Braun finishes 2nd in MVP

Well, as predicted Ryan Braun did not win the National League MVP this year (although I was pleased to see that the BWAA agree with me when it comes to naming Cabrera AL MVP).

The good news: Braun finished second. Had he finished anywhere else it would have been completely disgusting. Since Braun's numbers really were clearly better than Posey, then the playoff and position (C or LF) issue should be the only thing that gives him edge, which meant Braun should indeed be second if not first, no one else really compared.

The bad news: it was overwhelmingly in favor of Posey (Posey earned 422 points to Braun's 285). This was a clear affront. Anyone who compares how close the Kemp-Braun race from a year ago were we should see something similar, since like last year when Kemp clearly had the better numbers, this year Braun did. And in fact Braun's team was in contention, which is more than could be said for Kemp.

But this year Braun only got 3 first place votes for MVP. Three. That is even more pathetic when one sees that two of those three votes came from writers for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal. Basically it means only one voter outside of people who cover Milwaukee baseball were willing to give Braun a number one vote. Even more than that, four voters had the gall to put him forth on the ballot. There is no defense for saying there were three players more deserving of the 2012 MVP than Ryan Braun. There really isn't a defense in saying there were two (although ten people opted to place Braun 3rd on the ballot too).

Now we should not take away from Posey's amazing year, or his MVP merits. And he does have some. But not to the extent that there should be that much disparity. And the sad part now, is if I were Posey, I would have to ask if I "earned" this award or it was given to me to punish Braun. For whatever it is worth Buster (and thanks to the BWAA we don't know what it is worth), congratulations on being named Most Valuable Player.

As I sad before, this is the problem with BWAA vigilante justice. Instead of the 2011 MVP being the only thing that some might call despicable (and that being solely on Braun), now the 2012 MVP is also absolutely despicable and the "winner" is really not clear. I mean, honestly, had Braun not spent the year under scrutiny and scandal, would he be the MVP this year? Braun had the numbers, a team that was in contention going into the final week of the season, had amazing numbers all season long, which would have garnered him attention throughout the year, and had the advantage of being the reigning MVP. Now Posey certainly would have had a good media story too, coming back from injury, going to the playoffs, being so young. So it is hard to say who would have had more MVP attention by year end, but Braun would have been in it all year round.

Had Posey still won, and he might have (although I really doubt it), then we could moan that they picked the wrong guy, but ultimately we would be talking about Posey having narrowly beat out Braun and ultimately it would be debates about what merits of the game does the BWAA favor more this year. Instead it is clear what they favor, or better put, what displeases them. And it has nothing to do with the 2012 performances. We will never know if Posey truly "won" the award or if Braun "lost" it because of his offseason. We can only hope they are done "punishing him", are appeased, and won't make further mockery of future awards.

If anything, the act carries within it vengeance, an unwillingness to honor MLB's testing and disciplinary system, and even perhaps a sense of redemption - trying to take back a vote they once considered a mistake by not casting it later. And in that, it is clear it is for their own purposes, and not to hold up the integrity of the game (which no doubt I'm sure many claimed to be upholding) that is at work in such an act.

But there is no fixing it. It would be just as much a shame if BWAA voters would read some lowly blog and think they made a mistake and try to fix it by voting for Braun next year just because they didn't this year. You cannot fix wrong votes, you can only hope that next year people stop trying to do just that.