"All it took were two sessions in a Texas batting cage last August to transform Curtis Granderson from Bronx bust to AL MVP candidate.

With five weeks remaining in the season, Granderson hasn't just worked his way into the MVP conversation, he's emerged as the favorite.

"With five weeks to go, I'd say he's the front-runner," one voter said. "But it's a very close race."

Granderson leads the league in runs, RBI, total bases, triples and extra-base hits, is second in home runs and slugging percentage and third in OPS. He also ranks in the top 12 in stolen bases, walks and on-base percentage, doing all of this while playing a solid center field.

"There's nothing the other candidates have that he doesn't have," a second voter said. "He's got power, he's got speed, he plays on a winner, he plays a premium position and he's had to carry a huge burden for a first-place team. He's in a great position to take it."

Brian Cashman gave up a lot to acquire Granderson in December 2009, dealing away Ian Kennedy, Austin Jackson and Phil Coke in the three-team trade with the Tigers and Diamondbacks. Kennedy leads the NL with 15 wins and Jackson finished second in last year's AL Rookie of the Year vote, but the Yankees aren't second-guessing themselves now that Granderson has turned himself into one of the best all-around players in the game.

"He's been MVP-like," Cashman said. "When we made the deal, I didn't make any representations to ownership that we were going to be getting an MVP. What we acquired was a player we felt with above average power, defense and running; a guy that would steal bases and give us power from the left side. He's been exceptional.""