Why Puig deserves MVP consideration
It was ruled this summer that outfielder Yasiel Puig wouldn’t make the 2013 all-star team because he only played a month for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
People like Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia, Philadelphia Phillies reliever Jonathan Papelbon, and even Cincinnati Reds announcer Marty Brennaman said Puig didn’t deserve to make the team because he didn’t play in enough games and his body of work was too small.
Guess what? They have egg on their faces because now Puig does have a bigger body of work and he is hitting around .370.
So riddle me this Batman — is Puig the MVP of the National League? And has there ever been a MVP of either league who didn’t make the All-Star team?
All you have to do is watch him perform. He plays as hard as anyone in the game and keeps his mouth shut.
L.A. Angels outfielder Mike Trout and his crosstown counterpart, Puig, may be the two biggest stars in baseball, with the tip of the cap to Detroit’s all-star third baseman Miguel Cabrera.
Puig, however, is exactly what baseball needs and what the fans crave — excitement.
Maybe he didn’t make the all-star team, but he saved manager Don Mattingly’s job, and the Dodgers’ year. Look for the Dodgers to be favored to win it all.
A new local forum:I got a phone call a few months back from a guy named Joe Pennacchio, who was looking for someone to promote a new interactive site called playsportslive.com.I am really excited to be part of the site#146;s promotion, which includes sponsoring the Sept. 8 debut of #147;The Mike North Pregame Show on AM560 The Answer. I will be hosting a two-hour radio show every Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon. The show will run through the duration of the regular season, and I am psyched to be part of the building process and to have my voice heard on local radio again. Whether I#146;m downtown, uptown, doing TV with Mancow or just hanging out without people, not a single day goes by without someone coming up to me and saying they miss me or the Monsters. I really enjoyed the story of a young father who told his kids about me and said he wished they could listen to me #151; it felt pretty good. Even though I am on nationally on Fox Sports Radio and XM 247, part of my heart is always with Chicago sports first, so that#146;s why this is extra sweet. So if you#146;re in your car, at home with the radio or at your computer, check out my first show. As always, the real stars of the show will be you #151; the callers. I know competition will be stiff, but we plan on having fun. It won#146;t be your daddy#146;s pregame show.Ÿ Mike North#146;s column appears each Tuesday and Friday in the Daily Herald, and his video commentary can be found Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at dailyherald.com. For more, visit northtonorth.com.