SBN Awards: Players of the Year

post from Purple Row - All Posts on 15 November 2012 12:01:38 PM. © Purple Row - All Posts

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National League

The American League MVP race has gotten all the attention, but the National League race is just as interesting. Several different players led the MVP race over the course of the season, and we have no real idea on who will end up taking home the hardware. For our SB Nation Player of the Year Award, though, our writers only gave first place votes to three players, giving Buster Posey the runaway victory.

Posey, whose playing future seemed in doubt from a gruesome ankle injury in 2011, returned with a vengeance, leading the World Series Champion Giants with a ridiculous .336/.408/.549 line for a catcher. Overall, he led the league in fWAR (8.0), rWAR (7.2), and VORP (68.6). Ryan Braun followed his MVP season with nearly an identical season for Milwaukee, and Andrew McCutchen faded in the second half but still left enough of an impression to finish third. Carlos Gonzalez earned one sixth place vote.

Player Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th PointsBuster PoseySan Francisco Giants2663442Ryan BraunMilwaukee Brewers716642330Andrew McCutchenPittsburgh Pirates271483277David Wright New York Mets265106211204Chase Headley San Diego Padres21367311190Yadier Molina St. Louis Cardinals422710531189Jason Heyward Atlanta Braves21574590Aramis RamirezMilwaukee Brewers11353448Michael BournAtlanta Braves1454347Matt HollidaySt. Louis Cardinals1215128Joey Votto Cincinnati Reds111425Clayton Kershaw Los Angeles Dodgers121324Gio Gonzalez Washington Nationals112121Aaron Hill Arizona Diamondbacks34421Ian DesmondWashington Nationals23219Jay BruceCincinnati Reds11114R.A. DickeyNew York Mets111214Giancarlo Stanton Miami Marlins11411Carlos Ruiz Philadelphia Phillies1110Adam LaRocheWashington Nationals117Matt KempLos Angeles Dodgers116Johnny CuetoCincinnati Reds116Martin PradoAtlanta Braves1116Carlos GonzalezColorado Rockies15Chipper JonesAtlanta Braves15Bryce HarperWashington Nationals115Allen CraigSt. Louis Cardinals115Melky CabreraSan Francisco Giants24Ryan ZimmermanWashington Nationals124Carlos BeltranSt. Louis Cardinals13Craig KimbrelAtlanta Braves12Alfonso Soriano Chicago Cubs22Paul GoldschmidtArizona Diamondbacks11

American League

Ah, the race of endless debate. Miguel Cabrera broke the near-half-century drought of the Triple Crown, yet Mike Trout was one of the best players at practically every skill that can be measured. It is likely that BBWAA will name Miguel Cabrera the MVP tonight on the strength of that Triple Crown, which is exceedingly ironic. The older writers at BBWAA have typically woven their arguments on narrative and intangibles - a winning team, baserunning, defense, a good story - while attempting not to be confined by rigid statistics. Instead, it is the statistically-minded championing the intangibles, defense and baserunning, while many members of BBWAA are pointing to numbers as the end of their argument. It is really quite weird.

At any rate, SB Nation tends to have a stable of writers that have risen to their crafts in large part due to Moneyball and the SABR movement. As a result, the Triple Crown did not leave large enough impression on SB Nation voters.

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Mike Trout won in a landslide, with four voters going as far as dropping Miguel Cabrera and his triple crown outside the second slot. Congratulations Mike Trout. You might not win the BBWAA MVP, but today, you easily won the SB Nation Player of the Year. Maybe someday, that will be worth something.