MLB Mid Season Awards: AL MVP (Not Named Miguel Cabrera of Chris Davis)—Dustin Pedroia.
If not for the great seasons of Cabrera and Davis (one of which will likely take home the MVP honors) Dustin Pedroia would have to get heavy consideration for the AL MVP.
The 5’ 8” second baseman from California is batting .316 with six homers and 56 RBIs. He also has an on-base percentage of .396.
Pedroia is literally doing everything you need someone in the top third of your lineup to do. He gets on base, drives in runs and hits for average.
Also, he makes contact, only striking out 49 times this year.
The 29-year old’s play is helping keep the Boston Red Sox atop the crowded AL East. The first four teams are only separated by six games. (Tampa Bay Rays— 55-41, Baltimore Orioles— 53-43, New York Yankees— 51-44.)
He may bat third in the lineup but Pedroia could technically bat anywhere. When leading off an inning he is hitting .403 with an on-base percentage of .486. When hitting with runners in scoring position he is hitting .307.
Now there are a couple arguments against Pedroia that I have taken into consideration. First, he only has six homers and a slugging percentage of .436.
While homeruns are great, they are not always needed to get the job done. He is still batting over .300 with men in scoring position which means he’s getting hits when it counts.
Second, pitchers probably throw him strikes since David Ortiz bats behind him.
This is true, but regardless of where you hit in the lineup you still have to perform. Also, Pedroia has put up great numbers before, so this is not an unusual situation.
The Red Sox second baseman seems to be on his way to batting .300 plus and driving in more than 100 RBIs—definitely an MVP caliber season.
*Stats according to ESPN.com
