Top 5 - AL MVP Candidates

Here is how I currently see the race for AL MVP:

1. Joe Mauer - Twins
2. Derek Jeter - Yankees
3. David Ortiz - Red Sox
4. Jermaine Dye - White Sox
5. Manny Ramirez - Red Sox

That is how I see the race at this moment. This won't be the final post on the subject. Some quick notes on my ranking:

* Mauer is a catcher so not only is he been a monster offensively - he is also manning the most difficult position and doing it great (only 3 errors all season)
* Jeter may get the nod over Mauer because of the NY press (East Coast bias) and because some may vote for him as a "life-time achievement award" type deal.
* If Ortiz comes back and finishes with 50 HR - then he may get the award as a "make-up" for giving it to A-Rod last year. Don't tell me those thoughts aren't in the back of the voters heads.
* Dye is hurt because while he has been the MVP for the White Sox the second half of the season - Jim Thome was the MVP for the first half of the season.
* Carlos Guillen doesn't get the love because the pitching staff is the most important cog in the Tigers success.
* A very good case can be made that Johnny Damon has been more valuable to the Yankees this year than Jeter has been. I buy into this idea but realistically - Jeter is one of the top 3 front-runners for the award.