Did East Coast Bias Cost Cal Raleigh the AL MVP?

The 2024 American League MVP race? Easily one of the wildest and most argued-over in recent baseball memory. Seattle Mariners slugging catcher Cal Raleigh and New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge both put up unreal seasons, pushing voters to choose between raw offensive firepower and a more well-rounded kind of greatness.

Judge ended up with the award, but the way the votes shook out—and the conversations around them—tell a bigger story. It’s about how people see value, the quirks of geography, and maybe even a little bit of old-school bias in baseball.

The MVP Battle: Raleigh vs. Judge

Cal Raleigh blasted his way into the record books, breaking the single-season home run record for catchers and joining the exclusive 60-homer club. That’s a group with barely any members.

Then there’s Aaron Judge, who hit a ridiculous .331 and smashed 53 home runs. He became just the third player ever to win a batting title with more than 50 homers.

Fans and analysts couldn’t stop debating who really deserved the “most valuable” label in 2024. The whole thing turned into a national spectacle, with plenty of heated takes on both sides.

Historic Achievements

Raleigh’s year was legendary for a catcher. He didn’t just hit homers—he also managed one of the league’s top pitching staffs and brought steady leadership behind the plate.

Judge, on the other hand, put on a hitting clinic. He combined power and efficiency in a way that made pitchers across the league look lost.

The Voting Breakdown

When the dust settled, Judge grabbed 17 out of 30 first-place votes. Raleigh got the other 13.

The split got people talking, especially in Seattle. Fans there couldn’t help but wonder if East Coast media bias played a role. Local sports hosts Mike Salk and Brock Huard tried to break it down with a little more nuance.

Turns out, Raleigh and Judge actually tied in the Eastern Time Zone, each getting seven first-place votes. Raleigh really shined in the Pacific Time Zone, winning five out of six.

But in the Central Time Zone? Raleigh managed just one of ten first-place votes. That’s where things swung hard for Judge.

The Texas Factor

Here’s something interesting: all four Texas-based voters—covering the Rangers and Astros—picked Judge. That state’s deep baseball roots made those votes matter a lot, tipping things further in the Yankees’ favor.

Salk tossed out a theory. Maybe Central and Eastern voters just don’t see as many Mariners games, since most start late at night for them.

Defining Value in Baseball

Brock Huard pointed out that Raleigh’s defense, game-calling, and leadership don’t always show up in the stats. Behind the plate, Raleigh shaped the Mariners’ season as much as his home runs did.

Judge’s offensive numbers were off the charts. Still, the MVP award has always sparked arguments about what “value” really means in baseball.

Offense vs. All-Around Impact

This MVP race brought up an old question: should the league’s best hitter always win, or do things like leadership and playing a tough position matter just as much?

Catcher’s a brutal position, physically. Raleigh’s ability to mash homers while handling that workload? That’s something you almost never see in this game.

Takeaways from the 2024 MVP Race

Whether you’re convinced Judge was the clear pick or you think Raleigh got snubbed, the 2024 MVP debate really highlighted how much regional exposure and media buzz can shape the way we see players. Baseball isn’t just numbers on a page—it happens in real time, in ballparks, in those late innings, and in all the weird, electric moments that never show up in the box score.

• Judge hit a historic milestone by winning the batting title with 50+ home runs.
• Raleigh shattered barriers for catchers with his 60-homer season.
• The vote was super tight by region, and the Central Time Zone ended up swinging it.
• Late start times probably hurt Raleigh’s visibility with some voters.
• It’s still nearly impossible to measure a catcher’s non-statistical impact when it comes to awards.

Some folks swear by the numbers. Others care more about leadership, defense, and clutch moments that can’t be measured. There’s never going to be a perfect answer.

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Here is the source article for this story: Was East Coast bias why Cal Raleigh didn’t win AL MVP?