Buster Posey Wins MVP Award in a Landslide
By Eric He
Oct 11, 2012; Cincinnati, OH, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey (28) hits a grand slam in the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds in game five of the 2012 NLDS at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE
Buster Posey has been named the MVP of the National League by the Baseball Writers of America.
He beat out fellow candidates Andrew McCutchen, Chase Headley, Ryan Braun, and Yadier Molina in a landslide, receiving 27 out of 32 first place votes and 422 points. Braun came in second with 285 points.
“It’s tough to put into words,” Posey said.“It’s an accomplishment that’s shared with whole Giants organization.”
Posey becomes just the third catcher in MLB history to win the MVP, Rookie of the Year, and World Series in their career. He is also the first player to win the World Series and MVP in the same season since Kirk Gibson in 1988.
It was a sensational season for Posey, was coming off of a 2011 campaign that was cut short due to a horrible collision at home plate with Scott Cousins of the Marlins that fractured his fibula and tore ligaments in his ankle.
But he worked hard to rehab from his injuries, and he returned better than ever. He hit .336 with 24 home runs and 102 RBI while catching one of the best pitching staffs in baseball.
“There’s always that doubt in the back of your mind after an injury like that,” Posey told the MLB Network. “You take things slow, one day at a time. I was excited to be back on the field. I wasn’t looking at the season. I was looking at game one. I took it slowly, and I had a blast.”
Defensively, Posey was stellar, throwing out a league-leading 38 base stealers. He had a calm demeanor behind the plate, knowing exactly when to come out and calm down his pitcher. It is no wonder that Giants’ pitchers had a 3.68 ERA in the regular season.
Posey really stepped up following Melky Cabrera’s suspension in late August, when the Giants were tied for the division lead. He hit an incredible .385 in the second half of the season with a 1.102 OPS.
“I can’t think of a player more valuable to a ballclub than what Buster is to us,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “It’s really amazing what he’s done. Being at a premium position, handling the staff and hitting cleanup — it’s why we feel he’s the most valuable player.
In addition to the MVP, Posey also garnered the Comeback Player of the Year Award, Hank Aaron Award (best hitter in his league), Silver Slugger (best hitter at his position), and Willie Mac Award (Giants’ most inspiration player).
It is safe to say that Posey will need to invest in a pretty large trophy case sometime soon.