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FanSided Announces MLB Player of the Year Awards
By Editorial Staff
In the fifth and final FanSided yearly award presentation, Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers has been named the National League Player of the Year, otherwise known as Most Valuable Player. The announcement was first made over at our flagship site, Call to the Pen, where you can check out the voting totals of the FanSided MLB staff members and see the articles regarding the official award presentations (Click here for NL and here for AL).
Matt Kemp won the honor by a significant margin over Brewers sluggers Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder in the NL, while Jacoby Ellsbury of the Boston Red Sox beat out Jose Bautista of the Blue Jays and Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers in a close call in the AL. Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw were the only pitchers to finish in the top ten in their respective leagues. My National League ballot consisted of Matt Kemp, Ryan Braun, and Jose Reyes.
After a down year in 2010, the 27-year-old Kemp once again showcased his incredible talent this season. He really put it all together, finishing just 13 batting average points away from winning the Triple Crown. Throw those 40 stolen bases into the mix, and you know we’re talking about arguably the games most athletic player. Kemp brings flare and excitement every time he steps on the field, and when you pair him up with Pitcher of the Year winner Clayton Kershaw, you almost forget about the Dodgers’ 2011 troubles.
Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman, and Yadier Molina were the three St. Louis Cardinals who received votes in the National League.
In case you missed the previous award winners:
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