MVPs: Predictable, but Impressive

On one hand, yes these are some obvious choices for the MVP award, but...on the other hand, players like these two didn't HAVE to be the obvious pick. We could have coasted on some obvious Trout-Bryant vibes for MVPs again, and instead we have two players who A.) have been good for the last few years, and B.) had their best seasons yet this year. And the fact that someone like Christian Yelich might typically be considered a fringe player illuminates the specialness of his win even more.

Mookie Betts' win was bound to happen eventually. This guy has reinvigorated the Red Sox lineup like no one else has, has been on top of things every year of his career, and was in the mix for an MVP for the past few seasons. He's also 25 with 800 hits, and had 180 of those this year, as well as finishing the year with a .340 batting average. Not only did he deserve this MVP, but he deserves to be among the stars of the game, alongside Trout, Kershaw, Judge and Bryant.

Christian Yelich just deserved it on account of him being a great player who'd gotten unlucky in brief moments of past seasons. The guy hit 36 home runs this season, and had never surpassed 30 before. He also had 180 hits, topped 100 RBIs for the first time of his career, and did this all in a new city, escaping the shadow of the guy who won the MVP last year. He proved that it doesn't just take home runs to rule a season- it takes just being really, really good. And Yelich, especially in August, September and October, was that good.

We're done with awards, and we've got 15 days til Uncustomed Heroes starts up, so expect box breaks, prompts, and other amusing things in the next 2 weeks.