Angels’ Mike Trout second to Miguel Cabrera in AL MVP race, again

Mike Trout might be the best player in baseball. He might even win a most valuable player one of these years.

This was not the year, again. For the second consecutive season, Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera beat the Angels outfielder for the American League MVP award.

Cabrera became the first AL player to win in back-to-back years since Frank Thomas of the Chicago White Sox did so in 1993-94.

Cabrera got 22 first-place votes last year, 23 this year. Trout got six first-place votes last year, five this year.

Cabrera was voted first or second on all 30 ballots. Trout got 19 votes for second, three for third, and one each for fourth, fifth and seventh.

Cabrera won the triple crown last year, but his numbers arguably were better this year. He hit 44 home runs, same as last year. He drove in 137 runs, down from 139. But he raised his batting average from .330 to .348 and his OPS from .999 to 1.078, leading the majors in batting average, OPS and each of the components of OPS – on-base percentage and slugging percentage.

Trout, 22, batted .323 with 27 home runs and 33 stolen bases. He led the league in runs and walks.

Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles, who led the league with 53 home runs and 138 runs batted in, finished third. Josh Donaldson of the Oakland Athletics was fourth, with Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees fifth.

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