David Schoenfield, ESPN Senior Writer 10y

Giancarlo Stanton still has shot at MVP

Giancarlo Stanton leads the National League in both home runs and RBIs, both by sizable margins -- five more homers than Anthony Rizzo, who is currently out with a back injury (and nine more than the No. 3 guys, Justin Upton and Lucas Duda ), and nine more RBIs than Adrian Gonzalez.

Here's an interesting nugget from ESPN Stats & Info ... players who led the NL in home runs, RBIs and slugging percentage the past 40 years and whether they won the MVP Award:

2014: Giancarlo Stanton (?)

1995: Dante Bichette (no)

1993: Barry Bonds (yes)

1989: Kevin Mitchell (yes)

1986: Mike Schmidt (yes)

1981: Mike Schmidt (yes)

1980: Mike Schmidt (yes)

1977: George Foster (yes)

Bichette played in Colorado and finished second in the voting to Barry Larkin.

Does this mean there's a good chance for Stanton to win, even though momentum seems to be swinging in favor of Clayton Kershaw? Keep in mind that a pitcher hasn't won NL MVP honors since Bob Gibson in 1968.

Let's see if the same precedent holds true in the American League. AL leaders in home runs, RBIs and slugging, past 40 years:

2012: Miguel Cabrera (yes)

2007: Alex Rodriguez (yes)

1997: Ken Griffey Jr. (yes)

1995: Albert Belle (no)

1990: Cecil Fielder (no)

1988: Jose Canseco (yes)

1978: Jim Rice (yes)

Belle finished second to Mo Vaughn in a close vote (eight points) and Fielder finished second to Rickey Henderson in another fairly close vote (31 points).

I would say, based on this history, Stanton still has a chance at MVP honors. His biggest detriment, however, may not be Kershaw but the bias against players from non-playoff teams.

His best chance would seem to be to finish with a flourish, lap the field in homers and RBIs, have Kershaw throw a mediocre start or two and hope that a couple voters who are anti-pitcher leave Kershaw off or down the ballot (like with Pedro Martinez in 1999). If the two essentially split the first-place votes but Stanton is first or second on all the ballots, he could win the vote.

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