Wait. We're at the finish line already? How'd that happen? Wasn't it just Opening Day about five minutes ago?

I'm sure you all recall how I predicted back in April that Dioner Navarro and Juan Uribe would both bash three home runs in a game … that a Giants pitcher would throw 8 2/3 perfect innings -- and it would be Yusmeiro Petit … that Reid Brignac would play as many games for the Yankees as Derek Jeter … and that Cubs pitchers would hit as many home runs as Lance Berkman (six).

OK, so I forgot to predict any of that. But what the heck. Did I ever claim to be Nostradamus or something?

Well, one thing I've learned over the years is: It's always easier to look back than to look forward. So it's time once again to hand out my annual end-of-season awards in a ceremony that, as always, will not be hosted by Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Neil Patrick Harris or even Lenny Harris. Ready? The envelopes, please …

AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers

#24 3B

Detroit Tigers

2013 STATS

GM 146

HR44

RBI137

R103

OBP.440

AVG .345

Oh boy. Here we go again. A year ago, in this very space, I did my darndest to explain why Mike Trout deserved this award, even over a real, live Triple Crown winner. And it came down to this: Miguel Cabrera may have had an offensive season for the ages, but Trout was a better baseball player. So why, a year later, am I about to brand myself as an official flip-flop artist and argue for why Cabrera ought to be the MVP? Yeah, yeah. I'm aware this comes down to basically the same conversation. But the context isn't the same -- because not every season presents us with the same set of circumstances. Now maybe you don't see it that way. A lot of really smart people don't. And I'm not here to say they're wrong, because face it: There is no wrong answer here. I wrote just last week about the greatness of Mike Trout. So no need to lecture me on that front. But can we stop for a moment to admire the brilliance of the other guy in this debate? Would that be OK? Cool. Because here are Miguel Cabrera's numbers, as of Friday morning:

.345/.440/.637/1.077/44 HR

You know how many hitters have matched or beaten those numbers since World War II? Exactly three: Barry Bonds, Mickey Mantle and Larry (Yes, He Played at Coors) Walker. And if we include RBIs (with Cabrera at 137 as we speak), nobody else has done it. You know the last right-handed hitter to put up that slash line, with that many home runs? That would be Jimmie Foxx. In 1938. And the only other men who have ever matched or beaten those stats in any era are Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Hack Wilson. Period. So this just in: Miguel Cabrera isn't just a really good hitter having a really good year. He's one of the greatest hitters who ever dug into a batter's box. And he's having a historically insane year, even as he plays through a groin/abdomen injury that has sapped him of his thunder (.246 in September, with just two extra-base hits). So what this debate comes down to, one more time, is how we define "valuable."