5 Reasons Why Baltimore Orioles’ Chris Davis Doesn’t Deserve the 2013 AL MVP
Five Reasons Why Chris Davis Shouldn't Win 2013 AL MVP
Every year around this time, MVP race discussions really begin to heat up, and various MLB stars get compared statistically to determine who is worthy of the award.
This year, there are several players that could receive this honor. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on the AL MVP only. In the AL, there is no shortage of names that are worthy of the award. Some of the most notable candidates with a shot at winning are Miguel Cabrera, Josh Donaldson, Mike Trout and of course, Chris Davis.
In all likelihood, the race will probably come down to Cabrera and Davis, as both have had monster seasons. Trout is an interesting player in the mix, but with the extremely disappointing season that the Los Angeles Angels are having, he will probably be left behind.
With all of that said, here are five reasons why I believe Davis will ultimately fall short of winning AL MVP, losing out to Cabrera. If you disagree with any of the points that I am about to make or would like to comment on anything contained within the slideshow, please feel free to share your thoughts in the “comments” section below. I will start by discussing Davis’ season batting average and why it should hold him back from winning the MVP award.
5. Unimpressive Batting Average
One major flaw that could cost Davis in the MVP race is his batting average. As of right now, he is batting at a decent .286 clip. While this is not a bad average by any means, it is not MVP-caliber. This is especially true when you consider that most of his competitors are batting well over .300 at the present time.
4. He Could Be Considered A One-Trick Pony To Voters
Another thing that might hurt him is that he could be thought of as a one-trick pony. In other words, he may be viewed as a pure home run hitter with little else to bring to the table. He does not steal bases, plays first base and lacks plate discipline, striking out nearly 200 times this year. All of these factors could hurt him in the MVP voting.
3. Minimal Fielding Role
Although it may not sound like much of a problem, the defensive position that Davis plays could be a big knock against him in the MVP voting. The fact that he plays first base means he has to do very little in the field on a daily basis. Compare that to his competitors, the majority of whom play either the hot corner or the outfield, and he does less defensively.
2. He Plays For A Non-Playoff Team
Another important thing to consider is the team that Davis plays for. Given the fact that he plays for a team that will not make the playoffs this year in the Baltimore Orioles, it is hard to imagine that he will be voted the Most Valuable Player in the entire American League. The MVP almost always goes to a player on a contending team, which puts a major dent in his chances.
1. Miguel Cabrera
Although this isn’t necessarily a slight against Davis, Cabrera is a better player than he is and that was certainly the case in 2013. Cabrera has put up video game numbers this year. While Davis leads him in homers, Cabrera has a .350 BA and .446 OBP, both of which are higher than Davis'. Cabrera also strikes out half as much as Davis, which should hurt Davis in the voting.
