THE AL MVP DEBATE HAS ALREADY BEGUN

It's only July, but discussions that happen in November are happening right now.  We don't need to wait another four months to determine just how much DJ LeMahieu has meant to the Yankees. He's been everything. He's done everything they have asked of him and more. So maybe he has two titles in his future....champion and Most Valuable Player?

I don't like to get ahead of myself but after listening to Alex Rodriguez give his take during the London Series I started to think about it a little. Then I read THIS opinion piece form the New York Daily News and started to embrace it. It's an interesting argument even if you don't buy into it.

There's no doubt that we will continue to hear Mike Trout's name for AL MVP. No one can deny the man is talented, he is the best player in baseball. Sabermetrics gurus drool when they look at his numbers. Even if you aren't into sabermetrics you still know his numbers are amazing. His name has been included in these debates for years now and he's won it twice, no big surprise there.

Numbers are important, the most valuable player in baseball is expected to have them. But as the New York Daily News pointed out "the Angels could just as well be in fifth place without Trout right now, but there is no way the Yankees would be in first place without LeMahieu."

So without taking anything away from Trout's accomplishments....should the winner of this be based on not just numbers, but also value and team success?

The Yankees have had an incredible run. This team has been rocked by the injury train  all season and lacked a dominant starting pitching staff but are still sitting pretty comfortably in first place. To get to that spot LeMahieu went from super utility man to everyday player who has been productive and played first, second and third base. He's been the consistent guy this team has needed.

It's true LeMahieu does not have the body of work the Trout does. But he does have the most two-out RBI's, highest average with runners in scoring position and tied for second with most multi-hit games in the majors. That's value to a division leading team that cannot be denied, or in the Yankees case replaced.

There's still a lot of baseball to go. Things can change, but right now when you look at LeMahieu's numbers and the Yankees success that definitely screams MVP. It's early....but it's cool to think about. No one has made the same impact on their team that LeMahieu has. Even if he isn't league MVP, he's definitely the Yankees MVP.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj