CLEVELAND, Ohio — When Aaron Judge was named American League MVP over Cal Raleigh in one of the closest votes in recent memory, it ignited a fierce debate about what truly constitutes “most valuable.” The Yankees slugger led the majors in nearly every important offensive category, but Seattle’s catcher made history with 60 home runs at baseball’s most demanding position.

For cleveland.com’s Paul Hoynes, one of 13 baseball writers who placed Raleigh first on their ballots, the decision came down to recognizing a season we may never see again.

“I voted for Raleigh first and Judge second,” Hoynes revealed on the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast. “I just think Raleigh’s year was an exceptional year. I know Judge blew him out of the water in almost every statistical category. But when you have

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