Somebody mentioned this in a game thread a couple nights ago and I'm finally getting around to looking up some of the comparisons to why Bartlett and Zobrist should be considered MVP canidates this season. For two reasons you won't see WAR, BABIP, and any of the such in this post. First we all know that MVP is voted on mainly based on face value stats Avg, OBP, OPS, HR and two I don't know enough about all of the more technical stats so I'll leave the comparisons with those to someone who knows more about what they are talking about.

2009

Jason Bartlett

.336 BA

.391 OBP

.541 SLG

.932 OPS

11 HR

55 RBI

Ben Zobrist

.292 BA

.409 OBP 

.550 SLG

.959 OPS

19 HR

60 RBI

Justin Morneau

.302 BA

.385 OBP

.570 SLG

.955 OPS

28 HR

91 RBI

Joe Mauer

.365 BA

.434 OBP

.611 SLG

1.045 OPS

20 HR

66RBI

Miguel Cabrera

.329 BA

.397 BA

.552 SLG

.924 OPS

23 HR

67 RBI

Mark Teixera

.286 BA

.382 OBP

.560 SLG

.942 OPS

29 HR

83 RBI

Kevin Youkilis

.311 BA

.423 OBP

.564 SLG

.987 OPS

20 HR

66 RBI

Like with many MVP races it will come down to who ends up making the playoff's. It is supposed to be most valuable not best player. This could determine the actual winner as right now I would have Joe Mauer and Miguel Cabrera 1-2 on my list because Mauer has been hands down the best player, however Miguel Cabrera has had to carry the Detroit offense along with Inge all season and in the 2nd half pretty much has kept them in first by himself because Inge has fallen apart. That being said I think both Zobrist and Bartlett are in the middle of the hunt for MVP. If either guy can help carry the Rays into the playoff's we could have our first AL MVP from the organization.