Ari's Take: Derek Jeter, AL MVP, Ryan Howard, and Chase Utley as the Philberts Team MVP

I just want to mention that my MVP pick was howard, who led the phils to more wins than cards but played in same division as mets. - Dils

But here is my friend Ari's take:

I hope I am wrong...but there's little to no doubt that D. Jeter wins the AL MVP in about an hour. The sports media, like the news media, is omnipotent and have been dying to give it to him for years. Of course, if Jeter wins, by the same logic, Pujols should have won Monday as Ryan Howard is David Ortiz, stat-wise and physically. It's hypocritical.

But Pujols won last year and the media, as many have said, does not like Pujols. The MVP award has thus been tarnished. Fairly, it these same writers voted today and yesterday on the same criteria, Pujols and Jeter should have won it OR Ortiz and Howard. But they pick and choose, so it won't occur. Mark my words.

I should note that I think Jeter should be MVP, Justin Morneau a close second, Ortiz and Dye DISTANT thirds. After all, it's the Most VALUABLE player, thus players who cannot get their teams to the playoffs (Howard, Dye, Ortiz) don't win. Jeter should win as should have Pujols. Jeter for his, as ESPN said "periodic contributions," and Pujols for saving his team's fledgling season and getting them to the playoffs...where they won the whole thing, mind you.

Many Philly fans, by the way, will tell you Chase Utley was team MVP and carried them for more of the season than Howard did, not to mention in the end, Philly lost to the Nats too often as Howard did not hit big game-winning homers as Pujols did so often the final week vs SD and Milwaukee.