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MLB: 5 Leading Candidates for World Series MVP

By Brad Rowland

General view of the MLB Postseason logo in the dugout prior to the 2014 American League Wild Card playoff baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Oakland Athletics at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
General view of the MLB Postseason logo in the dugout prior to the 2014 American League Wild Card playoff baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Oakland Athletics at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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Kansas City Royals left fielder Alex Gordon (4) catches a line drive hit by Baltimore Orioles first baseman Steve Pearce (not pictured) during the third inning in game four of the 2014 ALCS playoff baseball game at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Kansas City Royals left fielder Alex Gordon (4) catches a line drive hit by Baltimore Orioles first baseman Steve Pearce (not pictured) during the third inning in game four of the 2014 ALCS playoff baseball game at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports /

Alex Gordon

Gordon was a fringe American League MVP candidate for much of the season, operating as the “heart and soul” of a Royals team that needed exceptional defense and pitching to reach this point. As a result, Gordon is listed as the leading World Series MVP candidate by Bovada at 10-to-1, and when compiling every contribution over the 162-game regular season and expanding postseason sample, Alex Gordon has been Kansas City’s MVP this season.

Still, he will likely need to make things happen with the bat in order garner real discussion in this particular category, unless, of course, he makes some absurd defensive contributions. The left fielder does have a .844 OPS in the playoffs, but with only one home run and four extra-base hits, he will need vast improvements to generate votes, especially with some of the electorate stuck in the “old way” of traditional hitting metrics.

Gordon is the best position player on the Royals, but on a team that is based heavily on other factors, that may not matter much in this spot.

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