American Association Daily provides insights, features, and recaps of the action from around the American Association of Professional Baseball League, as well as player and coaching profiles and transactions. In today’s edition, Robert Pannier concludes his look at the likely American Association MVP candidates finishing with the final candidate of the likely five, Winnipeg Goldeyes outfielder Max Murphy.

They Go as He Goes

In looking at the final candidate for American Association MVP, we have seen a lot of different criteria that one could use to decide who is the very best player in the league. In each case, the player had great statistics. They often had great support as well. Only Kane County Cougars outfielder Jimmy Kerrigan can claim that he is the only big bat in his team’s lineup.

Most MVP candidates are going to have solid support around them. However, there are those instances where one of the other players on the team could just as easily lay claim to the MVP trophy. Where their numbers are as good, maybe even better in some areas, which seems to decrease the value of the MVP candidate. After all, if one player’s statistics are great, why believe that he is less of an MVP candidate than his teammate?

That is a good question, and one that will be debated today as both David Washington and Max Murphy of the Winnipeg Goldeyes have MVP statistics. Both rank in the top five in homeruns, but Murphy has proven that as he goes, his team goes. This is what separates him from Washington, and what makes him a possible MVP.

Max Murphy the Improved Model

Max Murphy is one of the more interesting stories in American Association history. After being released by the Minnesota Twins in 2017, he joined the St. Paul Saints, where he hit .319 with seven homers in 98 games. In 2019 he got off to a very quick start with St. Paul, hitting .343 with 17 homers in 50 games before his contract was purchased by the Diamondbacks. However, he was not given much of an opportunity with Arizona, returning to St. Paul in 2020.

That season, he hit five home runs while batting .256 in 58 games. The following season he joined the Winnipeg Goldeyes, hitting 13 homers and posted a .307 batting average in 99 games. Murphy was clearly seen as a great on-base guy with good speed. In 2022, however, the new and improved Max Murphy is hitting homeruns like never before. He already has 26 this season, fifth most in the American Association. That is a season-high for the outfielder, who has also set a single season-high for RBI with 82, third most in the league.

Though statistics are quite impressive on their own. However, it gets better. Murphy is hitting .299 in 89 games, and has 46 extra-base hits, ranked tied for third overall.

Clearly, Murphy has established himself as one of the best all-around players in the American Association, but his teammate can say the same thing. Washington leads the American Association with 29 homers, has a .282 batting average, 75 RBI, and his 45 extra-base hits trails Murphy by just one. One could easily believe that Washington is the MVP, especially if he should break Adam Brett Walker’s record for homeruns set last season (33). With 11 games left in the season and the fact that Washington has hit eight homeruns in 21 August games, it is very possible.

However, what separates Murphy from his teammate and what makes him a candidate who could easily stake claim to the league’s very best player is the direct impact that his statistics have on the club. Murphy struggled out of the chute, hitting .206 in 16 May games. He had just two homers and four RBI while Washington was hitting .278 with six homers and 12 RBI. However, Winnipeg was 6-10.

The next two months, the Goldeyes posted identical 17-9 records. Not surprisingly, Murphy had his best months of the season in both June and July. In June, the outfielder hit .311 with 11 homers and 31 RBI in 26 games. Both of those numbers led the club. A month later, Murphy hit .327 with 10 homers and 30 RBI. Washington also homered 10 times in July, but Murphy struck out fewer times, scored more runs, had more total bases, more extra-base hits, and a slightly better on-base percentage.

This month, Murphy has maintained his high batting average (.317), but the power numbers have been down, hitting just three homers while driving in 17 in 21 games. Winnipeg is 9-12 through the first 21 games August.

One should not take anything away from the season that Washington is having. He has been absolutely spectacular and will likely garner some MVP votes. However, Murphy has proven that the team goes as he goes. When he is struggling, they struggle. When he is on fire, they are on fire.

Unfortunately, he is likely going to be hurt by the season Washington is having. There are going to be those MVP voters who are going to conclude that Murphy’s numbers are better because Washington is hitting behind him. That may be true, but that can be said of three of the other four MVP candidates. If impact is what matters most, then Murphy is very possibly going to be the winner.

By Robert Pannier