Player of the Year

The final award given by the Fansided network is the player of the year, a.k.a. Most Valuable Player. Here is Call to the Pen’s summary of the National League writers’ votes. Before I reveal mine, I’ll just say that my top 9 were also the network’s top 9, albeit in a different order. So that’s a little boring. I don’t know if that makes me right or unoriginal. My #10 finished 16th overall. Also, I’m pleased that the Rockies’ Carlos Gonzalez received 3 points. I didn’t vote for him, so somebody who doesn’t write about the Rockies did. Thanks for the respect for my man Cargo.

Without further ado, and in short, my choices.

1. Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers.

.324 average, 39 home runs, 126 RBI, 8.7 WAR. Who cares that the Dodgers didn’t make the play-offs. You certainly can’t blame Kemp, who couldn’t have done a thing differently.

2. Justin Upton, Arizona Diamondbacks

.289 average, 31 home runs, 88 RBI, 6.4 WAR. Maybe Upton wasn’t the second-best player in the league empirically, but he was very, very valuable to the D-backs. They don’t go the postseason without him.

3. Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers

.332 average, 33 home runs, 111 RBI, 7.8 WAR. I wish Braun wasn’t better than our own Tulo, but he just is. For the moment, anyway.

4. Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies

.302 average, 30 home runs, 105 RBI, 6.3 WAR. There is an MVP award in Tulo’s future, I promise you that. He gets in his own way, which means he’s one maturity level away from being the best player in the game.

5. Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals

.229 average, 37 home runs, 99 RBI, 5.1 WAR. What a resurgence for the Cards’ offense this season. I didn’t think they could win without Adam Wainwright; they proved me wrong. King Albert led the charge and it’s not over yet.

6. Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds

.309 average, 29 home runs, 103 RBI, 6.9 WAR. Not a bad showing at all from last year’s MVP. He certainly kept the Reds’ hopes alive longer than they had any right to be.

7. Lance Berkman, St. Louis Cardinals

.301 average, 31 home runs, 94 RBI, 5.0 WAR. Big Puma gave the Cards just the jolt they needed to become relevant again. On another team, he’s the offensive standout. In St. Louis, he’s one of many, but no less necessary.

8. Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers

.299 average, 38 home runs, 120 RBI, 5.5 WAR. Fielder is the human definition of walk softly and carry a big stick. His team’s defense, as we have seen, has some work to do, but Prince’s big stick is functioning just fine.

9. Jose Reyes, New York Mets

.337 average, 7 home runs, 44 RBI, 6.2 WAR. Not much power, but arguably the best legs in the league. And who would have predicted he’d take the batting title? Not me.

10. Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates

.259 average, 23 home runs, 89 RBI, 5.7 WAR. McCutchen as some work do to before his average is acceptable. Still, a great amount of the credit for the Bucs’ resurgence this year goes to him. He’ll be a very valuable member of their team for some time to come.