2011 Major League Baseball National League Most Valuable Player: Individual or Team Award? Matt Kemp vs. Ryan Braun
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2011 Major League Baseball National League Most Valuable Player:
Individual or Team Award? Matt Kemp vs. Ryan Braun
Bryce McHale
COM/170
December 19, 2011
Diana Penning
2011 Major League Baseball National League Most Valuable Player:
Individual or Team Award? Matt Kemp vs. Ryan Braun
In sports, the term Most Valuable Player (MVP) in any given year usually translates into the player who had the best season. However, in the National League’s (N.L.) 2011 season, Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers was arguably the best player statistically speaking. However, he lost out on the MVP award voting to a player with less credentials but who played on a better team, Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers, 2011 N.L. MVP. While the MVP award is given out to only one individual, should team success play a vital role in this special individual award? During the voting process of the 2011 N.L. MVP award it absolutely did. It was obvious, that in order to receive the votes needed to win the MVP award, a player must combine a great statistical season along with team success. Let us examine the facts.
Both Matt Kemp and Ryan Braun had outstanding statistical seasons; however, take a closer look and it is clear that Matt Kemp outshined Ryan Braun during the 2011 N.L. season. Consider these seven key offensive categories and three key defensive categories as evidence, note which player had a better season (listed first) and their individual ranks in comparison to the rest of the N.L. (in parenthesis). (MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 2001-2011)
Offensive Comparisons:
1. Batting Average
a. Braun: .332 (2nd)
b. Kemp: .324 (3rd)
2. On Base Percentage
c. Kemp: .399 (4th)
d. Braun: .397 (5th)
3. Hits
e. Kemp: 195 (2nd)
f. Braun: 187 (5th)
4. Home Runs
g. Kemp: 39 (1st)
h. Braun: 33 (6th)
5. Runs Batted In
i. Kemp: 126 (1st)
j. Braun: 111 (4th)
6. Runs Scored
k. Kemp:...
Individual or Team Award? Matt Kemp vs. Ryan Braun
Bryce McHale
COM/170
December 19, 2011
Diana Penning
2011 Major League Baseball National League Most Valuable Player:
Individual or Team Award? Matt Kemp vs. Ryan Braun
In sports, the term Most Valuable Player (MVP) in any given year usually translates into the player who had the best season. However, in the National League’s (N.L.) 2011 season, Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers was arguably the best player statistically speaking. However, he lost out on the MVP award voting to a player with less credentials but who played on a better team, Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers, 2011 N.L. MVP. While the MVP award is given out to only one individual, should team success play a vital role in this special individual award? During the voting process of the 2011 N.L. MVP award it absolutely did. It was obvious, that in order to receive the votes needed to win the MVP award, a player must combine a great statistical season along with team success. Let us examine the facts.
Both Matt Kemp and Ryan Braun had outstanding statistical seasons; however, take a closer look and it is clear that Matt Kemp outshined Ryan Braun during the 2011 N.L. season. Consider these seven key offensive categories and three key defensive categories as evidence, note which player had a better season (listed first) and their individual ranks in comparison to the rest of the N.L. (in parenthesis). (MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 2001-2011)
Offensive Comparisons:
1. Batting Average
a. Braun: .332 (2nd)
b. Kemp: .324 (3rd)
2. On Base Percentage
c. Kemp: .399 (4th)
d. Braun: .397 (5th)
3. Hits
e. Kemp: 195 (2nd)
f. Braun: 187 (5th)
4. Home Runs
g. Kemp: 39 (1st)
h. Braun: 33 (6th)
5. Runs Batted In
i. Kemp: 126 (1st)
j. Braun: 111 (4th)
6. Runs Scored
k. Kemp:...