Nightengale: Cabrera easy MVP choice

Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

You are a moron who can't comprehend sabermetrics, let alone your iPad instructions, if you vote for Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera as the American League MVP winner.

You are a geek who would rather rely on computer printouts than actually watching games if you vote for Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout.

Please, my fellow voters of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, can't we all get along?

Yes, I believe there is one rational AL choice when voters are required to submit their MVP ballots after today's games.

His name is Miguel Cabrera.

There's no need for name-calling. But, honestly, I don't believe the race is close.

Never in my wildest dreams did I envision a need to justify an MVP award for a man who's poised to become the first player since the Boston Red Sox's Carl Yastrzemski in 1967 to win a Triple Crown, all while leading his team to the American League Central title.

Then again, who imagined a rookie season like Trout's?

Cabrera enters Wednesday leading the American League with 44 homers, 139 RBI and a .331 batting average. His 137 RBI, 203 hits, 40 doubles and 44 homers have been equaled by only Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

Trout, 21, produced one of the greatest rookie seasons in history, and no player at any age has scored 125 runs with 40 stolen bases and 30 homers.

Trout might be the only man standing who can ruin Cabrera's Triple Crown bid with his .325 batting average, but he can't stand in the way of his MVP award, not with the huge disparity down the stretch.

Take a peek since Aug. 1 heading into Tuesday:

Cabrera: .343 with 42 runs, 19 homers, 52 RBI, .411 on-base percentage, .676 slugging, 1.087 on-base plus slugging percentage.

Trout: .284 with 49 runs, 12 homers, 28 RBI, 17 stolen bases, .381 OBP, .500 slugging, .881 OPS.

If that's not enough, wrap your mind around one of the most integral aspects to be considered in MVP balloting:

A players' impact on his team.

It doesn't matter if Trout leads the world in WAR or peace, no player in the AL meant more to his team this year than Cabrera.

Trout, for you Wins Above Replacement aficionados, might have a higher total (10.3 to 7.1), but Cabrera actually has a higher percentage of his team total (33.5% to 27.2%), courtesy of colleague Paul White.

Cabrera led his team to a first-place finish in the AL Central, with the Tigers opening the playoffs Saturday at Comerica Park.

The Angels, despite an 83-57 run since Trout's April 28 call-up, will finish third in the AL West.

Take Trout away from the Angels this year, and Los Angeles still would have finished next-to-last, ahead of the Seattle Mariners.

Take Cabrera away from the Tigers, and they would have set up their golf tee times a month ago.

Before anyone gets cute, let's end the idea that it's inconsequential since the Angels have two more wins than the Tigers. The Red Sox had the same victory total as the St. Louis Cardinals last year, but we can't remember a soul apologizing for the Red Sox.

It's also time to stop with the defensive comparison. No one is arguing that Trout isn't a better defensive center fielder than Cabrera is a third baseman.

Remember that Cabrera is the one who moved to third base, after a five-year layoff, to make room for free agent Prince Fielder. Cabrera is hardly a Gold Glove nominee, but he has startled scouts with his adequacy.

So now we're going to penalize Cabrera for moving from first base?

Uh-uh. Doesn't work that way.

Trout is a wonderful story, a player who overcame a thyroid condition this spring that robbed him of 20pounds, and should be honored as the unanimous rookie of the year winner.

He just won't be the MVP.

Take a bow, Miguel Cabrera.