In Major League Baseball, the MVP award goes out at the end of the regulated season. It goes to the athlete who has stood out as being the most valuable, above all the rest. To an individual player, it is a huge accomplishment and honor considered being the elite in your field.

Within baseball, two players one from the American League and the one from the National League respectively, receive this prize each year.

The awards terms incorporate the obvious, which are stats and production for the season. Baseball has more stats than any other sport but this at least provides an idea of who is in contention.

However, for me, a fan, the MVP means so much more than just that.

A player selflessly plays the game by the game as part of the team not for his own personal goals. This is by no means a wimp, nor a loud mouth. His personal goals are for the team and to help the team win.

It is an athlete, proud of their sport’s history, as well as respects the veterans who played before him by learning from their wisdom.

The MVP is an athlete who discovers it is not his right to be a professional athlete but a gift that get treated as such through hard work and dedication.

Anyone will agree that the first lesson taught in gym class is to be a good sport and a team player. It is the fundamentals of displaying sportsmanship.

Plenty of MVP awards have gone to athletes (aka. Lebron James) who do not display these fundamental basics. The kind of message that is being sent is one where stats are all that matter.

That is furthest thing from the truth. It is so confusing if a player is the named ‘MVP’ because they are supposed to be the perfect, in valuable to a team. Perfect examples all around is what I am getting at.

The game of Baseball took a beating that goes beyond damage. The game deserves to get some of its integrity back. With all the PED talk and craziness of a list, that is destroying baseball name by name.

This only cements why this particular season’s MVP has to special. A player being one with the obvious of having top stats but also displays what the game of baseball is still. It has to be the story that tops the baseball world by getting everyone to stop and remember why it is America’s past time.

The answer might be the easiest decision to make.

Simply, it would be to crown Derek Jeter the MVP because he deserves it.

It sends a message to the kids who idolize baseball. That you can play fairly, not being a circus show, not wanting to draw attention to yourself but to your team and displays the courage to give credit where credit is due, win or lose.

Jeter is the template of baseball and his stats are good enough to be on the list. The persona that Derek Jeter characterizes so consistently is more valuable to baseball than any RBI’s or Home runs hit.

He not only represents the great City of New York but of our country as well at the WBC (World Baseball Classic), which took place last February. The players vote for a captain who will represent not only the USA but also themselves. Rollins, Wright, Pedroia, Youkilis to a name a few all voted for Jeter without hesitation.

If a room full of your own peers, who are the best of the best, elect you to be their captain it speaks more to society then the stats on the score-sheet.

Derek Jeter is the Most Valuable Player this season. He is the Yankees captain, he is also America’s captain and he is baseball’s captain.

No one represents baseball to the fans, to the players and to the world more than Derek Jeter does.

In addition, because of what this athlete is to the sport of baseball alone says it all.

Baseball would not be what it is without Derek Jeter and I am not the only one…..

Rays manager Joe Maddon said it best: “I’m very happy for him. He carries himself in a manner that’s worthy of passing Gehrig.”

“I can’t tell you how much I admire Derek Jeter, everything about him. He’s a symbol of everything that’s right about the game, as far as I’m concerned. He’s a great role model for other players. When I tell my kids or grandkids about the great players from my time, I’ll be proud to say I was on the same field with Derek Jeter.” – Howie Kendrick, Angels

“It couldn’t happen to a better person. He’s a great teammate, a great friend. He’s done things the right way. He’s a great leader on this team, so you can’t say enough about Derek Jeter.” – Andy Pettitte after Jeter broke Lou Gehrig’s hits record

“He’s a leader and a winner and that’s something I’d like to be.” – David Wright, Captain of the New York Mets

With the playoffs in full swing, the possibilities begin to become realities. Manager Joe Torre’s Dodgers, focus is now on the NLCS as the team swept the Cardinals in three games to proceed onward.

Across the country another team with a chief named Joe accomplished the same. Joe Girardi’s Yankees followed L.A.’s lead Sunday night in Minnesota’s Metrodome by winning their third game against the Twins. The possibility of Joe vs. Joe could happen and what a World Series that would be.

Two teams, two sweeps, two Joe’s who have much more in common then realized. These Joe’s own quite a history together.

Here is a little out of this chapter:

1) Both Joe’s Play
Ironically, both skippers were catchers. Torre* batted and threw right as did Girardi.  Both were players in New York during their career. Torre played in Queens as a Met; Girardi in the Bronx wearing Yankee Pinstripes. The selection as an All-Star only happened once for Girardi in 2000. On the other hand, Torre was an all-star nine times in a decade (1963-73), won a gold glove in 65′ and was the NL MVP in 1971. Torre in comparison to Girardi was a more complete hitter but sadly never once made it to October as an active participant. For Girardi, in a decade (1989-99) he played in six postseasons and won three World Series rings.

2) Joe manages Joe.
Girardi won those three World Series championships with Torre as his manager. Torre presided over the Yankees in the late 90’s when Girardi was the team’s catcher. Torre’s success as a skipper in October was the opposite of his playing years. With the Yankees he went 12 years in a row. He holds the evidence for MLB’s most winning manager with 2000+ wins.

3) Joe Follows Joe
When Girardi retired as a player, he went directly into broadcasting for the YES network in 2004.  The next year he rejected the offer to be the Marlins’ bench coach with a promotion to manager guaranteed. Instead, he follows Torre and became his bench coach in 2005. The next season Florida named Girardi manager and he won Manager of the Year in his first season as a skipper in 2006.  The Marlins owner and Girardi did not hit it off and he got fired in the same year. Though Girardi had several offers to lead again in 2007, he decided to return to YES and broadcast for the Yankees.

4) Joe replaces Joe
Well, 2008 was the end of the Torre era in Pinstripe. It also marked the beginning for another Joe. In late October, Joe Girardi became the Bombers manager and Torre’s replacement. Torre went to the Dodgers. Mattingly, and fellowship followed, but Tony Pena stayed on as Yankees bench coach for Girardi. Girardi had said many a time that when named as Yankee head the first call he made was to Torre.  What makes this so extraordinary is that the Dodgers wanted Girardi to manage in L.A. but he wanted to work for the Yankees. This was just two years before Torre hires Girardi, who passed on Dodger’s proposal. Supposedly L.A. wanted Girardi so badly to be wearing Dodger blue that they offered him the job before ownership granted permission. Girardi said no to get the duty under his skipper in New York.

5. Joe on Joe

After this soap opera of a link, both men have nothing but the highest regard and respect for each other.

Here are two quotes from this dynamic duo and their admiration for each other is evident.

Girardi on Torre:
“The great thing about Joe was that he let me say anything I wanted and I was never fearful of saying anything; that’s the greatest guy you can work for. Joe’s a very trusting guy. One of the big things I learned about him was his patience and the importance of knowing people.”

Torre in Girardi:
“He’s a good manager and he’s going to get better,” Torre said today. “I’m happy for him. … They’re a very good team.”

*Torre played first and third base during his career but is #15 on Top 50 Catchers of All-Time.*

A Giant won, a Jet soared and a Yankee guaranteed that New York is the best place to call home.

Three sports team hailing from New York had simultaneous starts this afternoon (Yanks not on time due to rain delay).The Yankees, Giants and Jets each had something to prove today.

The Yankees had a reason to celebrate and be proud of this seasons accomplishments. The Bombers clinched the American League East Division for the playoffs which gives them home field advantage and an extra day off at their disposal.

The biggest upside for the Bombers not having to fly back to Anaheim to play the Angels in the first round.  The Angels are that good and that scary.

Realizing why the Yanks looked like a beaten club even when they beat the Angels is because the Angels play small ball, long ball and run the bases fiercely. Easily, the Angels have the most comparable batting line-up to the Yankees so pitchers have to be virtually perfect. The Angels are relentless in winning and their formula works.

No one is taking anything away from having to face the Tigers or the Twins to start, as both talented ball clubs. Being at home is comfortable, familiar and starting with having an entire city cheering you on beats flying across the country to face a team like Anaheim.

The Giants are still looking like the solid champs of two years back.

Big Blue won their third game in a row, a great way to start the season and one with so many unanswered questions.

The question of wide receiver has been a continual tryout to see who would be Eli’s new Plaxico. This looming question is far from an answer. Actually, it might never really get a solid answer.

The Giants do not need an answer but this third win in a row means the team does not want one either. The rotating group wide receivers are being lead by a solid Eli Manning at quarterback. Maybe that is the answer at least part one.

Part two, three and four being the defense, o-line and running game all being top of their game gives the wiggle room for Coach Coughlin to have season long tryouts.

The Jets who have been the football version of the Mets. Predicted going into the season to be good to leave fans with one disappointing lose after another. That has been the theme of the Jets, one letdown after another. Always with one glimmer of what could have been at least once a season. This entailed beating some team that even shocked the Jets themselves, leaving a worn out fan base to see that maybe next year will be better.

Welcome to that next year Jet fans.

Those Jets of the past can stay in the past. That is now a fact after defeating Tennessee Titans to go 3-0 to start the season. It might seem like a dream but it’s not and after today you can relax because last weekends win was not just luck.

It was a mini Super Bowl for Jets fans as their division mates, the mighty Patriots came to the Meadowlands and lost last week. As a Giants fan I have to say I was impressed and happy for the Jets to finally look competitive.

Rex Ryan is just the leader this team needed. Being in your first year as coach to have the players already playing for you (the coach) speaks volumes of the man Coach Ryan is. What he did against the Pats, leaving voicemails for every season ticket holder asking the fans to cheer, obviously did more then just elevates noise. It made the players believe which in turn inspires and that is what champions are made off. The other New York team is a perfect example of that.

The day anyone thought that the notion or consideration of a possible Subway Series Super Bowl would be anything more then just a really funny joke can now make it a reality. If the two New York teams keep winning which means playing this well, all season long, it could happen.

It is early, it is the Jets but even more reason to have faith in the now.