Trout or Cabera? Cabrera or Trout? It's been a hot-button topic of conversation among baseball fans and media for weeks and we finally get our answer tonight.
In the final installment of the Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards, the Most Valuable Player Awards will be announced tonight at 6 p.m. on MLB Network and on BBWAA.com. And this is the mostly hotly contested race, the one that pits fan against fan and stat-geek against old schooler.
Seriously now, how can you NOT give an MVP award to a Triple Crown winner like Detroit's Miguel Cabrera? Pretty easy, actually, when you look at the incredible all-around numbers put up by Angels rookie Mike Trout.
Bucky Gleason made a pretty compelling argument for Trout in his column on the subject last month. Trout is the youngest 30/30 player in history and the youngest to steal 40 bases since Ty Cobb in 1907. And if you're into advanced stats, his Wins Above Replacement (WAR) figure of 10.7 led the majors this year -- and is equal to Ted Williams' career best (1946). It's the highest for anyone since Barry Bonds in 2002.
Call me old school but as I wrote Sunday, I think Cabrera is getting the award on the basis of his Triple Crown and the fact the Tigers won their division while the Angels sat home.
Oh yeah, the National League MVP is getting handed out tonight too. My choice is Buster Posey but there should be a good deal of sentiment too for Andrew McCutchen and defending winner Ryan Braun.
Here's MLB.com's video preview on the MVPs. Make your choices below.
---Mike Harrington
Twitter: @BNHarrington
