Who would you vote for AL MVP?

[caulfield12]

Almost impossible to figure out anything more than a Top 5 or so right now...

 

If I was a betting man, I'd say Mike Trout gets it simply for being the overall best player in baseball the last three years, but he's slumped mightily the last couple of months and is K'ing a lot more as well.

 

Sale just doesn't have enough starts, the W-L record or the winning/playoff-caliber team to merit many MVP votes, although he's deserving in his own right.

[Jose Abreu]

Someone please explain to me without using WAR why Trout supposedly has a huge lead over Abreu. Yes, he is a good baserunner and he fields well, but hitting is the biggest factor in MVP voting, and Abreu has more HR, RBI, and a much better AVG.

[caulfield12]

MVP is always so subjective.

 

Look at the debate over Andre Dawson back in the date when he was clearly the best player but on one of the worst teams.

 

 

Even with Nelson Cruz's "comeback" season and bulging homer/RBI numbers, a lot of credit there goes to Adam Jones and Pearce as well. It would be harder to pick a "one dimensional" player to some, compared to a Robinson Cano who does everything well and is handicapped by playing at Safeco in terms of his overall offensive numbers, especially homers.

 

The Trout thing's going to be kind of a "first 3 years in the big leagues early lifetime achievement" award, in a way.

 

Of course, Trout's on one of the best teams in baseball now, and Abreu's White Sox are in the bottom 5 for MLB in terms of runs scored/allowed differential. On the other hand, where would the White Sox be without Abreu and Sale?

Edited August 29, 2014 by caulfield12

[IlliniKrush]

Someone please explain to me without using WAR why Trout supposedly has a huge lead over Abreu. Yes, he is a good baserunner and he fields well, but hitting is the biggest factor in MVP voting, and Abreu has more HR, RBI, and a much better AVG.

Baserunning and defense are still part of the game, and in those two categories he blows Abreu away and adds a ton of value.

 

 

[BaconOnAStick]

Trout just doesn't have the bat. I went Felix.

[Eminor3rd]

Someone please explain to me without using WAR why Trout supposedly has a huge lead over Abreu. Yes, he is a good baserunner and he fields well, but hitting is the biggest factor in MVP voting, and Abreu has more HR, RBI, and a much better AVG.

 

You just explained it to yourself right there.

[daggins]

Trout just doesn't have the bat. I went Felix.

 

Trout's bat is still mighty impressive. In the AL, his wOBA is an amazing .405 ( I believe league average is around .320 or so), second only to... Jose Abreu

 

If you measure by wRC, an overall measure of runs created, he ranks #1 in the AL. #2 is... Jose Abreu

 

So basically Trout is Jose Abreu playing CF, which is why he is considered so valuable.

 

For the AL I'd go 1. Trout 2. Felix 3. Abreu

[Rowand44]

Someone please explain to me without using WAR why Trout supposedly has a huge lead over Abreu. Yes, he is a good baserunner and he fields well, but hitting is the biggest factor in MVP voting, and Abreu has more HR, RBI, and a much better AVG.

He's a better player on a better team, not that hard to figure out.

[chw42]

Mike Trout and it's really not all that close IMO.

 

Cabrera's been awful for his standards this year. Gordon's second in the AL in WAR, but half of that is from his defense (I don't buy it). Cano, Donaldson, Seager, and Abreu are also candidates, but I don't think they can really be fairly compared to Trout.

[chw42]

Trout just doesn't have the bat. I went Felix.

 

.950 OPS isn't good enough huh?

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

Mike Trout and it should be unanimous.

[Vance Law]

Someone please explain to me without using WAR why Trout supposedly has a huge lead over Abreu. Yes, he is a good baserunner and he fields well, but hitting is the biggest factor in MVP voting, and Abreu has more HR, RBI, and a much better AVG.

 

You haven't said anything here that is logically valid.

[caulfield12]

You haven't said anything here that is logically valid.

 

 

Well, when you compare Miguel Cabrera 2012-2013 with Jose Abreu, there are a lot of similarities, EXCEPT for the strikeouts Jose has accumulated.

 

Both players are/were not noted for their defensive abilities (Cabrera moving back to 3B with the acquisition of Fielder, then from 3B to 1B again, Jose simply adjusting to MLB), although they actually improved and surpassed quite minimal expectations.

 

Of course, Miguel Cabrera was also playing on ALCD winners those two seasons, while Trout's Angels clubs were also-rans.

 

 

[Jerksticks]

You haven't said anything here that is logically valid.

You haven't said anything here that is logically valid.

Sure he did: Defense & Position probably have little to do with the voting, if anything. You have to do some pretty amazing s*** to win an MVP without being at the top of the triple crown stats along with going to the playoffs. Ichiro, Verlander, Larkin, Pedroia are all outliers compared to typical MVPs.

 

Position matters huh? Look at Barry Larkin's year after he won MVP, 1996. Destroyed his MVP stats from the year before all while playing SS. Well he didn't make the playoffs that year, but the top two in voting did, Caminiti and Piazza. I think more people would argue that Larkin's best season in 1996 was more valuable coming from a SS over a 3Bman...nope.

 

90% triple crown hitting & playoffs, 10% you better not be a DH.

[LittleHurt05]

The only reason Trout didn't win in 2012 and 2013 was because his team missed the playoffs. Now that his team has the best record in baseball, I would say he is a lock to win it this year.

[cabiness42]

As of right now:

 

1 Trout

2 Abreu

3 Felix

4 Gordon

5 Sale

[cabiness42]

Someone please explain to me without using WAR why Trout supposedly has a huge lead over Abreu. Yes, he is a good baserunner and he fields well, but hitting is the biggest factor in MVP voting, and Abreu has more HR, RBI, and a much better AVG.

 

First of all, Trout has 82 more PA, and playing more should count for something. Trout leads in OBP, SB and Defensive value. Abreu leads in SLG, but that's not enough to overcome all the other defecits.

 

 

 

 

[Eminor3rd]

Trout just doesn't have the bat. I went Felix.

 

lol, this is actually hilarious.

 

.291/.376/.561, 30 HR (166 wRC+)

[Y2Jimmy0]

Well, when you compare Miguel Cabrera 2012-2013 with Jose Abreu, there are a lot of similarities, EXCEPT for the strikeouts Jose has accumulated.

 

Both players are/were not noted for their defensive abilities (Cabrera moving back to 3B with the acquisition of Fielder, then from 3B to 1B again, Jose simply adjusting to MLB), although they actually improved and surpassed quite minimal expectations.

 

Of course, Miguel Cabrera was also playing on ALCD winners those two seasons, while Trout's Angels clubs were also-rans.

 

 

And Trout should have already won the MVP the last 2 years over Cabrera. Trout is getting it. He's the best player in baseball and I don't think it's close.

[witesoxfan]

I think I would vote for Lyle Mouton.

[shysocks]

I voted King Felix. I know Trout will probably win, but Felix is doing some things on the mound that are unparalleled in history, while Trout is having your run-of-the-mill great year.

 

I can see a lot of writers voting for Felix & Kershaw and running with the story. The MLB OPS is the lowest its been in 22 years at the moment, so why not give it to the two pitchers most responsible?

 

/can of worms

[southsider2k5]

Mike Trout hits all of the MVP check mark boxes. Maybe if Jose were playing on a contender it would be different, but Trout is the man this year.

[StrangeSox]

Sure he did: Defense & Position probably have little to do with the voting, if anything. You have to do some pretty amazing s*** to win an MVP without being at the top of the triple crown stats along with going to the playoffs. Ichiro, Verlander, Larkin, Pedroia are all outliers compared to typical MVPs.

 

Position matters huh? Look at Barry Larkin's year after he won MVP, 1996. Destroyed his MVP stats from the year before all while playing SS. Well he didn't make the playoffs that year, but the top two in voting did, Caminiti and Piazza. I think more people would argue that Larkin's best season in 1996 was more valuable coming from a SS over a 3Bman...nope.

 

90% triple crown hitting & playoffs, 10% you better not be a DH.

That the MVP has been dumb and arbitrary in the past isn't a reason to keep it dumb and arbitrary now

[Eminor3rd]

while Trout is having your run-of-the-mill great year.

 

Wouldn't it be sad for Trout if people ended up thinking this way, and he never even ended up winning an MVP? Like he spent his breakout years being "OMG RBI'd" by Miguel Cabrera, and now that his competitor has faded, we're already used to his MVP-level greatness that we never gave him and MVP for, so he bores us too much to get one now.

Edited August 29, 2014 by Eminor3rd

[shysocks]

Wouldn't it be sad for Trout if people ended up thinking this way, and he never even ended up winning an MVP? Like he spent his breakout years being "OMG RBI'd" by Miguel Cabrera, and now that his competitor has faded, we're already used to his MVP-level greatness that we never gave him and MVP for, so he bores us too much to get one now.

I don't think we have to worry because this is probably his year. The Angels will make the playoffs and that'll be that.

 

Although it would be extra hilarious if writers fall so in love with the KC story that they give it to Alex Gordon, with defensive metrics as the justification.