As the Major League Baseball All-Star break is upon us, there is plenty to look forward to as the second half of the season is ready to culminate. One thing that stands out to this point is the race for the American League MVP between Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera and Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis. Both players will represent the AL tomorrow night at the MLB All-Star Game at Citi Field. Cabrera is the reigning American League MVP as he has became the first player to win the Triple Crown since 1967 as he led the AL in home runs, batting average, and runs batted in. Cabrera hasn’t skipped a beat in 2013 as he leads the American League in batting average (.365), on-base percentage (.458), and runs batted in (95), while he is second in home runs (30), and slugging percentage (.674). The man that Cabrera is trailing in home runs and slugging percentage this season is Davis.
Where as Cabrera burst onto the Major League Baseball scene as a 20-year old phenom in 2003 that helped the Florida Marlins win the World Series, Davis is a guy that is just gaining stardom. Davis started with the Texas Rangers in 2008, but it was tough for him to crack that deep hitting lineup. A 2011 trade landed Davis with the Orioles and he has found himself as the team’s everyday first baseman.
In 2012, Davis hit a career high 33 home runs as he helped the Orioles reach the playoffs for the first time since 1997. This season Davis has taken his production to new heights as his 37 homers lead all of Major League Baseball. In Davis’ last four games he has gone yard to solidify himself as an elite power hitter.
If Cabrera and Davis keep up the pace that they are on, this will be a tough call for voters in the AL MVP race. Both players are playing on potential playoff teams. Entering the break, the Tigers are leading the AL Central while the Orioles are 4.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox in the AL East for first place and 1.5 behind the Rangers for the final AL Wild Card.
When Cabrera won the American League MVP last season, it took winning the Triple Crown to stave off Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout for the award. Cabrera would go on to lead the Tigers to the AL Pennant while Trout and the Angels watched the playoffs from home which also helped Cabrera’s case.
This season will be different as the Tigers and Orioles are not only playoff contenders, but each team also has a legitimate chance of winning the World Series.
With 37 home runs so far, Davis is on pace to be the Orioles single-season leader in home runs as he would pass Brady Anderson who hit 50 home runs in 1996. For Cabrera it is more of been there and done that as he has averaged 35 home runs, 123 runs batted in, and a .321 batting average for his 11-year MLB career. Both Davis and Cabrera have a ton of protection in their lineups as the Tigers and Orioles will both be well represented at the Midsummer Classic tomorrow night which makes it that much tougher for opposing pitchers to pitch around each of them.
Most people were impressed by the American League MVP race last season between Cabrera and Trout, but the battle in 2013 that is currently going on between Cabrera and Davis could blow that one out of the water.
Source:Baseball-reference.com
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