(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

I am hating writing this. But Miguel Cabrera is the American League's Most Valuable Player. Here's his line:

.343 avg, 27 HR, 82 RBI, .407 OBP, .986 OPS

Let's eliminate some other candidates!

*Joe Mauer—sorry Joe, you missed a month. That cost Carlos Quentin the award last year, so the same standard should be applied to you.

*Justin Morneau—slumping much? You're one of my favorite players, but a .250 average since the All-Star break? You've hurt your chances for a second MVP award.

*Mark Teixeira—Let's see Marky Mark, you couldn't bat when A-Rod was out of the lineup. Thus, A-Rod seems to be the valuable one on the team. Don't pull this "slow start" b.s. with me.

*Evan Longoria—you're not even in the race in my books. A .269 average? You admitted yourself you're not hitting as well as before because teams are starting to scout you.

*Derek Jeter—sorry DJ, but you're not even the best shortstop in the league (see Jason Bartlett).

*Kevin Youkilis—besides the fact that you like to attack people ten years your minor, you've also missed time due to injury and suspension. Also, Jason Bay, Victor Martinez, Mike Lowell, etc. seem like pretty good protection to me.

Onto why Cabrera is the most valuable player to his team in baseball:

1. Look at the lineup he has around him:

1. Curtis Granderson: .256 avg
2. Placido Polanco: .320 OBP
3. Magglio Ordonez: .393 SLG
4. Miguel Cabrera
5. Marcus Thames: .248 avg
6. Ryan Raburn: .275 avg
7. Brandon Inge: .238 avg
8. Gerald Laird: .221 avg
9. Adam Everett: .239 avg

How the hell is this team above .500? Miguel Cabrera. He has been the one consistent bat in the Tigers lineup. Magglio Ordonez went missing for most of the year and is slugging below the .400 mark. Marcus Thames is not adequate protection. Nobody else on the team knows how to get on base consistently.

I'm sorry, but all the aforementioned MVP candidates have protection. Cabrera does not. Absolutely none. It's astonishing that he has 82 RBI when the people around him have struggled.

2. Cabrera's from a team in playoff contention, thus he deserves consideration.

Ah, a raging debate on Bleacher Report. But any who, he satisfies the requirement that his team "must be in playoff contention." The Tigers will more than likely make the playoffs, and they can thank Miggy for that.

3. Cabrera is just as good as Teixeira defensively.

Yea, that's right, I said it. Cabrera is an absolute stud playing first base. Back me up sabermetricians! I don't know how they work, but I bet they say Cabrera is just as good or better than Teixeira at first.

Cabrera plays in Detroit, though, so he doesn't get the everyday media coverage that Teixeira does. Cabrera is underrated in all aspects of the game, as proven by his clear All-Star snubbery.

No player has been more valuable to their team in 2009 than Miguel Cabrera. He is already being unfairly snubbed from even consideration for the award. Everyone likes to imagine where a team would be without a star player. Detroit would be below .500 had it not been for Miguel Cabrera.

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