The season got off to a late start, due to the work stoppage that had cancelled the playoffs the previous season. Fortunately, the two sides came to an agreement, and the spectre of replacement players was avoided. After the season started, the Cleveland Indians were the American League's dominant team, winning over 100 games despite the shortened schedule. Cleveland outfielder Albert Belle had one of the most impressive seasons ever for a power hitter — but in a controversial vote, did not win the MVP Award.

         Belle became the first player ever to have a 50-50 season; that is, 50 doubles and 50 homers in the same year. He was nearly flawless at the plate, and most years would probably have won the MVP. But it didn't happen; Belle's unpopularity hurt him in the voting, and the award instead went to Boston slugger Mo Vaughn. The Red Sox were surprise winners of the East Division (when was the last time the Red Sox won, and it wasn't a surprise?), and voters argued that Vaughn was more important to an underwhelming Boston team than Belle was to an awesome Cleveland team.
        I don't buy the argument. First, we'll look at the numbers. Vaughn had an advantage of six stolen bases; apart from that, Belle outhit Vaughn by a wide margin. He hit 24 more doubles, 13 more home runs, and had 12 more runs produced. Belle also had a 17-point advantage in batting average, and a massive 125-point edge in slugging percentage. Both players played in good hitter's parks; neither had much or any defensive value.
        The idea that Vaughn was more valuable to his team because the Red Sox had fewer good players is absurd; Belle was the greater player, and his team won more games as a result. Greatness, after all, is what the MVP Award is all about. Belle's popularity was also hurt by his surly personality and some ugly incidents off the field. I think a bad attitude can only be taken into consideration if it has a divisive effect on the player's team; instead, the Indians were the best in the league.
         Besides, image is transitory. Vaughn's MVP selection was lauded because Mo was such a good guy. Within a couple of years, however, Vaughn's image had been considerably downgraded, and there were no more stories about what a great role model he was. Mo left Boston after 1998, and not on pleasant terms.
        So if we establish that Belle was better than Vaughn, what about the rest of the league? His closest competition seems to come from Edgar Martinez, who was the best hitter in the league. Martinez led the Seattle Mariners into the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. A remarkable feat, especially considering that their other superstar, Ken Griffey Jr, had an injury-plagued season. Martinez was a DH the whole year, and thus had no defensive value. It's a tough call, but I'll stick with Belle, and his fearsome power numbers.
        The Anaheim Angels had a nine game lead going into the last month, then blew it, eventually losing a one-game playoff with Seattle. The Angels' dive spoiled a great season from Tim Salmon, the best of his career. Salmon was clearly a better hitter than Vaughn, and was also a better defensive player. I will give Salmon the nod after Belle and Martinez.
         Mo Vaughn was one of baseball's most fearsome sluggers of the 1990's; his MVP season was not even the best year of his career. But the truth is, I don't think that Vaughn was even the best player on his own team this season. John Valentin was; compare Vaughn to the other top hitting first basemen, and Valentin to other top hitting shortstops. Who was more valuable? Vaughn's numbers weren't much different than four or five other first basemen... or a bunch of outfielders like Belle, Salmon, Edmonds and Ramirez. Valentin, on the other hand, dominated the traditional light-hitting positions. He gave the Red Sox a major weapon that no other team in the league had.
         Only Chuck Knoblauch came close to matching Valentin, but even he scored fewer runs, and had far fewer RBI and extra-base hits. Even if you think Vaughn was the best first baseman in the league, there is clearly little difference between him and the top five. As for Valentin, he dominated all middle infielders, and catchers and third basemen as well.