2013 MLB All-Star Game Odds, Free Picks and Predictions: All-Star Game MVP Favorites and Sleepers

2013 MLB All-Star Game Odds, Free Picks and Predictions: All-Star Game MVP Favorites and Sleepers: Tuesday night in New York, the top players in baseball will take the field for the 2013 MLB All-Star Game. While the ultimate prize up for grabs is home-field advantage in the World Series for the winning league, the top individual honor is the All-Star Game MVP. With the game often being as much of a show as a competition and managers putting emphasis on getting every player into the game, the MVP can often be won with one timely hit or other key play. As a result, only two players have ever won the award while playing for the losing team and only four players have ever won the award twice. With that in mind, here is a look at a few players that may have the inside track on being named the 2013 MLB All-Star Game MVP.

The Favorites

In terms of all-around impact on the game, few players can match the contributions of Los Angeles’ Mike Trout. A couple of steals, a home run and a highlight-reel catch or two in the outfield qualify as a routine day at the office for the young star. Plain and simple, his true five-tool ability gives Trout a great chance to make the type of game-changing play that could earn him MVP honors.

The two have been putting on an offensive show all season, and Baltimore’s Chris Davis and Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera could both slug their way to an All-Star Game MVP Award Tuesday. After all, they just became the first two players in MLB history with at least 30 homers and at least 90 RBIs by the break. Not to mention the fact that Davis leads the majors with 37 homers while Cabrera leads the majors with a .365 average. Either player is capable of delivering a big hit or two that propels the AL to a win.

.He might be the most patient and disciplined hitter in the game today, and Cincinnati’s Joey Votto currently leads the majors in walks and is second in on-base percentage. While the Reds’ inability to put runners on base in front of him has hindered his all-around production, being in the middle of a lineup full of All-Stars should improve Votto’s odds of getting to bat with runners on base. If he comes up with a couple of run-producing hits in a victory, the former NL MVP could add an All-Star Game MVP to his resume.

The Dark Horses

He is having a career year for a St. Louis team with the best record in the National League, and catcher Yadier Molina currently leads the NL with a .341 batting average. More importantly, he has had a knack for delivering big hits in big spots, and he could certainly have some RBI opportunities hitting sixth in the lineup. He is also an excellent defensive catcher, and if Molina guns down an base runner or two and drives in some big runs, he could walk away with All-Star MVP honors.

While he might be the most unheralded of the AL starters, shortstop J.J. Hardy from Baltimore has plenty of power and has 16 homers already to show for it. He is also batting ninth in a loaded America League lineup, and if the NL pitchers decide to pitch around the likes of Miguel Cabrera, David Ortiz and Joe Mauer, Hardy could definitely make them pay. A tone-setting three-run homer or something similar could be more than enough to catapult Hardy to MVP honors.

Sleeper Special

The MLB All-Star Game MVP has been handed out since 1962, and during the span only six pitchers have earned the honor. Pedro Martinez is the most recent pitcher to accomplish the feat, taking home the award in 1999 thanks in part to striking out the side in the first and recording the first five outs of the game via strikeouts. Well, NL starter Matt Harvey can reach triple digits on the radar gun and has the nasty stuff to make a similar statement to open the game. Not to mention the fact that Mets’ ace is sure to have the crowd on his side with the game being held in Citi Field. New York had Harvey skip a regular-season start just to be ready to start the All-Star Game so the youngster should be more than ready to go Tuesday night. If Harvey sets the tone on the mound and the NL wins the game, he could take home MVP honors.

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