Cal vs. Judge for MVP

[Pharmabro]

I can see both sides. I am fine letting the voters decide. I will respect their decision either way.

Yep, You must consider that Cal as a catcher has hit 56 bombs and counting and the previous high for catchers was 48. Cal hit in the worst hitters park in all of baseball and Judge is a Yankee who hits in a band box and gets Yankees ump bias as well.

It could come down to if Cal can lead the M's to either the AL West crown, or best/ 2nd best record in the AL: And He already has the most HR by a switch hitter, and by far the most HR by a catcher already. AND, if he can get to 60-61-62? Another element to this is recency bias. If Cal can have some big moments down the stretch: A go-ahead vs the Astros to win the series, He is the RBI leader as well but keeping that lead and expanding it down the last 9 games would be huge to have Cal leading in HR and RBI.

[Donn Beach]

what you have is Judge putting up another fantastic season, analytics has him winning fairly easily. On the other hand, Cal having perhaps the greatest season ever for a catcher. I posted an espn article awhile ago, bradley doolittle i believe, he handles their analytical their stuff. He went through the arguments pretty thoroughly, this was his final update to the MVP race and he went with Cal as who he thinks wins, so we shall see. I think there could be a mood to give it to someone other than Judge, its pretty much been the Judge and Ohtani show lately.

cal is going to fall short of 60, hit that and he is the MVP, how could he not be

[Michael K.]

But I'm guessing WAR doesn't figure in that catcher is about 100 times harder to play for a full season than outfielder. The number of balls and bats continuously hitting you every game. Having to sit on your haunches for 2-3 hours. Having to put on that gear and take it off every inning. I bet Cal would have loved to sit in the outfield every game and not have to do all the other crap to wear down your body.

Isn't that exactly why they add points to WAR when you play positions like Catcher, SS and CF, and subtract for positions like DH? I mentioned it many times this year, but at one point in the summer, J Rod was in the 90s and 100s in just about every hitting category there is, but it seems that his defense gave him a WAR on par with being Elite. Pretty sure that is due to some of what you are mentioning, no?

Correct.

Screenshot 2025-09-18 111207.png

LOL, right, so the 20 pt bump Cal gets isn't enough? Cal gains 12.5 and Judge loses 7.5 because of the position they play...and that isn't enough? I am not discounting Cal, I'll say that again. But DAMN, Judge's season is fucking nuts.

[D-train]

Probably the most fascinating MVP race I've ever witnessed

[Hy Feiber]

Cal by far.

[57reasons]

Probably the most fascinating MVP race I've ever witnessed

Reminiscent of the Trout all world WAR vs. Cabrera triple crown season - unbelievable.

[D-train]

Probably the most fascinating MVP race I've ever witnessed

Reminiscent of the Trout all world WAR vs. Cabrera triple crown season - unbelievable.

I bet Cal hits number 57 tonight in our honor!!!

[Donn Beach]

virtual tie with the straw polls, Judge ahead by two points, Cal actually had been ahead

While MLB.com's latest MVP poll shows Shohei Ohtani continuing to hold a comfortable advantage in the National League, the race in the AL almost literally can't get any closer. After 40 of our experts cast their votes, the Yankees' captain and the Mariners' slugging catcher were separated by only two points.

https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron- ... ember-2025

[Captain 97]

Catchers who have won MVP Awards

Bob O'Farrell 1926 - OPS+ 112, WAR 3.9
Michey Cochrane 1928 - OPS+ 122, WAR 3.4
Michey Cochrane 1934 - OPS+ 117 , WAR 4.5
Gabby Hartnett 1935 - OPS+ 151, WAR 4.9
Ernie Lombardi 1938 - OPS+ 152 , WAR 4.8
Roy Campanella 1951 - OPS+ 159 , WAR 6.9
Yogi Berra 1951 - OPS+ 130 , WAR 5.3
Roy Campanella 1953 - OPS+ 154, WAR 6.8
Yogi Berra 1954 - OPS+ 137 , WAR 5.3
Roy Campanella 1955 - OPS+ 152 , WAR 5.2
Yogi Berra 1955 - OPS+ 120 , WAR 4.5
Elston Howard 1963 - OPS+ 141 , WAR 5.2
Johnny Bench 1970 - OPS+ 141, WAR 7.4
Johnny Bench 1972 - OPS+ 166 , WAR 8.6
Thurman Munson 1976 - OPS+ 126 , WAR 5.3
Pudge Rodriguez 1999 - OPS+ 125 , WAR 6.4
Joe Mauer 2009 - OPS+ 171 , WAR 7.8
Buster Posey 2012 - OPS+ 171, WAR 7.6

Cal Raleigh in 2025 OPS+ 169, WAR 6.9

[tehmc]

Cal Raleigh
Doing things never seen before from a switch hitter let alone a switch hitting Catcher

Aaron Judge
Doing things last seen from a Right Fielder in 2024