MVP Race

Before I preach about MVP candidates I'll let you know about the Silver Slugger Awards and the Gold Glove Awards.

2012 AL & NL Silver Slugger Awards :
C: Pierzynski , Posey
1B: Fielder , Laroche
2B: Cano , Hill
3B: Cabrera , Headley

SS: Jeter , Desmond
OF: Trout/Willingham/Hamilton , Braun/Mccutchen/Bruce
DH: Butler
P: Strasburg

2012 AL & NL Gold Glove Awards Awards

C: Wieters, Molina 

1B: Teixeira, LaRoche

2B: Cano, Barney 

3B: Beltre, Headly 

SS: Hardy, Rollins 

LF: Gordon, Gonzalez

CF: Jones, McCutchen 

RF: Reddick, Heyward

P: Hellickson/Peavy, Buehrle 

All players were deserving, but Mike Trout was absolutely robbed for the Gold Glove for center fielders.

Okay speaking of Trout, should he or Miguel Cabrera win the MVP award. Lets break this down into a few categories: at the plate, on the bases, in the field, value to team and overall value. 

Let the best man win. 

At the Plate

At the plate Miguel Cabrera wins hands down. He had a .330 batting average, .393 on base percentage, .606 slugging percentage, 44 home runs, 139 runs batted in, and 109 runs scored.  

Mike Trout at the plate wasn't far off from Cabrera, but he did not win the triple crown. He had a .326 batting average, .399 on base percentage, .564 slugging percentage, 30 home runs, 83 runs batted in, and 129 runs scored 

As you can see Miguel Cabrera was either better or really close to Trout in all the categories. Cabrera wins this category.

On the Bases

I don't even know why i'm writing this. Mike Trout is a fantastic base runner and Miguel Cabrera is not, never was, or never will be a good base runner. Trout had 49 stolen bases and 8 triples. Cabrera had 4 stolen bases and 0 triples.  

Guess who won this category, Trout. 

In the Field

Miguel Cabrera moved from first base to third base this season which isn't easy to do. In 2012 he was a below average third baseman. He ranked 17/30 among third basemen in defense. He made 13 errors and had a .966 fielding percentage. His defensive runs saved was -4. meaning he cost the Tigers 4 runs. 

Mike Trout made highlight reels every night. He had a .988 fielding percentage and made just 4 errors. In the runs saved department, Trout saved 21 runs. 21 runs can be the difference between a win and a loss in 21 games. Out of center fielders he ranked 1/30. 

Mike Trout wins in this category. 

Value to Team

Mike Trout's combination of speed, power, and defense puts him in his own category. He is a five tool player. Holding down center field with Hunter in right and covering ground for the unsteady left fielder Mark Trumbo, Trout's defense is a huge asset to the Angels. Trout also grounded into a  double play just 7 times the entire season. He doesn't kill rallies, he makes them. He turned a single or a double into a double or a triple 49 times by stealing bases. 

The Tigers obviously had to sacrifice some defense to have the best 3-4 combo in baseball with Cabrera-Fielder, but with another defensive nightmare at short stop Cabrera's poor defense is magnified. Cabrera also grounded into a double play 28 times and that led all of baseball in the category. He stole just 4 bases so he didn't create rallies on the bases, he killed them 28 times. He did make up for them by hitting 44 homers and driving in 139, but he could done even more damage, because he had the chance. 

People argue that the Tigers made it to the playoffs and the Angels did not. I'll inform you that Miguel Cabrera had nothing to do with the White Sox falling apart at the end of the season. In fact the Angels actually won 1 more game than the Tigers did! If the Angels were in the central division they would have won the division. 

This category goes to Trout. 

Overall Value

Miguel Cabrera is a veteran, a World Series champion, a leader and boy could he hit. He is the type of player you want on you team. Mike Trout is a rookie you don't have a large sample size of what he could do. 

Miguel Cabrera won the triple crown. A feat that is so rare in baseball it is the first time since 1967. The Overall value of the historical circumstance is huge. 

This category goes to Miguel Cabrera. 

Conclusion

Trout won 3 out of the 5 categories so that means he should win the MVP. With an additional fact that Trout faced better pitchers more often in the AL West it just adds onto his case. I used the word should, because this is a special case. The historical circumstances overwhelm the other circumstances. There have been times where the triple crown winner did not win the MVP, that should not happen this year. I think Miguel Cabrera should win the MVP award because he has accomplished something that few have ever accomplished.