It is easy to make a case for either guy but lets not kid ourselves NDman, Trout had a better season simply because he is a better baseball player. Cabrera is a great hitter but seriously he is a terrible fielder and poor runner. Trout not only is a great hitter (at age 20!) but is a great Center fielder and leads the league in stolen bases! Despite not even being called up till May.
138 games
129 runs (leads league)
180 hits
26 2b
8 3b (3rd in league)
30 HR
49 sb vs 4 cs (leads league)
.324 avg (2nd)
.397 obp (2nd)
.561 slg (3rd)
169 OPS+ (1st)
10.7 WAR (1st by a long ways)
8.6 Offensive WAR (leads league)
2.1 Defensive WAR (7th in league)
136 Runs created (2nd)
I cant argue if people want to vote for Caberera but the idea that he deserves it because his team made the playoffs and the Angels didnt is tempered by the fact that the Angels have a better record than the Tigers. Cabrera doesnt deserve credit for the White Sox folding nor does Trout deserve demerits because the A's and Rangers didnt. Cabrera is a great hitter that had a great year but if Josh Hamilton doesnt get hurt and miss 15 games he probably doesnt win the Triple Crown and probably doesnt win MVP.
Listen I love Caberera and have been a fan for a longtime as the recent redboard post can attest to. The guy is on a level with Pujols and Manny as the best right handed hitters that I have seen. But Trout's season has been just stunning. He is like a guy you create in a videogame.
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