Cabrera Should Win The AL MVP
By: Tom Millikan
I'm going to keep this short and sweet. Miguel Cabrera should win the American League MVP.
The game I grew up on taught me nothing mattered more to batters than average, home runs and RBIs. No batter has ever led all three in my lifetime. Cabrera is on the verge of being number one in all three winning the first Triple Crown in Major League Baseball since 1967. Isn't it common sense that the most valuable hitter is a guy that leads the three most important statistical categories?
The problem with the sports world today is that we're being taught to overlook the obvious. Common sense never dictates what should happen. I equate Mike Trout's MVP candidacy to Michigan being selected over Michigan State by the BCS last year. Michigan didn't earn it, but because of convoluted BCS crap, Michigan got the nod. The same thing happened in 2000 as well. And this is coming from a Michigan fan.
I'm not going to get into secondary statistics. Secondary stats never trump primary stats. Secondary stats are for nerdy losers which leads me to my biggest problem with this year's AL MVP debate. I can't believe baseball writers I respect like Ken Rosenthal and Jayson Stark have bought into WAR over baseball common sense. These guys know the game. They know history. They respect history. But for some reason, they're dissing history in their analysis this season. Why?
Is it because Mike Trout is a rookie? That shouldn't matter. Is it because Mike Trout is a highlight reel in center field robbing home runs. That shouldn't matter. (Note: Austin Jackson's fielding pct is better than Trout's). Is it because Mike Trout is the All-American white boy phenom? That shouldn't matter.
What should matter is common sense. If Derek Jeter had Miguel Cabrera's stat line I can guarantee you he would have Rosenthal's and Stark's votes. Jeter should because that would make common sense. Miguel Cabrera deserves that same common sense.
Mike Trout isn't the villain here. Some baseball writers are. They're fudging numbers and blurring lines over facts. It's like a smear campaign by a politician. Shame on them.
