Miguel Cabrera will likely win his second MVP. Like always, his offensive numbers are ridiculous. A .350 batting average, 43 HR, and 133 RBIs will usually earn you a couple of awards but the stats don’t stop there for “Miggy”.

His sabermetric stats aren’t bad either to say the least. So far this year, his RC (runs created) is the second highest in baseball at 133.1 and his BB/K (0.93) is actually decent considering the festival that pitchers have had this season. Only four other players have a better BB/K than Cabrera.

The only other player I see that could win the MVP besides Cabrera is Mike Trout of the Angels. His numbers are impressive as well and do at least as good as Cabrera in certain areas such as batting average (.337), RC (133.9) and WAR (8.4). Some fans will point out that Trout’s WAR is higher than Cabrera’s (6.9). Although I don’t think WAR is everything, it is something to keep in mind. Trout also has a great BB/PA (Walks per plate appearance).

Trout is a better fielder than Cabrera. He also runs the bases well as displayed by his 32 SB (stolen bases). But what seals the deal for me on Trout is his ability to put all his skills together. The stats and simple observation show Trout playing the game with versatility. Frankly, he has more tools than Cabrera. There is no doubt Cabrera is a great offensive player, Trout just happens to have a more fluid athletic quality and excellent skills in batting, base-running, and fielding. Cabrera is a great hitter put possesses average ability in fielding and base-running.

Hence, Mike Trout is my pick for the AL MVP award this year. However, don’t be surprised if Cabrera overshadows him with his batting average, HRs, and RBIs.