LATB Poll: Should Pitchers Be Ineligible to Win the MVP Award?

Happy Labor Day, everyone!

Now that we have come to the unofficial end of summer, the end of baseball's regular season is in sight. It won't be too long before the playoffs and the subsequent postseason awards.

With the season Detroit's Justin Verlander is having, he is an absolute lock for the American League Cy Young Award.

In fact, he has pitched so well this year that there is talk of him being considered for the league's MVP award.

I can't watch a sports show on TV or listen to one on the radio without seeing or hearing baseball "analysts" debate this issue.

People on both sides of the debate make sense. Those against it say pitchers have their own award and they are not everyday players. Those in favor argue that the Tigers are well over .500 in games Verlander pitches and only around .500 when he does not pitch.

They also point out that there is nothing in the BBWAA bylaws that says pitchers are not eligible for the award.

What do you think?

Verlander is not only baseball's first 20-game winner—he's thrown a no-hitter in 2011 and has taken a handful of no-nos into the fifth inning and beyond.

His .808 win percentage, 2.34 ERA, 21 wins, 6.215 hits per nine innings and 0.91 walks per nine are best in the American League and his 7.7 WAR is second in the AL only to Jose Bautista, tops among AL pitchers.

He also leads the AL with 224 strikeouts.

The latest LATB Poll asks the question: Should pitchers be ineligible to win the MVP award?

Vote now and let your voice be heard.

Also feel free to leave your comments about this debate below.