Brew: Miguel Cabrera should be American League MVP

With the end of regular season play Wednesday the debate for American League MVP must come to a decision.

The clear leader is Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera. He is the likeliest candidate to hit a Triple Crown, the hardest feat  in baseball and arguably all of sports. The last player accomplish this was Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox in 1967.

Cabrera is batting .329 with 44 home runs and a crazy 137 RBIs. This makes him the leader in all three categories of the Triple Crown and his team is going to make the playoffs.  His move to third base from first has helped create a scary lineup dominated by him and Fielder. The Tigers knew his fielding was suspect but also knew he was the best hitter in baseball. He is a huge reason why the Tigers will be making their first back-to-back postseason appearances since 1934 and 1935.

Critics had thought Cabrera’s weight was spiralling out of control and that his drinking problem presented a lack of interest in the game. Some were worried his weight would lead to lack of production.

This season he has had the chance to end all this criticism if he wins the Triple Crown. Growing up I was always told the hardest thing to do in sports is to hit a baseball. A Triple Crown has never happened in my life and surely should be treated as a huge accomplishment.

On the other side of the MVP debate, Mike Trout of the Anaheim Angels is batting .325 with 30 home runs and 48 stolen bases.  Mix in his stellar defense in center field and the fact he was called up after the season started makes Trout a promising contender for MVP.  He is the future of the game and is putting up stats similar to Alex Rodriguez at the age of 21.  Without Trout the Angels, who spent millions to bring in stars like Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, would have had a miserable season.  He is the leader of the team, despite being the youngest player on the roster, and has the potential to be the best player in the game. However, despite the unbelievable defensive plays and excitement of his bat, Trout and his teammates will not be going to the playoffs.

Cabrera’s season deserves to be recognized with an AL MVP. Many national pundits are arguing for Trout because of his ability to change the game defensively or on the base paths but Cabrera is about to add his name to a rare list of Triple Crown winners. While both players have had incredible seasons, Cabrera is the clear MVP for me simply for the rarity and history of the feat he is so close to accomplishing.

Contact at amorris@kansan.com .
  • Updated Oct. 2, 2012 at 10:04 pm
  • Edited by Luke Ranker
  • Yankeehater

    Cabrera is by far the most feared hitter in all of baseball and the numbers he puts up in the park he plays in is scary, when a pitcher starts to walk trout to face puhols than he is at the caliber of Cabrera I don’t feel trout would put up the numbers he does if he was batting in the 3 hole at least once every game he gets pitched to without a pitcher attempting to pitch around him, Cabrera hits even bad pitches for hits! The difference of what Cabrera has done during the second half of the year during the post season drive are tremendous and now that opposing pitchers have figured out trout some is batting has dropped!