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Adrian Gonzalez and Miguel Cabrera earn player of the week honors, MVP award in their futures?

By Josh Criswell

Sep 27, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) hits a single in the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 27, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) hits a single in the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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A pair of power hitting first basemen, Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers and Adrian Gonzalez of the Los Angeles Dodgers, stood out with an impressive opening week, and as a result they have been named the first players of the week for the 2015 season. 

Adrian Gonzalez has developed a reputation as one of Major League Baseball‘s premier power hitters, and as a result Los Angeles Dodgers fans naturally have high expectations for their star first baseman. Gonzalez has exceeded these expectations with ease, hitting a ridiculous 14-for-23 with five home runs through the first six games of the 2015 season.

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Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera shared an equally dominant start to the season. Although he did not match Gonzalez’s absurd home run total, the two-time MVP recorded a tremendous all-alround statistical performance last week. In addition to going 13-for-25 at the plate, Cabrera also recorded two home runs, two doubles, eight RBIs and four runs during the six game stretch.

Which player will be able to carry their impressive performance throughout the remainder of season, and enter the final stretch atop the MVP discussion?

Most likely both of them.

Cabrera and Gonzalez are a rare breed of power hitters that teams can build a franchise around. In addition to being home run threats anytime they step up to the plate, both players have a tremendous ability to hit for contact without sacrificing power.

Their combination of strength and ability to make contact should come as no surprise to anybody who has followed the pair’s careers. After all, Cabrera is the only man to win baseball’s elusive triple crown since Carl Yastrzemski did so in 1967. Though he may be three seasons removed from his triple crown year, Cabrera still managed to win his second American League MVP award the following year. He experienced a down year in 2014, if you can call it that, finishing the season with a .313 average, 25 home runs and 107 RBIs. He still led the league in doubles, not too bad for a “down year”.

Gonzalez has been a perennial force at the plate for several years as well, but he does not have quite the impressive resume of his Detroit counterpart. He is coming off of a season in which he posted a  career-low .276 batting average, not a bad season by any stretch. Hopefully for Dodgers fans, he continues to excel hitting the ball, especially for average. I do not see that being too large of an obstacle for the .292 career hitter.

If I had to choose one player as a more likely MVP candidate by the end of the year, I would have to chose Cabrera. That is not a knock on Gonzalez by any means, but Cabrera’s impressive, extensive and consistent resume make him my way-too-early MVP favorite.

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