Miami Marlins' outfielder Giancarlo Stanton launched his 32nd home run of the season on Sunday afternoon, a bomb deep into the left field bleachers.  His 4 RBIs not only singlehandedly would have beaten the Diamondbacks, but it also gives him 88 on the season, already surpassing his previous career high.

The fact that Stanton has long been regarded as one of the best power hitters in the game makes it even more impressive that he has already set his career high with over 40 games remaining.

Is it possible for the outfielder formerly known as Mike to win the coveted MVP award?

Maybe, but one cannot forget that even though the Marlins are one of the bigger surprises in 2014, they are not expected to make the playoffs.  Right or wrong, MVP voters give the player's team's performance a lot of consideration when casting their selection.

In other words, if two players have very similar statistics, but Player A plays on a playoff-bound contender, and Player B's team is nowhere near the playoffs, Player A is going to win the award nine times out of ten. This author doesn't agree with that mindset, but that's just how it is.

However, if there is ever a year where there is not a clear-cut favorite for the award, it is now.

Think about it.  Andrew McCutchen has had a fantastic season, but he is currently on the 15-day Disabled List with a rib injury.  There is plenty of uncertainty regarding his return, and he isn't the only one.  Paul Goldschmidt and Troy Tulowitzki were both having tremendous years, but their respective seasons were both curtailed by season-ending injuries.  Jonathan Lucroy has been a vital part of the Brewers' turnaround, but he has cooled off considerably since the All-Star Break.

And then there's Stanton, who continues to rake. He leads the NL in home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage, and Wins Above Replacement (WAR). He is second in the NL in both on-base percentage and OPS, as well as third in runs scored. Stanton has showed no signs of stopping, either, hitting .292 with five home runs in the last 15 days.

Stanton also boasts phenomenal plate discipline for a power hitter of his acumen. He has struck out only 138 times to go along with 77 walks, a terrific ratio for a power hitter in this day and age.  He also boasts a .295 batting average and 10 stolen bases, outstanding numbers for a buff man who stands 6'6" and weighs 240 pounds.

Obviously, if McCutchen recovers from his injury without any setbacks and returns to his stellar self, he will probably be looking at back-to-back MVPs.  But if he doesn't, Stanton is very well-deserving of major consideration.  

He has been the best player in the National League in this writer's opinion, and how his team finishes the season should not take away from his wonderful 2014 season. 

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About the author
Heath Clary
I am a sports columnist and blogger. I mostly write about the MLB and college football, but I do a little of everything