A-Rod, Wright emerge as leading MVP candidates

David Wright has batted .366 with 12 stolen bases since the All-Star break. AP

MVP Times Two MVPs in same metro area in same year Year American League National League 2002 Tejada, Oakland, SS Bonds, San Francisco, OF 2000 Giambi, Oakland, 1B Kent, San Francisco, 2B 1959 Fox, Chicago, 2B Banks, Chicago, SS 1956 Mantle, New York, OF Newcombe Brooklyn, P 1955 Berra, New York, C Campanella Brooklyn, C 1954 Berra, New York, C Mays, New York, OF 1951 Berra, New York, C Campanella, Brooklyn, C 1936 Gehrig, New York, 1B Hubbell, New York, P 1932 Foxx, Philadelphia, 1B Klein, Philadelphia, OF

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For the first time in 52 years and only the third time in baseball history, both league MVPs may play the same position in the same city.

Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has a hammerlock on his third American League MVP award. Let's face facts: This is one race that's already over. A-Rod probably would have to finish the season 0-for-100 (or thereabouts) to not win it.

Meanwhile, Mets third baseman David Wright is quickly gaining steam in a wide-open NL derby, thanks to go-ahead homers in back-to-back games to put the Queens team back in a commanding position in the playoff picture -- not to mention fine across-the-board numbers, a superb all-around game and a leadership role on the NL's best team. If the vote were held today, he'd get my support in a narrow call over Brewers slugger Prince Fielder and Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins -- though, of course, a lot can still happen.

Anyway, it's surely no stretch to think Rodriguez and Wright could repeat the same-city, same-position MVP feat previously accomplished only by Yogi Berra and Roy Campanella twice in the 1950s. Berra and Campanella, catchers for the Yankees and Dodgers, both won MVPs in 1951 and '55.

It's often imprudent to call an MVP race in early September, but while the Tigers' Magglio Ordonez and the Mariners' Ichiro are having superb seasons in the AL, there's no realistic reason to think someone other than A-Rod could or should win the award. He has 45 homers and on Monday notched his 130th RBI (the same as Mickey Mantle in his Triple Crown season of 1956). Plus, he has been terrific in the clutch and in the field in a season where the pressure of his contractual situation and last year's oft-dissected failures increased his burden.

Meanwhile, playing across town without the same microscope (not to mention anything approaching the same sort of fanfare), Wright has worked his way toward the top of a very crowded field by playing an exemplary all-around game (he's now hitting .320 with 26 homers, 91 RBIs, 94 runs and 30 stolen bases) and by heating up as things got hotter. Wright went from .244 at the end of April to .271 by the end of May, then kept going up, month by month, to .288, .300 and .319 through August.

While a few VORP devotees and other statistical mavens may support Hanley Ramirez, in my estimation Wright's main competition should come from the Brewers' Fielder and Ryan Braun, the Phillies' Rollins and Chase Utley, the Rockies' Matt Holliday, the Dodgers' Russell Martin and Wright's teammate Jose Reyes. But as of today, of all those players, only Wright and Reyes would be in the playoffs, something else that could put Wright over the top.

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