. General Manager Kevin Towers admits he made a mistake in viewing Bay as a backup outfielder.

Manager

American: Ron Gardenhire, Minnesota. National: Bobby Cox, Atlanta.

Comment: Gardenhire is now three for three as the Twins routed a toss-up division despite significant personnel losses through injury, free agency and payroll-influenced trades. Atlanta won a 13th consecutive division title despite similar losses. As closer John Smoltz said when asked if the too-often-overlooked Cox was responsible for the Braves’ success: “Either that or a genie in the bottle.”

Executive

American: Tie, Terry Ryan, Minnesota, and Theo Epstein, Boston. National: Tie, Walt Jocketty, St. Louis, and John Schuerholz, Atlanta.

Comment: Whether the money is there or not, a GM needs to operate with assuredness and aggressiveness, and all four enhanced their reputations in that regard in advancing their teams to the postseason again.

It doesn’t hurt any manager to have a front-office genie.