Bud Selig created the Hank Aaron Award to honor the best hitter in each league, with the hopes that it would someday hold the same status as the Cy Young and MVP awards. By allowing fans to vote on the award, Selig has ensured that it never will hold that kind of status. Derek Jeter was named as the AL recipient this season, despite the fact that he’s not even the best hitter on the Yankees.

I love Jeets, but he hit 18 home runs this season, less than 27 doubles, and 1 triple. That’s 46 total extra base hits. Yes, his average was great, but it wasn’t best in the league. It wasn’t even second best. Joe Mauer has Jeter beat in batting average by 30 points, and in on-base percentage by even more than that. And Mauer has better power numbers to go with it! Tex also had a fine season at the plate after a miserable April. His batting average was well below Jeter’s, but his power numbers were more than enough to make him the more feared run-producer.

It may seem sacrilegious to criticize an award given to The Captain, but an award that is clearly not earned will only blemish Jeter’s reputation and feed fuel to the “overrated” hecklers.

Tags: bud selig, derek jeter, hank aaron award, joe mauer