AL MVP Race

July is upon us and the Midsummer Classic is just around the corner. With that in mind I thought it wasn't too early to start the AL MVP debate. While this award can certainly be won (or lost) in September when a player can swing the tide of the playoff race the groundwork for a complete resume is being laid now.

In the conversation

(AKA The 12 HR, 53 RBI guys)

10. Torii Hunter (LAA) - Despite losing bopper Kendry Morales to injury the Angels are once again in the thick of the AL West race and Hunter's calm and steady presence in the clubhouse, line-up and centerfield are a big part of that. Spiderman has won nine straight gold gloves and he leads the league in doubles (24).

9. Evan Longoria (TAM) - Longo is developing into a leader in his third season in Tampa and heads a good Rays club that is scrapping to stay with the surging Red Sox and loaded Yankees. Has a 3.2 WAR and plays a gold-glove hot corner behind the AL's best staff.

8. Adrian Beltre (BOS) - Brought to Boston to shore up the Sox infield defensively not only has Beltre put up good power numbers reminiscent of his Dodger days but he is also tied for second in the league with a whopping .349 batting average.

On the outside looking in

7. Kevin Youkilis (BOS) - Youk is a run-producing machine. He's scored a league-high 62 times and driven in 50. The first baseman leads the AL with 49 walks and his .416 OBP is second-best.

6. Paul Konerko (CHW) - Konerko is tied for the league-lead with 20 homer's and his 56 RBI's are fourth best. His White Sox are red-hot and in the middle of a heated AL central race.

5. Justin Morneau (MIN) - Has an MVP award on his mantle already, carrying a Minnesota offense that is dealing with down years from most of it's other big bats like Joe Mauer and Jason Kubel. His 5.1 WAR, .446 OBP and 1.063 OPS leads the league.

Leading the pack

4. Robinson Cano (NYY) - Leads the league with a .354 average and has been hitting for power, too (16 HR's and 54 RBI). Second in WAR (4.6) has just one error (.997 fielding percentage) and like Morneau, making up for sub-par years from A-Rod and Teixiera. 

3-2. Vladimir Guerrero/Josh Hamilton (TEX)

Vlad the Impaler has always hit well in Arlington (.385 career clip, .374 in 2010) so the move to the Rangers seemed like a smart one. But coming off an injury plagued 2009 campaign that limited him to 100 games. It seemed like Guerrero, the 2004 AL MVP, was certainly on the downward arc of his brilliant career.

That assumption - and the reality then when healthy he is still a force - has been hammered home to his old mates the last couple of nights. Last night Vlad hit a go-ahead grand slam in a 4-for-4, two bomb performance and is 68 RBI tie him for the league lead. He has 18 dingers and a .339 average. The big knock against him will be that he is primarily used as a DH.

Hamilton, like Vlad, had a DL-laden 2009 season. On the heels of his unbelievable comeback and breakout 2008, he too was a question mark. But Hamilton has exploded once again. The splits are eye-popping, .343/18/58, and he currently boasts the longest hitting streak in the bigs this year (23 games). He leads the AL in total bases and has yet to ground into a double play.

1. Miguel Cabrera (DET)

After his drunken incident in the midst of the biggest series of the season and the collapse that followed, Cabrera was on thin ice. And for about .23 seconds the Tigers thought about shipping him out of town. But after getting sober and re-focusing Miggy is once again doing what he's always done, flat-out rake.

Cabrera is tied for the AL lead in homers and RBI's and sports a lofty .337 average making him a dangerous threat for the triple crown. His .628 slugging percentage is tops in the league and he's second in runs scored and total bases.

But it's his meltdown at the end of last season and his subsequent gut check that has got him here and he's really put the Tigers on his back in 2010. Barring a triple crown feat, Detroit needs to make the playoffs for Tubbs to hold off some strong competition, but if they do edge out Minnesota and Chicago then Cabrera has the inside track to his first MVP trophy later this year.