Milwaukee Brewers' Ryan Braun vying for second NL MVP – MLB News
The Milwaukee Brewers' left fielder Ryan Braun is among the Top 5 nominees of the National League Most Valuable Player Award – to be announced by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America on Thursday, November 15.
Among other candidates are Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants, Chase Headley of the San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates' Andrew McCutchen and the St. Louis Cardinals' catcher Yadier Molina.
Ryan Braun is reigning NL MVP. After winning the Silver Slugger Award for the fifth consecutive year, Ryan Braun is once again a favourite here. However, challenge comes from all the candidates in the list.
From the World Series champion Giants’ Posey to the St. Louis Cardinals' Molina, Ryan Braun will face tough competition this year.
Be that as it may, being ranked seven by the Sporting News in its 2012 list of the greatest current players in baseball, Braun has singled himself in contemporaries for consistency, effectiveness and powerfulness in his performance both defensively and offensively.
While he has previously won the Rookie of the Year Award in 2007 and has figured in five straight All-Star Games from 2008 to 2012, his leading the NL in runs, slugging percentage, OPS and home-runs once again uniquely place him in the list as the favourite.
That which may come as a challenge and disadvantage for Braun this year is the fact that his team could not make it to the post-season games, while Posey’s club won the World Series.
However, for many analysts, including MLB Network’s Brian Kenny, Braun remains the best power hitter in the game.
"If I had to actually vote, I'd go with the guy who was the best power hitter, who also is a plus base-runner and a plus defender," said Kenny.
He added, "If I'm running a team and I could have just one of these seasons, I would take the season produced by Ryan Braun. It's close, but Ryan Braun is my MVP."
To be seen on Thursday, then, is the ultimate result of the balloting by the BWAA, wherein Braun remains the favourite with all subsequent challenges.
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