Yes A-Rod has some great stats. But, he carries baggage. First, he had a rather dismal year ( for A-Rod standards ) and was deemed a failure ( understand adjustments and all ), second he got off to a bad start this year, third he's a Yankee ( last time a Yakee won an MVP, especially without being an overhelming favorite ), and finally, MVP's are usually given to a player that, not only has great stats, but carried at team to playoffs or better. That will be a problem.