Chase Utley HAS TO BE MVP!!!

As we near the end of this ho-hum World Series, marred more by long, cold November nights, Joe Girardi mound visits and the absence of Ryan Howard, one thing needs to be done... the naming of Chase Utley as the 2009 World Series MVP.

Even if the Yankees win Game 6 and claim their 27th title, the MVP has to be Utley's. He has been the only player who has shown up in every game and made an impact. Yankee fans have suggested Alex Rodriguez, but his hitting has been so uneven it would be a travesty to the game to give him the new car and award.

Arod is definitely shedding his "can't perform in the postseason" image, but the numbers are just not there.

His numbers in the World Series:
4-18, .222 BA, 3 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 7 K

His hits have been power hits, doubles and a homer, but his high strikeout numbers and a pitiful average for a middle of the lineup hitter is just not justified. It's already bad enough Teixeira is looking like Willie Stargell in the 1971 Series against Baltimore but A-Rod is a one man crew.

The other Yankee candidate was A.J. Burnett but he decided to become Burnett of old and Joe Girardi learned that Burnett can't work on three days rest. It's not like it's Bob Gibson going against the 1967 Red Sox.

On the Phillies side is Chase Utley, the man who tied the record for most homeruns in the World Series and those homeruns have just been Yankee killers. The three run shot in Game 5 took a Yankees team looking to ride an early 1st lead to victory. It also signified the wheels coming off the Burnett bus. After hitting Shane Victorino on the bunt attempt, the home run (on the first pitch to Utley no less) just shut his game down for the night.

Utley, the only bat alive on the Fighting Phils has been a wrecking ball.

Utley's stats:
6-18, .333 BA, 5 HR, 8 RBI, 3 BB, SB

The guy is picking up for Ryan Howard who is hitting .158 with 12 K's. Shane Victorino, last years stand out player in the postseason is hitting .167.

While Bobby Richardson won the MVP in 1960, a losing player winning the MVP would not be unheard of, not even in just a baseball setting. The Conn Smythe Trophy, though awarded to the best player during the Stanley Cup Playoffs (not just the Finals) has been given to a player on the losing team five times. Though even then the stand out player in the Stanley Cup is usually the best player in the Finals.

Granted if the Yankees lose tonight and the tomorrow resulting in a Philadelphia repeat every writer will have chosen Chase Utley by then because he probably hit another homerun again. Though if the Yanks pull it out, Mr. Utley deserves a little more consideration than some pinstriped players.

ROC SPORTS NET 2009