Trout/Kershaw Named MLB MVPs

Mike Trout wins the AL, and Clayton Kershaw wins the NL MVP.

Images via USA TODAY Sports

Tonight, Major League Baseball named their MVPs for both the National and American Leagues, and (not surprisingly) both players honored came out of Los Angeles.

First, coming out of the AL was the Angels' 23-year-old center fielder Mike Trout, who had previously been the runner-up the past two seasons (his first two full seasons in the league). With today's honor, Trout became the fifth youngest player in league history to win the award as well as the youngest player ever to be voted No. 1 unanimously. Trout's accomplishments this season included leading the AL in baseball's newest darling stat WAR (7.9), as well as RBI (111), runs (115) and total bases (338). He also bashed a career high 36 homers. By being the unanimous choice for MVP, Trout became the first AL player to don the distinctive honor since another AL West center fielder, Ken Griffey Jr. accomplished the rare feat in 1997. Trout's outstanding play led the Angels to the No. 1 seed in the American League, which of course meant precisely dick when the Royals swept them out of the ALDS during the playoffs. In the postseason, Trout went just 1-for-12 with a home run.

As for the National League, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw became the first dual Cy Young/MVP winner in the Senior Circuit since Bob Gibson did both with the Cardinals in 1968. Kershaw went 21-3 this season with a 1.77 ERA, six complete games, 239 strikeouts (to a mere 31 walks) and had a WHIP of 0.857 which (if you're not a baseball fan) is out-fucking-rageous. Kershaw's honor wasn't unanimous like Trouts, but he did receive 18 of 30 first-place votes which allowed him to distance himself from second place finisher Giancarlo Stanton.

Unfortunately, like Trout, Kershaw's team got bounced in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, due in large-part to the fact that the only team who has any idea how to hit him was their opponent, the St. Louis Cardinals. In two postseason starts Kershaw allowed 11 earned runs in 12.2 innings pitched, getting tagged with two losses as a result.

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