Ryan Braun wins NL MVP Award

[redsfandan]

Ballparks they played in. A .986 OPS in LA and the NL West is a little more impressive than .994 in Milwaukee and the NL Central.

Gotcha, I had a feeling but wasn't sure. Thanks.

[PuffyPig]

I have no doubt that Kemp is considered by most to have had the better year.

But the MVP has a slightly different measurement.

Last year Votto and Pujols has basically identical seasons, yet Votto easily won the MVP. Votto clearly had a better season this year, yet Pujols beat him in MVP votes.

Being on a contender has always made a difference, unless someone has a monster season and the competition from the contenders isn't that close. Agree or disagree, it's pretty predicatable.

[757690]

I have no doubt that Kemp is considered by most to have had the better year.

But the MVP has a slightly different measurement.

Last year Votto and Pujols has basically identical seasons, yet Votto easily won the MVP. Votto clearly had a better season this year, yet Pujols beat him in MVP votes.

Being on a contender has always made a difference, unless someone has a monster season and the competition from the contenders isn't that close. Agree or disagree, it's pretty predicatable.

Kemp's WAR was a full win above Braun's. Votto and Pujols has nearly identical WAR's last season.

I understand why Braun got it, but still think Kemp was robbed.

[RedsBaron]

I have no doubt that Kemp is considered by most to have had the better year.

But the MVP has a slightly different measurement.

Last year Votto and Pujols has basically identical seasons, yet Votto easily won the MVP. Votto clearly had a better season this year, yet Pujols beat him in MVP votes.

Being on a contender has always made a difference, unless someone has a monster season and the competition from the contenders isn't that close. Agree or disagree, it's pretty predicatable.

Generally speaking that has been how MVP voting has gone for 80 years. Ted Williams won two MVP awards but had at least five other seasons in which he was statistically the best player in the AL but did not win the MVP: 1941, 1942, 1947, 1948 and 1951.
In the history of MVP voting the more interesting cases have been seasons where the best player in the league played on the pennant winner but still did not win the MVP, such as Joe DiMaggio in 1937, Stan Musial in 1944 and Willie Mays in 1962.

[jojo]

Kemp? Who is Matt Kemp? He's probably still paying a bit for his 2010 season too.