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Rob, I go on MLB chats daily, yours are one of my favorites, especially since I get a decent amount of questions answered. I have NEVER needed a question answered more than this. In your Tuesday chat someone asked you about Todd Helton's MVP case from 2000, and you said check the splits from 2000. So I did. Either you haven't looked up the numbers, or Baseball-Reference entered them wrong. I was so infuriated that I was absolutely sure that someone from the chat would bring up the numbers, but no one did and now I feel a great emptiness in my stomach.

Here are the numbers from his 2000 ROAD GAMES: In 79 games he had 15 HRs, 59 RBI, but most importantly a .353 BA, .441 OBP!, and 1.074 OPS!!!!! COMPARE THOSE TO ALL THE OTHER CANDIDATES' NUMBERS and then tell me why again he was 7th in MVP voting because of his splits. Rob, I love you man, you do so much for this site, but I really need you to address this. I mean I think this is worthy of a Sweet Spot article, but I at least would appreciate an e-mail back.

Actually, in 2000 Helton finished fifth (not seventh) in the MVP balloting. Let's compare his road stats -- and of course you're right: they were outstanding, and better than I thought -- to those of the four players who finished ahead of him in that balloting. Again, road stats only:

Edmonds just edged Helton for fourth place. Maybe he shouldn't have. I certainly should not have dismissed Helton's road production, which was obviously considerable. But do you really want to argue -- with his road stats, anyway -- that Helton was better than Kent, Bonds, and Piazza? After including defense and baserunning?

Helton finished that season with 29 Win Shares. Kent finished with 37. The right man won the award.