2014 MLB AL MVP Odds and Predictions: Favorites, Dark Horses and Sleepers

2014 MLB American League MVP Odds and Predictions: Favorites, Dark Horses and Sleepers: Although the Detroit Tigers haven’t won a World Series the past three years, they team has established a dynasty as far as the American League MVP Award is concerned. Slugger Miguel Cabrera has won the award in each of the past two seasons, and prior to Cabrera going back to back, the team’s ace Justin Verlander took home MVP honors in 2011. The Tigers became the first team since the New York Yankees to have three straight MVP winners, and the Yankees actually had four straight players receive the honor from 1960-1963. Detroit will try to join the list with an MVP four-peat in 2014, but the competition isn’t getting any easier. With that in mind, here is a closer look at the potential AL MVP candidates for the 2014 MLB season.

The Favorites

A year after winning the MVP Award and the Triple Crown, Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera won took home MVP honors for the second year in a row in 2013, winning a third straight batting title and finishing second in the AL in homers and RBIs. His combination of power and plate discipline is unmatched in the game right now, and as the main slugger for a Tigers’ team that figures to be a playoff contender yet again, Cabrera has a great shot to become the first player to three-peat as AL MVP.

If you believe in the Wins Above Replacement stat, no player has been more valuable the past two seasons than Los Angeles outfielder Mike Trout. However, Trout has been forced to settle for second in the MVP voting in each of his first two seasons in the majors. Still, there is little doubt that he is the best all-around player in the game displaying a rare combination of power, speed and efficiency. Keep in mind that his 162-game averages include a .315 average, 30 home runs, 95 RBIs, 124 runs and 41 steals. He also plays excellent defense. It is only a matter of time before he wins an MVP Award.

The Dark Horses

After showing signs of becoming a solid power hitter in 2012, Baltimore first baseman Chris Davis exploded last year leading the AL with 53 homers and 138 RBIs while hitting a career-best .286. Yes, there is some concern that his breakout year was more of a fluke than a sign of things to come since. However, Davis is in his prime, and his power has always been his most attractive asset. If he is able to approach or improve on those numbers in 2014, he will certainly be in the mix for MVP honors.

Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria burst on to the scene in 2008, winning Rookie of the Year honors and making the All-Star team. Since then, he has gone on to win a pair of Gold Gloves and has finished in the top 10 in the MVP voting three times in his last four full seasons. Along the way, Longoria has compiled 162-game averages that include 33 homers and 111 RBIs. The only weak point in his game is a batting average that hovers around .275. Still, Longoria is a proven run producer for a Tampa Bay team that doesn’t really have any other big bats in its lineup. If he can just improve his batting average a bit, Longoria can make a legit run at the MVP Award in 2014.

Sleeper Special

Although he tends to fly under the radar compared to baseball’s biggest stars, Texas’ Adrian Beltre has been putting up excellent numbers for a while now. Over the past four years, he has been an All-Star three teams, finished in the top 10 in the MVP voting three times and won a pair of gold gloves. He can basically be penciled in for a .300 average, 30 home runs and 100 RBIs, and with the Rangers’ offseason addition of Shin-Soo Choo and Prince Fielder, Beltre will have the leadoff man and protection needed to have an MVP-caliber season in 2014.

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