Cubs’ Kris Bryant wins NL MVP; Nats’ Daniel Murphy runner-up

“Ever since I was a kid I wanted to be the best player in everything I did, didn’t matter what sport”, Trout said in an ESPN interview after being named MVP.

As Mike Trout and Kris Bryant become the 2016 MVPs, it is seemingly impossible to pinpoint which award-winner is the better ballplayer. He also was the runner-up for the AL MVP in 2012, 2014, and 2015.

It’s one of the longest-standing traditions in the sport. He is the first player to win the AL MVP award from a non-playoff team since Alex Rodriguez in 2003.

You can argue how much of an impact Betts had on the team, but facts are facts in the win-loss column and Trouts team finished 3rd in the AL West. Fans and writers alike have argued whether or not the teams standing should have an impact on voting, and historically it has played a factor.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling”, Trout said. “This one’s, obviously, gotta be the biggest one”.

On Aug. 18, he became the second player in major-league history with two five-hit, five-RBI games in one season, along with 1945 MVP Phil Cavarretta, also of the Cubs. Only 11 have ranked him worse than second.

It was close, but Mookie Betts will have to wait.

After his MVP age-25 season, Mantle went on to win the honor twice more, at 26 and 30.

After Kris Bryant won the National League MVP award Thursday, I chose to take a look at how his first two full seasons in the big leagues compared to others who had two great first full years in the majors. He was also judged by some as the best baserunner – beyond stolen bases, this takes into account the ability to take an extra base, how well a runner gets reads on balls, etc.

Here’s the problem with baseball’s Most Valuable Player Award: there is no right answer. (Think Republican party circa 2016.) The second-place finisher that year was Carlos Delgado, whose team finished 15 games out of first place. Betts finished with 311 points, including nine first-place votes.

While Trout did not play for a winning team, he made an impact just about every single day he stepped on the field.

It was Trout’s second MVP award. We’d love to hear the argument for or against that being true, but any way you slice it, Bryant has already achieved elite status among his peers. “So I was pleasantly surprised when announcement came out”. “That’s one of my goals”.

If Trout was so valuable, why didn’t that get reflected in the team’s performance? General Manager Billy Eppler praised his “ferocious work ethic”. He described him as “a dream player for any organization”.

Trout was the unanimous victor back in 2014. He knew he could be great, but he could not expect this. Even so, I’d like to see the Cubs sign him to a long-term extension soon.