Miguel Cabrera is closing in on baseball's first Triple Crown in 44 seasons. Most years, that would be more than enough to justify a vote for the AL Most Valuable Player award. But Mike Trout's phenomenal rookie season has made the MVP a two-horse race. We looked to history for guidance, and the last three Triple Crown winners -- Carl Yastrzemski (1967), Frank Robinson (1966) and Mickey Mantle (1956) -- all won the MVP. But Ted Williams' Triple Crown seasons weren't enough for MVP voters in 1947 or 1942, when the Yankees' Joe DiMaggio and Joe Gordon won the award, respectively. Should winning a Triple Crown be an all-but-automatic MVP? Or is it just one factor to consider?

• spartygreen44:"Trout is a great player, but was slumping for the most important 2 months of the season. His team needed him, but he couldn't deliver - does that sound like an MVP? Plus, pitchers have figured him out now - these are the same pitchers that have had 10 years to figure out Cabrera, and still haven't - 10 YEARS!! Miggy carried his team all year, and was clutch down the stretch - which is what an MVP is supposed to do."
• I_Like_Lamp:"This is why common sense is lacking with sooooo many people. The numbers don't lie. There is no way you can more than likely win the triple crown and not win the MVP. Trout is an amzing defender and batter and can steal a heap load of bases but with what Cabby has done this year is by far more special. What he has done at third base has far exceeded mine and everyone elses expectations. There is noone like Cabrera and never will be."
• Prague_2_Istanbul:"Mike Trout is the true MVP!!! Angels have a better record then Detroit and they are in the toughest division in baseball. Angels were in last place with one of the worst records in the majors when Mike Trout was called up."
• The Knowledge12:"Assuming, hypothetically, cabrerra doesn't get the triple crown. Not talking about who should win MVP, but if you're voting, does Trout get a bit of extra credit for doing it as a rookie, or does Miggy get a bit of an edge b/c trout has more future years to win an MVP?"
• goblue42452:"I find it puzzling that Trout is still being touted as a legitimate threat to Miguel Cabrera for the MVP. Check out how his second half is going. Cabrera is by FAR the more deserving player. No one has won the Triple Crown in 45 years, and it looks as though Miggy will win it. He carried the Tigers on his back, offensively, during the last couple of months (with some help from A.J and Prince). He's also played in all but one game this year for Tigers at a position he hasn't played in 6 years. Plus, he's done all this with the enthusiasm of a little leaguer. Nobody deserves the MVP more than Cabrera."
• Frank19872:"Trout gets it because he's a better all around player!"
• tehleetfan:"If Miggy gets the triple crown and Trout gets MVP over him it will be a travesty. A 30/50 season is great but a triple crown is even better imo. Go miggy and go Tigers."

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