Reaction to MLB Award Nominations

Yesterday the MLB unveiled the nominees for the end of season awards for the 2017. For the most part, the nominees are valid but I certainly have a few gripes here:

NL MVP: Paul Goldschmidt, Giancarlo Stanton, Joey Votto

It’s been set in stone that Giancarlo Stanton is going to win the MVP award this year. His monstrous season, in which he belted 59 HOME RUNS, is no joke. Yes he was on a losing team, but that’s truly beyond his control. This is not the NBA.

HOWEVER… Joey Votto, I love you as a player, but God you don’t belong on this list. .320/36/100 is a stellar season, Votto, like Stanton was on a team that stunk, but unlike Stanton, Votto wasn’t able to be a spectacle. While it’s easy to blame the market for his quiet production, it’s absurd to me that Nolan Arenado isn’t on this list. Like I’m really shook. I get it, these guys love W.A.R. (Wins Above Replacement) now, but Arenado was only .3 behind. To compound things, Arenado is a gold glove nominee at a far more demanding position than Votto. Arenado led his team to their first playoff appearance since 2007, consistently delivering in timely spots, and drove in 130 runs for the 3rd year straight. I’m honestly dumbfounded. Congrats to Votto, but this was a disgrace.

AL MVP: Aaron Judge, Jose Altuve, Jose Ramirez

Really nothing unpredictable about this list. Three guys who led their teams to the playoffs and delivered both at the plate and in the field. When you break it down though, there are some distinct aspects about their three performances this year. First of all, while Altuve and Ramirez were remarkably consistent, Judge was dauntingly streaky, despite the 52 homers and stupid 1.049 OPS. The reality is that rookies just don’t get this award, so when I look at this list I immediately narrow it down to Ramirez and Altuve. Ramirez was terrific this season, terrifying opposing pitching with his ability to hit from both sides of the plate. While Ramirez contributed more in the power category, Altuve and him share an equal end of season O.P.S. of .957. Altuve’s small stature and the fact that he’s a World Series Champ now are too extra things which are sure to put him over the edge here, and realistically he deserves it.

Predictions for Other Awards:

Al Cy Young: Kluber, Sale, Severino

It’s Kluber. No doubt. Sale’s faulty second half took him out of this discussion

NL Cy Young: Kershaw, Scherzer, Strasburg

Scherzer. Has to be. Most innings. Most strikeouts. Shouldn’t be close.

AL Rookie of the Year: Judge, Mancini, Benitendi

This isn’t even a prediction. Judge has already basically wrapped this award up.

NL Rookie of the Year: Bell, Bellinger, De Jong

Bellinger won this award early in the season. It was his to lose and he did enough to hold on.

Written by Paul McGovern