If I have to turn on one more sport talk show and hear how Mike Trout is more deserving of the MVP in Major League Baseball this year than Miguel Cabrera I might just swear off fish forever.
Keep in mind that I am from Michigan so I may be accused of being a bit biased but it seems pretty clear to me who the choice should be. I don't care if you are from California, Michigan, or somewhere inbetween... unless you are completely blind to how the game of baseball is played there should be no other player mentioned in the American League other than that of Miguel Cabrera.
All the baseball "experts" want to point to the latest and greatest WAR stat to point out that Mike Trout is worth X number more games to the Angels than Miguel Cabrera is to the Tigers. I find this new WAR stat to be hypothetical at best and for the baseball "experts" to use it as the main basis for the arguement in favor of Trout only points out how much many of the "experts" are nothing more than flavor of the month jock sniffers that could not be unbiased if their lives depended on it. The intent to use a completely hypothetical stat to determine the MVP is ludicrous (current players other then Trout with a higher WAR than Cabrera include Ryan Braun, Andrew McCutchen, Buster Posey, and David Wright... oh and Chase Headley is .1 lower). Who is to say that the avg replacement player they use for the WAR stat could not come into the lineup and have a breakout season. This is why we play the games people! If baseball were played based on hypothetical stats then the Tigers would be leading the White Sox by 10 games and cruising into the playoffs. Let's look at the stats that are concrete and are computed by things that have actually happened on the baseball field and not based on if avg player A as determined by formula B gives us rating C.
As of this morning 9/23/2012
Avg
Cabrera .332 Trout .325 (Cabrera +.007)
HR
Cabrera 42 Trout 28 (Cabrera +14)
RBI
Cabrera 131 Trout 78 (Cabrera +53)
OBP
Cabrera .398 Trout .395 (Cabrera +.003)
R
Cabrera 104 Trout 121 (Trout +17)
BB
Cabrera 64 Trout 60 (Cabrera +4)
SO
Cabrera 90 Trout 126 (In favor of Cabrera +36)
SB
Cabrera 4 Trout 46 (Trout +42)
SLG
Cabrera .616 Trout .558 (Cabrera +.058)
OPS
Cabrera 1.014 Trout .953 (Cabrera +.061)
Looking at these stats it seems pretty clear to me who the choice should be. Trout may have more stolen bases and been on Sportscenter more times for making spectacular playes but his stats simply do not translate into the MVP this season. Has he had a spectacular season? Sure. Is he the one who should be given the MVP? NO!
The stats are not the only barometer however. If you look at the stats for September, which marks the playoff push, Trout's performance has declined while Cabrera's has surged even higher. Is it not the mark of the MVP to play his best when his team needs him and the playoffs are on the line. This is another huge check mark on the Cabrera column. Let's also take into account how much better the player makes those around him. Cabrera hitting 3rd in front of relative unknowns like And Dirks and Quniton Berry have propelled them to have fantastic years. Also factor in that Prince Fielder is hitting 4th behind Cabrera and he is having a fantastic season hitting over .300 and driving in over 100 runs. Those around him thrive because of Cabrera. The table setters in front of him see better pitches and the hitters behind him reap the benefits of him getting on base so often. In my opinion this is another check that falls on the Cabrera column. Oh, did I mention that he is a very realistic bet to win the first triple crown in recent history? Check!
The stats and the realistic intangibles would seem to make it pretty clear who the choice should be. Miguel Cabrera should be the hands down clear cut winner of the award. There should be no arguement. Trout is a great centerfielder and has had a great year. That should cleary get him the Rookie of the Year and most likely the Gold Glove. Should it get him the MVP? No way in hell.
The writers and "experts" can look to their non-results based hypothetical statistics all they want. It does not matter that Cabrera plays in a smaller baseball market or that Justin Verlander own the MVP last season. All that matters is what happens between the lines and that clearly shows that Miguel Cabrera has clearly been the MVP of this baseball season.
If you cannot see it you are clearly out fishing... maybe that's the problem.
See you next time
From the Cheap Seats
