The three finalists for the NL MVP Award all had fantastic seasons, but one clearly stands out above the rest.
While attention around baseball is largely focused on the Hot Stove, there’s still one more opportunity to look back on the 2015 season when the MVP Award winners are announced on Thursday at 6:00 PM eastern.
Both the American League and National League have narrowed down the crowded MVP field to three finalists. While there is still some intrigue in the junior circuit, the race for the NL MVP was all but decided just a couple of months into the season.
It was a year of surprises in the National League, as the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets arrived ahead of schedule and advanced to the NLCS. Beyond those two, the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates also turned in excellent seasons, finishing with 100 and 98 wins, respectively.
However, the winner of the NL MVP Award won’t come from any of those four teams. The three finalists for the award are Bryce Harper, Paul Goldschmidt, and Joey Votto, none of whom are on clubs that made the playoffs.
It’s hard to argue against any of those finalists, as they all turned in fantastic seasons. That’s a refreshing change from prior seasons, as the award is going to go to the most valuable player rather than one who was part of a team success.
Harper is deservedly the overwhelming favorite, all three candidates deserve recognition for their tremendous seasons.
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