Mike Trout And Andrew McCutchen Are Running Away With The MVP Awards

Baseball is witnessing a shift in star power to a new generation of younger players. With guys like Chipper Jones, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Ichiro Suzuki, Todd Helton, and Paul Konerko in their late 30's and early 40's, younger players are beginning to take over the game. Obviously, we aren't going to the extreme of saying "out with the old and in with the new", but we are definitely watching a transition of power to players like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Andrew McCutchen, Adam Jones, Mark Trumbo, and Giancarlo Stanton. 

The change of baseball's star power to its youth is cementing itself this season, as two of baseball's youngest guns, Mike Trout and Andrew McCutchen, are clear cut favorites for the major league MVP awards.

Mike Trout has turned the Angels around from a 6-14 start to a team that is sitting with the 3rd best record in the American League at 53-44. Andrew McCutchen is leading a Pirates team that is in position to make the postseason for the first time in franchise history since 1992. Not bad for a bunch of 20 year old kids.

Before we even look at Trout's incredible numbers and his unique 5-tool ability to be able to hit for average, hit for power, steal bases, field, and throw, it is important to look at Trout's impact on the Angels as a whole. The MVP goes to the player that is Most Valuable to his team, and since Trout was called up from triple-A, the Angels have done a complete 360.

The Halos, who were one of the favorites to win the World Series after they signed both Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson in the off-season, looked out of sorts in their first 20 games. Pujols, a 3-time MVP and 2-time World Series Champion, had a dismal start to the season and looked uncomfortable in Los Angeles with his new team. Before Mike Trout began to play every day on May 8th, Pujols was batting a woeful .197 with a .236 on-base percentage and he had just 1 home run through 29 games.

Since Trout came up to the big leagues, the Angels have looked like a different ball club, and Pujols has finally looked like the guy who signed a 254 million dollar contract with the team this off-season. Although it is rare to see, the 20-year old Trout has taken the pressure off of the 32-year old Pujols. With his .412 on-base percentage, which is the 3rd best in the AL, Trout has allowed Albert to hit with runners in scoring position, and he has relieved a ton of stress off of the 9-time All-Star's back, as Pujols no longer has to be the guy night after night for the Halos. In 67 games since May 8th, Pujols is batting .318 and has 17 home runs and 52 RBI's, to go along with a .391 on-base percentage.

Trout, who is so smooth that it is difficult to find a weakness when he is at the plate, has taken the American League by storm. The center fielder, whose .357 batting average leads the American League by 25 points over Joe Mauer, can hit any pitch against any pitcher during any count. Despite nearly missing the entire first month of baseball, Trout leads the MLB with 71 runs scored and is in the top 5 in both slugging and on-base plus slugging percentage.

People are so impressed with Trout's play because he can truly do it all. His 31 stolen bases lead the major leagues and his glove work has been so impressive, as evidenced by his incredible leaping catch against the Orioles to rob a J.J. Hardy home run earlier this season.

Mike Trout showing off his jumping ability by making one of the best plays of the year.

Prince Fish, as he is also called, is fortunate that no one else in the AL is having a monster season. Josh Hamilton, who began the first two months of the year with 21 home runs, 57 RBI's, and a .368 batting average, has cooled off dramatically since his first 47 games and is batting just .204 since the start of June. Miguel Cabrera, who is having another solid year with a .330 batting average and 23 home runs to go along with 79 RBI's, is the biggest contender to Trout's MVP chances.

Trout is likely going to be a landslide winner for the AL Rookie of the Year Award, so if he is able to walk away with the AL MVP, he would join Fred Lynn (1975) and Ichiro (2001) as just the third player to ever win the two awards in the same season. He would also be the youngest player to ever win the MVP, and the 3rd ever Angel to win the award joining Vladimir Guerreo (2004) and Don Baylor (1979).

Unlike Trout, who has taken a talented team and revitalized them with his spectacular play, Andrew McCutchen has put the Pirates on his back and brought them into playoff contention.

Although the Pirates are a solid team with a quality pitching staff led by James McDonald, A.J. Burnett, and Joel Hanrahan at the back end of the bullpen, they are no where near a 54-41 team without McCutchen. He was the main reason that the Bucs entered the All-Star break in first place of the NL Central for the first time in 15 years since 1997.

Aside from McCutchen, Neil Walker is the only every day Pirate player that is batting above .265, and the fact that the Pirates don't have a lot of good hitters around McCutchen makes it even more impressive to see what the young outfielder is doing this season. To put in perspective how heavily the Bucs relay on the 2-time All-Star, Andrew leads the team in runs, hits, batting average, triples, home runs, runs batted in, total bases, extra base hits, stolen bases, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and on-base plus slugging percentage.

McCutchen leads the league with a .373 batting average, which is on pace to become the best average in a single season since Tony Gwynn hit .394 in 1994 with the San Diego Padres. Clutch, as he is often called, also leads the MLB with a .642 slugging percentage and a 1.071 OPS.

McCutchen has solidified his hold on the MVP award with his ability to keep the Pirates in playoff position. In the Buccos last 31 games since June 16 the team is 22-9, and in this span McCutchen is batting .464 with a 1.330 OPS and he had a 6 games stretch where he hit 6 home runs in the middle of July.

Like Trout, McCutchen doesn't have too much competition for the MVP award. The player that looked like he would pose the biggest threat to McCutchen's chances of becoming the first Pirate to win MVP since Barry Bonds in 1992 was Joey Votto. However, the Reds slugger had to be sidelined earlier this month due to knee surgery and he will be out for at least a month.

It would be very historic if McCutchen won the MVP award. He would be the 2nd youngest player to win the NL MVP award in the last 27 years since 1985. Clutch would join Pirate greats Paul Waner, Dick Groat, Roberto Clemente, Dave Parker, Willie Stargell, and Barry Bonds as an NL MVP award winner.

McCutchen has shown he can do anything on a baseball field. Can he give an MVP speech though? At this rate, we will get a chance to see.

Olympic Soccer Means A Lot To Brazil

Although fans from Italy, Spain, Germany, and Argentina may disagree, Brazil is the most storied and successful international football team of all-time. With their quick and deceptive foot-skills, the Brazilians have been a powerhouse in international football for decades, as their 5 World Cups are more than any other nation.

Despite the fact that Brazil has historically been the most feared and dominate international football team, their results have not been great in recent years.

The Brazilians lost to France in the quarterfinals of the 2006 World Cup and fell once again in the same round in South Africa to the Dutch with former captain Dunga at the helm. Under current boss Mano Menezes, the green and yellow have not feared much better, as the side lost in the quarterfinals of the 2011 Copa America to Paraguay (their earliest exit from the tournament since 2001).

Brazil's poor results have led to mounting pressure on the team to perform well in the Olympics, especially with the upcoming 2014 World Cup taking place in their home country. Although the Brazilians are dying to take home gold in the Olympics, as it is the only international football tournament that they have never won, the Olympics are even more crucial for the green and yellow because of the huge competition that will be taking place in their country in two years time.

Due to the fact that players under the age of 23 except for three over age exceptions are the only ones that are allowed to participate in Olympic soccer, the competition is not often seen as all too significant. Since most national teams don't rely on too many younger players for their senior squad, the Olympics may not look like a huge barometer for the progress of a national team.

For example, aside from left back Jordi Alba, Spain's entire Euro 2012 championship team will be over the age of 23 by the end of this calendar year. Also, just two players on Uruguay's 2011 Copa America championship team were under the age of 23 at the time of the competition.

But things are much different when you look at Brazil, as the national team is undergoing a youth movement. Brazil has made a transition from the days of Ronaldinho to what the future holds for younger stars like Neymar.

Brazil's 2010 World Cup roster was highly criticized for not including enough youth and quickness. Dunga's squad of players such as Juan, Gilberto Melo, Felipe Melo, Gilberto Silva, and Luis Fabiano has been completely changed in favor of younger talent such as Rafael, Marcelo, Sandro, Lucas Moura, Oscar, Ganso, Hulk, Neymar, Alexandre Pato, and Leandro Damiao.

It is almost unfathomable to think that Brazil can have so much talent that is so young in age. European clubs are dying for all of these young Brazilian stars, which shows how much talent these youngsters possess.

Manchester United is strongly interested in 19-year old midfielder Lucas Moura, as the Red Devils are willing to pay his club Sao Paulo 30 million euros for his services. Attacking midfielder and classic number 10 Oscar, who is just 20 years old, is being linked to Chelsea in a 25 million euro transfer from Internacional. Brazilian winger Hulk has been linked to a move to Chelsea for over a year for a transfer fee around 40 to 50 million euros. Leandro Damiao, a talented striker for Brazil, has been a target of Tottenham, who are willing to give Internacional about 15 million euros for the 22 year old. Finally, if a team were to try and swoop Neymar, who Pele has said is better than Lionel Messi, they would have to offer around 70 to 80 million euros for the gifted striker.

Since most of Brazil's Olympic squad is going to be competing in the 2014 World Cup, it is vital that they take home gold in the competition. Considering that their talent level is head and heals ahead of the other teams in the competition, anything less then a gold medal will be a complete failure.

Not that Brazil need any help, but their group looks pretty promising, as they should have no trouble with Egypt, Belarus, and New Zealand.

But the competition will not be a cakewalk for the green and yellow. If there are no major upsets, the Brazilians will likely meet Great Britain or Uruguay in the semifinals and then square off against Spain, which won the 2011 U-21 European Championship, in the finals.

Although Britain's senior squad has been disappointing for decades, their Olympic roster actually looks quite strong and they will also have the added boost of playing in their home country. With a strong midfield with Aaron Ramsey and Tom Cleverley and speed on the wings and up front with Scott Sinclair and Daniel Sturridge, the question for the British will be how their back line holds up.

Uruguay's squad, which qualified for the Olympics by edging out Argentina in the 2011 South American Youth Championship, is dangerous as well. Their outstanding striker duo of Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez will be a threat for every team they take on.

Finally, Spain are a difficult opponent in any football competition that they are in. Their three over age players, Javi Martinez, Juan Mata, and Adrian Lopez, will likely provide support for their talented squad including midfielders Isco and Oriol Romeu as well as talented winger from Athletic Bilbao Iker Muniain.

After silver medals in 1984 and 1988 and bronze medals in 1996 and 2008, Brazil look poised to finally capture the elusive Olympic soccer gold. Anything less than a victory will likely cause Mano Menezes his job, especially considering how good this Brazilian Olympic team should be.