Determining the Orioles' first-half MVP

It's hard to believe, but the second half of the season gets underway tomorrow. Of course, every team has played more than half of its games already, but this week represents the unofficial halfway point of the season.

For the Orioles, it's been a half-season full of mostly ups and a few downs. The positives include a first-place standing, a 51-36 record, an offense that has already broken one record and could certainly break more, and a bullpen that is one of the strongest in baseball. On the down side, the team's starting rotation has been a lighting rod for criticism, an area which even the team's front office acknowledges has some work to do.

As for this story, we're interested to see who you think has been the Orioles' most valuable player so far this season. One of the cool things about choosing a most "valuable" player is that the term often has different criteria for different people. For some, the most valuable player is the one with the best statistics. For others, it's the player the team absolutely couldn't do without. And for some, most valuable player is the guy who has most surpassed expectations.

However you define it, there are plenty of candidates for the Orioles. Be sure to comment on who you think is the Orioles' most valuable player so far this season. Here are a few nominees in no particular order:

Zach Britton: One of the game's top closers, Britton currently leads the American League with 27 saves. Not only that, but he's a perfect 27-for-27 in save chances. Britton's ERA sits at a miniscule 0.72, well on his way to a third straight season of finishing with an ERA of under two. In fact, Britton has been so dominant this season, he's allowed only three earned runs in nearly 38 innings of work. Oh by the way, those three runs also came in April.

Mark Trumbo: If you're in the camp that values exceeding expectations in this debate, then you may have your candidate in Trumbo. The slugger was brought in to Baltimore on a trade with the Mariners and was expected to play for a year before hitting the free agent market. If that does end up happening, O's fans will be sad to see him go, however. Trumbo leads the majors with 28 home runs, only six behind his highest single-season total of 34 set back in 2013. He also leads the team with 68 RBIs and is second on the team with 100 hits.

Manny Machado: No doubt that Machado is the future of the Orioles, but the third baseman seems to be enjoying the present just as much. Machado is so versatile as a player. He leads the everyday players in hitting with a .318 batting average and also has 109 hits. Machado, of course, is arguably even better in the field, where he ranks among the top defensive infielders in baseball. Tuesday will mark Machado's third appearance in the All-Star Game, and he's only midway through his age 23 campaign.

Brad Brach: For most of the season, Brach's name wasn't mentioned among the top players on the roster, despite the reliever's best year by far. But after earning his first All-Star nod, it's clear his work on the field is getting its due attention. Outside of Britton, Brach has been the cornerstone of the Orioles' bullpen and his 6-1 record and 0.91 ERA is particularly outstanding considering how much weight has been put on this unit's shoulders in just the first half of the season.

Chris Tillman: Sometimes it's easy to overlook just how stellar of a season Tillman is having when all that gets mentioned in regards to the starting rotation is "needs improvement." But in his eighth year, Tillman seems to have put it together. He's 12-2 with a 3.41 ERA, which is impressive enough, but what makes this season special so far is Tillman's ability to be the stop gap when starting pitching is going through a rough period. Tillman is also 5-0 in eight starts against the AL East, a crucial statistic which will play in the Orioles' favor when it comes to capturing a division title.