In every sport, the age-old debate rages every year as to what Most Valuable Player awards really mean.

Should the MVP go to the best overall player? Many believe so. However, there are at least as many people who take 'most valuable' to mean the player who can least afford to be taken away from a given team. And in this latter scenario, team success always factors in.

Which is precisely why Barry Bonds -- a strong NL MVP candidate -- earlier this month said the Rangers' Alex Rodriguez probably won't win the award despite the fact he is probably the best player in the American League.

Now, the other side is speaking up. And it's not coming from who you might expect.

In a report published by the San Francisco Chronicle, two of Miguel Tejada's teammates said Rodriguez indeed deserves the award over their A's teammate.

"A-Rod's numbers are too far and above everyone else to overlook, I really do," A's third baseman Eric Chavez told the newspaper.

A's second baseman Randy Velarde -- who has played with both Tejada (from 1999- 2000 and again this season) and Rodriguez (in 2001) -- has given the subject much thought.

"Man, it's tough," Velarde said. "I understand the argument that it's not easy to vote for a guy on a last-place team, because how important is he if they're in last place? But people don't understand how difficult it is to play for a last-place club. I'm not trying to take anything away from Miguel, but I've been on both ends of the spectrum, and it's a lot easier to play for a good team because it's fun.

"What A-Rod is doing is being overlooked. He's the highest-paid player, and there's a lot of baggage that comes with that, but he's been the most consistent player out there the past five or six years. What's the definition of most valuable? He meets all the criteria, the only knock is that he plays for a last-place club. But he's holding up his 1/25th."