The real National League MVP voting likely will come down to a choice between the otherworldly hitting numbers of Giancarlo Stanton and the ridiculous pitching numbers of Clayton Kershaw.

But what if the NL MVP vote was confined only to former Twins players? First, that would be a strange restriction for voters. Second, it still would provide them with plenty of viable options.

This list is compiled with the knowledge that hindsight is 20/20 and that some of the moves the Twins made with players we are about to describe were either for the right reasons — building back up a depleted minor league pitching prospect roster — or beyond their control. Still:

Honorable mention

Wilson Ramos, Francisco Liriano, Kyle Lohse and Michael Cuddyer: Ramos has been above-average but not great for the Nationals since the ill-fated Matt Capps trade. Liriano has a 3.45 ERA this season but has been less consistent than a year ago. Lohse last pitched for the Twins in 2006; there's a statute of limitations here. Cuddyer (last year's NL batting champ) is hitting .333 and has been on a tear lately but injuries have largely ruined his season.

Fifth place

Ben Revere: He's among the league leaders in batting average (.308 entering Monday), but he still can't throw or hit for power, and his 12 walks in 600 plate appearances cements his place here. A singles hitter with a .325 OBP is no MVP.

Fourth place

Vance Worley: Remember how bad he was for the Twins, both last season and in spring training this year? It's stunning that he's 8-4 with a 2.93 ERA for the Pirates — a team that very likely will make the postseason.

Third place

Carlos Gomez: He looked like the runaway winner after a brilliant stretch before the All-Star break, but GoGo has cooled off since (batting .242 and slugging just .391 since the break). His slump has coincided with the Brewers' massive slide as well.

Second place

Justin Morneau: He's having a bounceback season and could join Cuddyer as the second consecutive ex-Twin to win the NL batting crown. But the Coors Field factor works against him, even though his road splits are pretty good, too.

Ex-Twins NL MVP

Denard Span: He entered Monday tied for the NL lead in hits — 51 of them for extra bases, more than even Morneau and 29 more than Revere — while providing solid defense for the playoff-bound Nationals. He's hitting .340 since the All-Star break as well.