Since 1919

The Prairie News

Since 1919

The Prairie News

Since 1919

The Prairie News

MLB MVP: A no brainer

The Prairie.
The Prairie.

Web Editor’s Note: This story was dated wrong and has been corrected. It was published on Nov. 27, 2012.

It was announced October 15 that San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey and Detroit Tigers third basemen Miguel Cabrera won their respective league’s MVP. Posey won it for the National League and Cabrera nabbed it for the American League.

First of all, congratulations to both men. Getting the MVP for both leagues is no small accomplishment. Buster Posey, one of the best young players in the majors, is the first catcher in 70 years to win the hitting title. The 25 year-old Posey was the 2010 National League Rookie of the Year and helped the Giants win their first World Series since 1954 over the Texas Rangers. This season, Posey hit career highs with a .336 batting average with 24 home runs and 103 RBIs. Posey’s efforts on the diamond this season helped the Giants win their second World Series title in three years.

In the American League, Miguel Cabrera was selected as the overwhelming winner against Los Angeles Angels rookie sensation Mike Trout. Many of the baseball pundits across the nation figured that this race for the American League Most Valuable Player would be one of the closest in history. Instead, the margin was Cabrera getting 22 of 28 first place votes to win the MVP.

So, a big congratulations again to Cabrera and Posey on their selections. Posey was essentially a lock to win the MVP, so no surprises there. But, here’s what gets me: Miguel Cabrera is the reigning hitting Triple Crown winner after leading the American League in batting average, home runs and runs batted in. In case you forgot my column from a few weeks ago, Cabrera is the first Triple Crown winner since Carl Yastrzemski won it for the Boston Red Sox in 1967. That’s 45 years.

To say that Cabrera had stiff competition from Trout is ridiculous. That’s not to take anything away from Mike Trout; he had a fantastic season. Trout finished the year with a .326 average, 30 homers and 83 RBIs in addition to leading the majors in runs with 129 and stolen bases with 49. Still, Cabrera won baseball’s most coveted statistical award and he is the first player since my parents were six years old to win it.

I think the decision to give Cabrera the MVP was obvious. When a player wins the Triple Crown and doesn’t win the MVP, it is crazy. I would love to see the winner of Triple Crown be an automatic winner of the MVP.  Given the current state of pitching in the major leagues, it very well could be another 45 years until the Triple Crown is awarded again. Let’s give it to the guy led the American League in batting. I’m certainly glad the baseball writers got it right.

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