Ryan Braun finalist for NL MVP

As expected, Brewers leftfielder Ryan Braun -- the reigning NL MVP -- was named one of the five finalists for the 2012 MVP Award in the National League on Wednesday.

The finalists for each award of the Baseball Writers Association of America were announced on the MLB Network, which will broadcast the awards next week for the first time from Monday through Thursday.

Braun was joined by San Francisco's Buster Posey, Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen, San Diego's Chase Headley and St. Louis' Yadier Molina as finalists for the MVP Award. The BBWAA submits ballots after the regular season with 10 names, with first place weighted heavily in the points system.

By statistics alone, one could make a strong case that Braun should be the MVP again this year. He was first with 41 home runs, 108 runs scored and a .987 OPS (on-base plus slugging). Braun was second with 112 runs batted in, 191 hits and a .595 slugging percentage, third with a .319 batting average and fourth with a .391 on-base percentage.

But MLB Network analyst brought up the subject that is expected to cost Braun dearly -- the positive drug test for elevated testosterone last October. That process was supposed to be confidential but leaked to the media and even though Braun had the test overturned on appeal and it had nothing to do with his 2012 season, the general consensus is that he was penalized in the voting by BBWAA members, making Posey the favorite.

"He was better (than in 2011) but he's not going to win it because of the offseason he had last year," Reynolds said flatly. "He's not going to win MVP this year."
Reynolds went on to say that he expects Posey to win in a landslide.

Brewers outfielder Norichika Aoki, who had a very nice first year in the majors, was not among the three finalists for NL rookie of the year.
The finalists for the other awards:

Rookie of the Year
National League: Todd Frazier, Cincinnati;  Bryce Harper, Washington; Wade Miley, Arizona.
American League: Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland; Yu Darvish, Texas; Mike Trout, Los Angeles.

Manager of the Year
National League: Dusty Baker, Cincinnati; Bruce Bochy, San Francisco; Davey Johnson, Washington.
American League: Bob Melvin, Oakland; Buck Showalter, Baltimore; Robin Ventura, Chicago.

Cy Young Award
National League: R.A. Dickey, New York; Gio Gonzalez, Washington; Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles.
American League: David Price, Tampa Bay; Justin Verlander, Detroit; Jered Weaver, Los Angeles.

Most Valuable Player
American League: Adrian Beltre, Texas; Miguel Cabrera, Detroit; Robinson Cano, New York; Josh Hamilton, Texas; Mike Trout, Los Angeles.


(jsonline.com)