MLS MVP — Deciding factors: Voting will be determined by how voters interpret award

Each year about this time, sports broadcasters and writers dissect in painstaking detail who they believe should win the Major League Baseball MVP award in both leagues. Should a designated hitter be eligible? What about a closer? And what if a high-profile player's team doesn't make the playoffs? Each question could spawn a half-hour discussion on ESPN's Baseball Tonight. Unfortunately, there's no clear-cut answer, which basically leaves the decision up to the discretion of the individual voters.

Without much fanfare, and on a significantly smaller scale, similar discussions are going on around Major League Soccer regarding who deserves to be the 2006 MVP. And just like baseball, an argument could be made for several different players.

Some believe the front-runner is D.C. United's Christian Gomez, while others say Real Salt Lake's Jeff Cunningham deserves the award. A handful of players, including Chivas' Ante Razov and Houston's Dwayne DeRosario, are also garnering some attention.

While all might be deserving based on a particular definition of what an MVP is, the uncertainty around the league should make for an exciting final weekend.

The MLS MVP is decided by three groups of voters — media, MLS players and MLS coaches/general managers — with each group getting 33.3 percent of the final vote.

Real Salt Lake midfielder Chris Klein says he believes RSL must qualify for the playoffs for Cunningham to be seriously considered.

"That would be my assessment," Klein said. "When we get there, he should definitely be considered, and he'd get my vote."

Both Gomez and Cunningham added another notch in their belt last weekend. While Cunningham assisted teammate Mehdi Ballouchy's equalizing goal against Houston, Gomez scored D.C. United's only goal in a 2-1 loss to New England.

Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, Cunningham sits atop the league in goals (16) and assists (11). Gomez is tied with Cunningham with 11 assists, while he's fourth in the league in goals with 12. It's worth noting that Cunningham does have four penalty kicks this year, and without them, he'd be tied with Gomez.

Last year, New England's Taylor Twellman won the award after finishing with a league-high 17 goals, the 10th time in 11 years the award went to an offensive-minded player. Kansas City keeper Tony Meola won the award in 2000.

Klein doesn't believe stats are the only thing that should impact the voting.

"To be considered for that award, I think you have to help your team get better, and (Jeff's) done that," Klein said. "But the playoffs would legitimize it."

Ironically, those who've followed RSL closely throughout the year don't necessarily even think Cunningham is the team MVP — including Cunningham.