Published in From the Desk of the Chairman
Awards = HOF?: Part Forty-One: The Baseball MVP
We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.
Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential. In basketball, the team sport with the least number of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher. In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.
Last time, we looked at the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in the National Hockey League. This time, we finally get to the most important individual accolade in Major League Baseball, the MVP.
Before we rattle off the winners, let's look at the history of the award first.
The first version of the award came in 1911, in which Hugh Chalmers of the Chalmers Automobile company would give an award to the "most important and useful player to the club and to the league". Chalmers discontinue the trophy after 1914, as it did not bring his company the overall recognition he desired.
In 1922, The American League brought back the MVP in 1922. It was decided by eight writers, but they were only allowed to pick one player from each team and previous winners were declared ineligible. Basically, if you are wondering why Babe Ruth only one MVP, that is why. This trophy would last until 1928.
The National League began their own league MVP award in 1924, which would go on until 1929. It did not have the same restrictions as their American League counterpart.
In 1931, the Baseball Writers' Association of America revived the MVPs for both leagues, and their system of voting for ten players, with a weight system of 10 points to 1, remains in existence today.
So how many players have won the MVP have been enshrined to the Baseball Hall of Fame?
The following are the past players who have won the MVP in MLB who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.
Ty Cobb, AL: Detroit Tigers (1911)
It is very hard to start this with a better player. In this era, you can't. Ty Cobb was a baseball legend, and while he was widely disliked by other players, none of them could ever say that Cobb was not one of the best the game had ever seen. "The Georgia Peach" would have many great seasons, and this one might have been the best of them all. He would win the Batting and Slugging Title with personal best of .419 and .620, and he also had the best (and his own career-high) in OPS of 1.086. Cobb also led the AL and put forth career-highs in Runs Scored (147), Hits (248), Doubles (24), Triples (24) and Runs Batted In (127). Cobb went on to win seven more Batting Titles and is the all-time leader in Batting Average with .366. He would not be just named to the Baseball Hall of Fame, but it went in with the inaugural class. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1936.
Tris Speaker, AL: Boston Red Sox (1912)
This was Speaker's sixth season in baseball, and it was his best one to date. He would have a career-high 222 Hits with a .383 Batting Average. He would lead the AL in Doubles (53), Home Runs (10), and On Base Percentage (.464). He would later have an even much better season in 1916 (when there were no MVPs) with the Cleveland Indians leading all aspects of the Slash Line (.386/.470/.502). Speaker went on to have 3,514 Hits, 792 Doubles (more than anyone else) and a .345 Batting Average. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1937.
Walter Johnson, AL: Washington Senators (1913)
There is no doubt that Walter Johnson was one of the greatest Pitchers ever, and if there were Pitcher of the Year award in his time, he would have won a plethora of them. As it stands, this was his first of two MVPs, and he would lead the AL in Wins (36), Earned Run Average (1.14), Innings Pitched (346.0), FIP (1.90), WHIP (0.780), H/9 (6.0), BB/9 (1.0) and Strikeouts (243). "The Big Train" would go on to win 417 Games and 3,509 Strikeouts. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1939.
Eddie Collins, AL: Philadelphia Athletics (1914)
One of the greatest hitters in the history of the game, Eddie Collins had already won three World Series with the Philadelphia Athletics, and this was his last year (in his first run) with the team. In 1914, Collins would lead the AL in Runs Scored (122) for the third straight year, and he would bat .344 with 181 Hits. He would accept a deal to the Chicago White Sox, where he helped them win the 1917 World Series. Collins would accumulate 3,315 Hits with a .333 Batting Average. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1939.
Johnny Evers, NL: Boston Braves (1914)
Years after he was part of the triumvirate of the "Tinkers to Evers to Chance" infield that took the Chicago Cubs to two World Series Titles, he was double-crossed by Cubs Management. In 1913, after electing to stay in Chicago after turning down a more lucrative contract with the upstart Federal League, the player/manager was dealt to the Boston Braves after he had helped sign all the Cubs to contracts. With something to prove, Evers had what has to be considered his last productive season, batting .279 with a .390 OBP over 139 Games. He would however, lead the Braves to a World Series win, and he batted .438 in the series. Realistically, Evers probably should not have been the MVP on 1914, but nobody had more of a feel-good story that Evers did this year. Evers would retire with 1,659 Hits. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1947.
George Sisler, AL: St. Louis Browns (1922)
George Sisler was one of the best hitters ever and is a wonderful selection for the return of the American League MVP award. Sisler, who won the Batting Title in 1920, won it again this year with a .420 Batting Average. He would also lead the AL in Hits (246), Runs Scored (136), Triples (18) and Stolen Bases (51). Sisler had to sit out 1923 due to Sinusitis but returned to play until 1930. He would accumulate 2,812 Hits with a lifetime Batting Average of .344. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1939.
Babe Ruth, AL: New York Yankees (1923)
This was not the best season of Babe Ruth's career, but he had so many great ones that it can be sometimes be hard to tell them apart. In 1923, Ruth led the American League in Runs Scored (151), Home Runs (41), Runs Batted In (130), Walks (170), On Base Percentage (.545) and Slugging Percentage (.764). He also had a Batting Average of .393, his career-high. The Yankees would also win the World Series that year with Ruth batting .368 with three Home Runs. If you are wondering why this was Ruth's only MVP, remember this was during a time when a player could not become a repeat champion as we stated in our opening. Ruth would rightfully be a part of the first ever Baseball Hall of Fame Class and had 714 Home Runs. Ruth is also baseball's all-time leader in Slugging (.690) and OPS (1.164). Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1936.
Walter Johnson, AL: Washington Senators (2) (1924)
Walter Johnson would become the first repeat MVP in Baseball, and he would do it 12 years apart. Unlike Ruth, Johnson won his first MVP under the previous rules of the inaugural version. This meant that he was not considered a repeat champion, and was eligible for this incarnation. Johnson would go 23-7 leading the AL in Wins, ERA (2.72), FIP (3.31) and WHIP (1.116). He would take the Senators to win the 1924 World Series, the only one of the legend's career. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1939.
Dazzy Vance, NL: Brooklyn Dodgers (1924)
With the return of the National League MVP (the second incarnation), Dazzy Vance would have the best season of his career, capturing this prestigious award. Vance would go 28-6, leading the NL in Wins, ERA (2.16), Strikeouts (262), FIP (2.64) and WHIP (1.022). All of those were career-highs. The Pitcher would go on to win 190 Games with 1,918 Strikeouts over his career. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1955.
Rogers Hornsby, NL: St. Louis Cardinals (1925)
Rogers Hornsby was the runner-up for the 1924 MVP, and in 1925, he would win his sixth straight Batting Title. Hornsby had a Slash Line of .403/.489/.756, with the last component being a career-high. The Second Baseman would also top the leader board with 39 Home Runs and 143 Runs Batted In. While he had a significant dip in production the year after, Hornsby would take the Cards to win the World Series. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1942.
Lou Gehrig, AL: New York Yankees (1927)
Lou Gehrig would win that honor three years into his tenure as the starting First Baseman with the New York Yankees. He would have a Slash Line of 373/.474/.765 with 47 Home Runs. He would lead the American League in Doubles (52) and Runs Batted In (173) and while it was not leading the AL, he had a career-high OPS of 1.240. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1939.
Paul Waner, NL: Pittsburgh Pirates (1927)
As a rookie, Paul Waner finished twelfth in MVP voting, and he would win the big award as a sophomore. The Rightfielder would win his first of what would be three Batting Titles with a career-high .380. He would also lead the National League in Hits (237), Triples (18), and Runs Batted In (131). In the 1930s, Waner would have three top five finishes in MVP voting and would finish his career with 3,152 Hits and a .333 Batting Average. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1952.
Mickey Cochrane, AL: Philadelphia Athletics (1928)
Mickey Cochrane was in his fourth season in baseball, and the Athletics Catcher finished fourth in MVP voting the year before. Cochrane won this award mostly on his leadership and defensive skills, though he had a solid Slash Line for a 1920s Catcher of .293/.395/.464. Realistically, in the modern era, he would not win this MVP, and his 1928 bWAR of 3.3 was not in the top ten. Intangibles won it for him this year, but he had much better seasons ahead. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1947.
Jim Bottomley, NL: St. Louis Cardinals (1928)
Jim Bottomley would be the third different Cardinal in four seasons to win the MVP. He would help the Cards win the World Series in 1926, and later in 1931, but 1928 was his best individual season. The First Baseman would have a Slash Line of .325/.402/.628 with National League leading 20 Triples, 31 Home Runs and 136 Runs Batted In. Bottomley would accumulate 2,313 Hits over his career. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974.
Rogers Hornsby, NL: Chicago Cubs (2) (1929)
Rogers Hornsby would become the second player to win the MVP twice, and the first to win it with two different teams. This was Hornsby's first season with the Cubs after one year with the Boston Braves, one with the New York Giants and 12 with the Cardinals. Hornsby led the NL with 156 Runs Scored and a .679 Slugging Percentage, and he would also bat 380, with 229 Hits, 39 Home Runs and 149 Runs Batted In. This was the end of greatness for Hornsby, but he would continue to play until 1937. He would retire with 2,930 Hits with a Slash Line of .358/.434/.577. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1942.
Lefty Grove, AL: Philadelphia Athletics (1931)
With a now AP voted MVP for both leagues, the first one in the American League went to Lefty Grove, who had helped the Philadelphia Athletics win the previous two World Series. Grove had many great seasons, but this was his best one. He would have a record of a 31 and 4, with his 31 Wins leading the league. The southpaw also finished first in ERA (2.06), Strikeouts (175), FIP (3.01) and WHIP (1.077). Grove would go on to win an even 300 Wins with 2,266 Strikeouts. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1947.
Frankie Frisch, NL: St. Louis Cardinals (1931)
The first MVP of the AP/Modern MVP is of course, a St. Louis Cardinal. Frankie Frisch had previously finished third and second in previous votes, ad in 1931, he would bat .311 with 161 Hits, which was not his best year, and his 3.7 bWAR, while good, is not exactly MVP worthy. Frisch would help the Cardinals win the World Series this year, which would be his third overall, after winning two with the New York Giants. He would win his fourth with the Redbirds in 1934. He would overall accumulate 2,880 Hits with a .316 Batting Average. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1947.
Jimmie Foxx, AL: Philadelphia Athletics (1932)
The second Philadelphia Athletic in a row to win the modern MVP, following Lefty Grove. By this time, Foxx had already won the World Series twice (1929 & 1930), but 1931 was his breakout to the hitting stratosphere. Foxx had previously reached 30 Home Runs in the three earlier seasons, but he blasted 58 in 1932 with 169 Runs Batted In, both of which were league leading. He would have a Slash Line of .364/.469/.749 with an OPS of 1.218. Foxx would also for the first and only time lead the American League in Runs Scored with 151. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1951.
Chuck Klein, NL: Philadelphia Phillies (1932)
Chuck Klein was the first MVP from the Philadelphia Phillies, and he was the runner-up the season before. In 1932, Klein would finish first in Runs Scored (152), Hits (226), Home Runs (38), Stolen Bases (20), Slugging Percentage (.646) and OPS (1.050), and he would also have an excellent Batting Average of .348 with 137 Runs Batted In. Klein was the runner-up again for the National League MVP in 1933, and he went on to produce 2,076 Hits, 300 Home Runs with a .320 Batting Average. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
Jimmie Foxx, AL: Philadelphia Athletics (2) (1933)
For the third year in a row, the American League MVP, went to a Philadelphia Athletic as Foxx also made personal history by being the first ever back-to-back MVP. The slugger would win his second straight Home Run (48) and RBI Title (163), while capturing his first Batting Title (.356). Foxx also would lead the AL in Slugging (.703) and OPS (1.153). Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1951.
Carl Hubbell, NL: New York Giants (1933)
Carl Hubbell posted his first of five straight 20 Win seasons, with this season seeing him win 23 Games with a 1.66 ERA, both of which would be National League leading. Hubbell also was an inaugural All-Star, and would go into nine in total. He would also lead the league in FIP (2.53), WHIP (0.982) and SO/BB (3.22). That year was especially magical as he would lead the New York Giants in a World Series win over the Washington Senators. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1947.
Mickey Cochrane, AL: Detroit Tigers (2) (1934)
Mickey Cochrane became the first Catcher to win the MVP twice, but much like his first win in 1928, there were other years where he should have been considered as opposed to the year he won it. Cochrane would have a very good Slash Line of .320/.428/.412 with a 4.5 bWAR, but he was not in the top ten in Offensive, Defensive of Overall bWAR. In the next season, he would help the Tigers win the World Series, his third overall. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1947.
Dizzy Dean, NL: St. Louis Cardinals (1934)
Dizzy Dean finished seventh in MVP voting in 1933, and in 1934, he would begin a three-year run of dominance in the National League. Dean went 30-7 with a 2.66 ERA and a league-leading 195 Strikeouts. He would hurl the Cardinals to a World Series title that year, and was the runner-up for the MVP in the two seasons that followed. Dean would overall go 150-83 in his career. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1953.
Hank Greenberg, AL: Detroit Tigers (1935)
Hank Greenberg would become the first player to win an MVP, without going to the All-Star Game. In this season, Greenberg would lead the league in Home Runs (36) and Runs Batted In (168), and he would post a Slash Line of .328/.411/.628. More importantly, Greenberg would power the Tigers to a World Series win. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1956.
Gabby Hartnett, NL: Chicago Cubs (1935)
By this point in his career, Gabby Hartnett was a grizzle veteran who had played over a dozen seasons in the baseball, all with the Cubs. The very respected Catcher batted .344, with a .949 OPS, and he was sixth in bWAR for Position Players. This year , he would throw out 60% of all runners who tried to steal on him. Hartnett would later finish second in MVP voting in 1937. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1955.
Lou Gehrig, AL: New York Yankees (2) (1936)
This was Gehrig's second MVP, the first one coming in the award's earlier incarnation. Since the MVP was reintroduced in 1931, he was in the top five in voting each year, and he would finish second in both 1931 and 1932. This season, he would lead the AL in Runs Scored (167), Home Runs (49), Walks (130), On Base Percentage (.478), Slugging Percentage (.696) with a Batting Average of 354. You know the story where he had to take himself out of the game in early 1939, and it was revealed that he contracted ALS (later renamed Lou Gehrig's Disease) and he was forced into retirement. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame that year, and would pass away two years later. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1939.
Carl Hubbell, NL: New York Giants (2) (1936)
Carl Hubbell won his second MVP, the first coming in 1933. He would finish ninth and sixth in the two seasons in-between. This season, Hubbell won 26 Games with a 2.31 ERA, both of which would lead the National League. He also finished number one in WHIP (1.059). Hubbell would play until 1943, and he would finish with a record of 253-154 and a 2.98 ERA. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1947.
Charlie Gehringer, AL: Detroit Tigers (2) (1937)
Gehringer played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers, and in the five seasons before, he finished in the top five in MVP voting, which included a second place finish in 1934. He had also previously helped the Tigers win the 1935 World Series. In '37, Gehringer won his only Batting Title with a career-high .371, and he would also have a 7.4 bWAR, fourth in the AL. Gehringer played until 1942, and would collect 2,839 Hits with 184 Home Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1949.
Joe Medwick, NL: St. Louis Cardinals (1937)
Joe Medwick was the third St. Louis Cardinal in a seven-year period to win the National League MVP, and he was a former World Series Champion in 1934. 1937 was the season he won the Triple Crown, with 31 Home Runs, 154 Runs Batted In and a .374 Batting Average. He would also lead the NL in Runs Scored (111), Hits (237), Doubles (56) and OPS (1.056). The Outfielder would be smack dab in the middle of a seven-year run of consecutive All-Star Games, and he would have two more when he was with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the early 1940s and a tenth with the New York Giants. Medwick played until 1948, and he would accumulate 2,471 Hits, 205 Home Runs and a .324 Batting Average. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1968.
Jimmie Foxx, AL: Boston Red Sox (3) (1938)
Jimmie Foxx made history as the first man to win the MVP three times, but this time he was with the Boston Red Sox, whereas the first two were as a Philadelphia Athletic. This season, Foxx would have his second 50 Home Run Season (finishing precisely at 50), and won his third RBI Title with a personal best of 175. He would sweep first place in the Slash Line with a .349/.462/.704 stat. This season was also number six of nine All-Star Games for the slugger. Foxx finished second in MVP voting the season after and played until 1945. He retired with 2,644 Hits, 534 Home Runs, 1,922 RBIs and a 1.038 OPS. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1951.
Ernie Lombardi, NL: Cincinnati Reds (1938)
Ernie Lombardi had always been a good hitting Catcher, but in 1938, he won the Batting Title with a .342 Average. He would also have 19 Home Runs and his 6.0 bWAR was also a career-high. Lombardi won a World Series with the Reds in 1940 and he played until 1947 and retired with 1,792 Hits, 190 Home Runs and a .306 Batting Average. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.
Joe DiMaggio, AL: New York Yankees (1939)
This was the fourth season of Joe DiMaggio's career, and he was an All-Star in all of them. The Outfielder would also finish with MVP votes in his first three seasons, eighth, second and sixth and in the last year of the 30s, he was considered the best in the American League. DiMaggio won the Batting Title with a .381 Average and he would smash 30 Home Runs with 126 Runs Batted In. He helped the Yankees win the World Series this year, and this was his fourth, making him four for four in World Series wins. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1955.
Hank Greenberg, AL: Detroit Tigers (2) (1940)
This was Greenberg's second MVP win, with the last coming in 1935. In between the wins, Greenberg would have two third place finishes (1937 & 1938). In 1940, the Detroit Tiger would lead the AL in Doubles (50), Home Runs (41), Runs Batted In (150), Slugging Percentage (.670) and OPS (1.103), and he would also bat .340. Greenberg would play until 1947, and won his second World Series with Detroit in 1945. He retired with 331 Home Runs and a lifetime OPS of 1.017. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1956.
Joe DiMaggio, AL: New York Yankees (2) (1941)
Entering year six of his Major League career, "Joltin" Joe DiMaggio would win his second MVP, with this coming off two years removed from his first. He would finish third in the year between, keeping intact his run of top ten MVP placements. DiMaggio's 1941 stats saw him accumulate 30 Home Runs, 125 Runs Batted (league leading) and a .357 Batting Average. He would also win the World Series this year, besting the Brooklyn Dodgers who were led by Dolph Camitti, the National League MVP. This was also the year that DiMaggio would set a still unbroken record of 56 straight games with a hit. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1955.
Joe Gordon, AL: New York Yankees (1942)
Joe Gordon had been in the top ten in MVP voting before, but this was his first win. An All-Star nine times, Gordon was a spectacular defensive player, who had decent offensive capabilities. This season, he was second in Defensive bWAR, had 18 Home Runs, 103 Runs Batted In and batted .322. While the Yankees did not win the World Series this year, Gordon would win four with the Bronx Bombers and one final one with the Cleveland Indians in 1948. He would play until 1950, and would accumulate 1,530 Hits with 253 Home Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.
Stan Musial, NL: St. Louis Cardinals (1943)
World War II had broken out, and many of the players either volunteered or were drafted into military service. This naturally alters the talent level in Baseball, and Musial himself would bypass MLB for the military in 1945. In 1943, he was in baseball and was 22 years old. The future legend was poised for a breakout. Stan "The Man" would lead the NL in Hits (220), Doubles (48), Triples (20), Batting Average (.357), On Base Percentage (.425) and Slugging Percentage (.562). The Cardinals would win the Pennant, but lost to the New York Yankees in the World Series. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969.
Hal Newhouser, AL: Detroit Tigers (1944)
Hal Newhouser was an All-Star twice before 1944, but he had a losing record, and was not the beneficiary of a lot of run support. This changed in 1944, when he had a breakout season, and he dropped his already good ERA with 2.22. Newhouser would lead the American League in Wins (29), and Strikeouts (187). Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.
Hal Newhouser, AL: Detroit Tigers (2) (1945)
Newhouser went back-to-back in MVPs, which made him the only player to win two titles in the World War II era. This season, he would again lead the AL in Wins (25), and for the first time he won the ERA Title (1.81). The hurler would also finish atop the leaderboard in Innings Pitched (313.1), Strikeouts (212), FIP (2.45) and H/9 (6.9). The most important aspect is that Newhouser would hurl the Tigers to a World Series won two Games. Now we noted that Newhouser won his MVPs during the war-depleted Majors, but he went on to finish second the year after and ninth two years after in MVP voting, He would overall win 207 Games with 1,796 Strikeouts. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.
Ted Williams, AL: Boston Red Sox (1946)
Ted Williams debuted for in Baseball for the Boston Red Sox in 1939, and in 1941 and 1942, he was the runner-up for the American League MVP Award. He served in the Military, and missed the 1943, 1944 and 1945 season, but he would not be denied the MVP in 1946. The "Splendid Splinter" batted .342 with 38 Home Runs, 123 RBIs, and was league leading in On Base Percentage (.497) and Slugging Percentage (.667). The career Red Sox Outfielder will be mentioned again! Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966.
Stan Musial, NL: St. Louis Cardinals (2) (1946)
Stan Musial won his first MVP in 1943, and finished fourth in 1944. He would miss the entire 1945 season due to military service, but he was ready to renascent to the top of the National League. He would lead the National League in Runs Scored (124), Hits (228), Doubles (50), Triples (20), Batting Average (.365), Slugging Percentage (.587), and OPS (1.031) Musial would also take St. Louis to their third World Series Championship in the decade. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969.
Like many of his peers, DiMaggio came back from military duty and returned to the elite. This was a good season, where DiMaggio had 20 Home Runs with a Slash Line of .315/.391/.522, and would win his sixth World Series ring with the Yankees. Realistically, this should have gone to Ted Williams, who was a full 5.0 ahead of him in bWAR. This was his last MVP win, though he had two more top ten finishes in MVP voting before retiring in 1951. DiMaggio would have nine World Series Titles with 261 Home Runs and a .325 Batting Average. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1955.
Lou Boudreau, AL: Cleveland Indians (1948)
In 1948, Lou Boudreau was chosen for his seventh and final All-Star Game. He had won the Batting Title in 1944 with a 327 season, but this year he would exceed that with a career-high .355 (though that did not earn him the Batting Title). He also posted personal bests in Hits (199), Home Runs (18), Runs Batted In (106), On Base Percentage (.453) and Slugging Percentage (.534). Boudreau would take the Indians to a World Series Championship that year. The Shortstop would play until 1952 and he retired with 1,779 Hits and a .295 lifetime Batting Average. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1970.
"The Man" won his third (and final) MVP with a career-high 135 Runs Scored, 230 Hits, 131 Runs Batted In, .376 Batting Average, .450 On Base Percentage and .702 Slugging Percentage; all of which were league leading. While this was the last MVP for Musial, his dominance continued for another decade. He would land four more Batting Titles, and retired in 1963 with a lifetime Slash Line of /331/.417/.559. He would have four more second place finishes in MVP voting, and five more top ten tallies. While Musial never won a Home Run Title, he retired with 475 of them. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969.
Ted Williams, AL: Boston Red Sox (2) (1949)
This was Williams' second (and final) MVP award, and this year he would have 43 Home Runs and 159 RBIs, both of which would lead the American League and were personal bests. He batted .343, with a league leading On Base Percentage (.490), and Slugging Percentage (.650). Williams would have five more top ten MVP finishes and would retire in 1960 with 2,654 Hits and 521 Home Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966.
Jackie Robinson, NL: Brooklyn Dodgers (1949)
Jackie Robinson was not just the man who broke the color barrier. He was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1947, and two years later he was the MVP, making him the first black player to win it. The Infielder would post career-highs in Hits (203), Runs Batted In (124), Stolen Bases (37), Batting Average (.342) and Slugging Percentage (.528). He won the Batting Title and Stolen Base Title, and also had 16 Home Runs. Robinson took the Dodgers to the World Series, though lost to the New York Yankees. He would play until 1956, and would win that coveted World Series in 1955. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1962.
Phil Rizzuto, AL: New York Yankees (1950)
Phil Rizzuto's strength was his defense. On seven occasions, the Shortstop would finish in the top three in Defensive bWAR in the American League. 1950 was no exception, as he was second in that metric, but this was by far his best offensive season career-highs of Hits (200), Runs Scored (125), Home Runs (7), Runs Batted In (66), Batting Average (.324), On Base Percentage (.418) and Slugging Percentage (.439). More importantly, he was part of the Yankees dynasty that won another World Series in 1950. Overall, "Scooter" had 1,588 Hits and seven World Series rings. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994.
Yogi Berra, AL: New York Yankees (1951)
Yogi Berra helped redefine the role of the Catcher, as he was equally adept helping with his bat as he was behind the plate. Berra was in his sixth season, and the New York Yankee was on his fourth consecutive All-Star Game. Berra would bat .294 with 28 Home Runs and 124 RBIs, and remained a pillar on defense. The Yanks went to the World Series, and would win marking the fourth championship of the Catcher's career. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.
Roy Campanella, NL: Brooklyn Dodgers (1951)
What Yogi Berra was to American League Catchers, Roy Campanella was to those in the National League, so how fitting that they would win their first MVPs in the same season. Campy had 33 Home Runs, 108 Runs Batted In, and a Slash Line of .325/.393/.590. Of mixed-race (His mother was black, and his father was Italian), he became the first black Catcher to be named MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969.
Roy Campanella, NL: Brooklyn Dodgers (2) (1953)
Campanella won his first MVP in 1951, and in the year in between he finished tenth. This season, he would put up career-high numbers in Home Runs (41), and Runs Batted In (142), with the latter being good enough to lead the American League. Campy had a very good Slash Line of .312/.395/.611, and he would help the Dodgers win the National League Pennant. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969.
Yogi Berra, AL: New York Yankees (2) (1954)
In the previous two seasons, which followed his first MVP, Yogi Berra finished fourth and second in MVP voting, and was still the consensus best Catcher in the American League. His team, the Yankees would not win the American League Pennant (a rarity in that era), but Berra was still very good with 22 Home Runs, 125 Runs Batted In, and a Slash Line of .307/.367/.488. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.
Willie Mays, NL: New York Giants (1954)
Willie Mays debuted in 1951 and would promptly win the National Rookie of the Year Award. He would miss 1953 due to military service, but when he returned, he immediately shot to baseball's stratosphere as many suspected he would. Mays won the Batting Title with a .345 Average, and was atop the leaderboard in Slugging Percentage (.667) and OPS (1.078). Mays had excellent power numbers with 41 Home Runs and 110 Runs Batted In. This year he would begin a streak of 19 consecutive All-Star Games. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
This was Berra's second straight MVP, and his third in five seasons. The popular Catcher again batted .272 with 27 Home Runs and 108 RBIs. This was good, but his bWAR was half of what his teammate, Mickey Mantle had, which reflects how much writers valued any good hitting Catcher. The Yankees would win the Pennant this year, but fell to the Brooklyn Dodgers. Berra played until 1965 and would win 10 World Series Rings as a player. He would also total 2,150 Hits and 358 Home Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.
This was Campanella's third MVP in five years, and as per usual, the Catcher had strong power numbers with 32 Home Runs, 107 RBIs and a .318 Batting Average. Much like Berra, Campanella had a teammate who surpassed him quite a bit in traditional and advanced stats in Duke Snider, and like Berra, this shows the writer's bias towards good hitting Catchers. Campy and the Dodgers would finally beat the Yankees for the World Series, so this was an especially sweet year for the Catcher. He would miss parts of the next two seasons due to injury, but a car accident would render him paralyzed from the shoulders down in 1958, and he was not able to play with the team when they relocated to Los Angeles. He would retire with 1,161 Hits and 242 Home Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969.
Mickey Mantle, AL: New York Yankees (1956)
Realistically, Mickey Mantle should have won this accolade last year, but he was not to be denied in what was an even more impressive season. Mantle led the American League in Runs Scored (132), Home Runs (52), Runs Batted In (130), Slugging Percentage (.705), and he would win his lone Batting Title with a .353 Average. Mantle took his Bronx Bombers to their rightful throne as the World Series Champions, this being his fourth ring. A World Series and the Triple Crown? What a year! Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974.
Mickey Mantle, AL: New York Yankees (2) (1957)
Mantle's 1957 was almost as good as his 1956, and doesn't that say something! His Home Run total went down to 34, but his Batting Average went up to .365, a career-high. He also had a personal best in OBP with .512, and he matched his 11.3 bWAR, which he had the season before. Mantle was now the most popular Yankee, a title that means a lot in Baseball. New York would win the Pennant but went down to the Milwaukee Braves. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974.
Hank Aaron, NL: Milwaukee Brewers (1957)
Hank Aaron, the one-time home run king only won the MVP once, and this was the season that he hammered the Braves into a World Series win this year. This season was the first of four Home Run Titles, and he would go deep 44 times. Aaron also led the National League in Runs Scored (118) and Runs Batted In (132), and he batted .322. Aaron may never had won another MVP, but he had five third place finishes and another five top ten finishes. "Hammerin'" Hank played until 1976, and he would have 3,771 Hits with 755 Home Runs, and 2,297 Runs Batted In, which is still an all-time Major League record. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.
Ernie Banks, NL: Chicago Cubs (1958)
Known as "Mr. Cub", Ernie Banks popular as he was good, which says a lot! The Shortstop had twice finished in the top ten in MVP voting, and this year he would win his first Home Run (47) and RBI Title (129), while also leading the NL in Slugging Percentage (.614). Banks also batted .313 this year, and he was on his fourth of what would be 11 All-Star Games. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.
Nellie Fox, AL: Chicago White Sox (1959)
Nellie Fox had already established himself as a top tier Second Baseman in the American League, as he had already led the AL four times in Hits, and he was on his ninth straight All-Star Game. Fox had also finished in the top ten in MVP voting three times, and he was a vital member of the "Go Go" Sox teams of the 50s. This season, he batted .306 with 191 Hits, and was a Gold Glove winner. Fox went to three more All-Star Games and would collect 2,663 Hits over his career. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.
Ernie Banks, NL: Chicago Cubs (2) (1959)
Banks was a back-to-back winner in MVP voting, and he would go deep 45 times with a .304 Batting Average. The Chicago Cub would lead the NL in RBIs for the second straight year with a career-high 143. He would finish fourth in MVP voting the following season, and win his second Home Run Title. Banks never won a World Series, but in a career spent entirely at Wrigley, he would have 2,583 Hits with 512 Home Runs. He would play until 1971. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.
Frank Robinson, NL: Cincinnati Reds (1961)
Frank Robinson was the Rookie of the Year in 1956, and the Outfielder could do it all as a bona fide five tool baseball player. To date, Robinson had never had a season where he did not receive an MVP vote, and in 1961, he would finally finish first. He would hit 37 Home Runs with 124 Runs Batted In, while batting .323. His .611 Slugging Percentage and 1.015 OPS would lead the National League. Robinson would take the Reds to the World Series in a losing effort against the New York Yankees. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.
The season after his exciting race with Roger Maris to 61 Home Runs, Mickey Mantle would win his third and final MVP. The Outfielder won his first and only Gold Glove this year, and while he should not have won that accolade, his MVP was well earned with his 30 Home Runs and a Slash Line of .321/.486/.605. Mantle would play until 1968 and he would be an All-Star sixteen times and won the World Series seven times, with this season being the seventh. He retired with 2,415 Hits with 536 Home Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974.
Sandy Koufax, NL: Los Angeles Dodgers (1963)
Sandy Koufax is known for having two careers. The first half (1955-60) was largely uneventful, and the second half (1961-66), where he had "the Left Hand of God". Koufax was an All-Star the previous two seasons, and in 1963, he would go 25-5, leading the NL in Wins, ERA (1.88), Shutouts (11), Strikeouts (306), FIP (1.85), WHIP (0.875) and SO/BB (5.28). He would of course win the Cy Young, and did so again in 1965 and 1966. In those two years he would place second in MVP voting. In 1963, he would also win the World Series, earning MVP honors, and accolade he would repeat in 1965. Koufax retired with a 165-87 Record and 2,396 Strikeouts. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.
Brooks Robinson, AL: Baltimore Orioles (1964)
Brooks Robinson was regarded as one of the greatest defensive players that ever existed, and the Third Baseman was also an outstanding hitter. Robinson would win the MVP in 1964, and he had career-highs with 194 Hits, 28 Home Runs, 118 Runs Batted In (led the league), .317 Batting Average, .368 OBP and .521 Slugging. Robinson would later win two World Series Rings, and he won 16 Gold Gloves with 268 Home Runs and 2,848 Hits. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974.
Willie Mays, NL: San Francisco Giants (2) (1965)
Over a decade after he won his first MVP, Mays and his Giants were now in San Francisco. In between his first and second MVP, he was a contender for many of them, finishing in the top six in MVP voting in 10 of those 11 years. His second MVP would see him blast 52 Home Runs, which would lead the National League, and was a personal high. He would also finish first in On Base Percentage (.398), and Slugging Percentage (.645), and he would also have a 111 RBIs and a .317 Batting Average. The Outfielder finished third in MVP voting the year after, and that would be the final season where Mays was in the top ten in MVP voting. Mays ended his career in 1973 and would accumulate 3,283 Hits and 660 Home Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Frank Robinson, AL: Baltimore Orioles (2) (1966)
Frank Robinson made history as the first player to win the MVP in both the National League and American League. Robinson was traded the year before when Cincinnati management felt that his best years were behind him, which was promptly proven wrong when he won the Triple Crown with 49 Home Runs, 122 RBIs and a .316 Batting Average. He would also finish first in the AL in Runs Scored (122), On Base Percentage (.410), and Slugging Percentage (.637), and he was the MVP in the World Series, the first championship for the franchise in Baltimore. Robinson would again make history by becoming the first black Manager in the Majors, and he would be the AL Manager of the Year in 1989. As a player, Robinson retired with 2,943 Hits and 586 Home Runs and was a two-time World Series Champion as a player. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.
Roberto Clemente, NL: Pittsburgh Pirates (1966)
Arguably the most important Latin American baseball player of all-time, Roberto Clemente was on his seventh straight All-Star Game appearance and the career Pirate had already won three Batting Titles. He did not win his fourth in 1966 (he would win it in 1967) but as always, he put forth excellent offensive numbers by batting .317, and collecting 105 Runs, 202 Hits, 29 Home Runs and 119 RBIs. Over the Puerto Rican legend's career, he would have 12 All-Star seasons, 12 Gold Gloves and win two World Series Titles. Clemente's career tragically ended after the 1972 season, when the plane that he was in crashed, killing all aboard. He was on his way to Nicaragua to aid in earthquake relief. Clemente would record an even 3,000 Hits over his career. He would be fast tracked into the Hall of Fame the year after. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.
Carl Yastrzemski, AL: Boston Red Sox (1967)
If baseball fans in Boston weren't convinced that Carl Yastrzemski was the face of the Red Sox, they were after this season. "Yaz" won the coveted Triple Crown with 44 Home Runs, 121 Runs Batted In and a .326 Batting Average, and he was also the league leader in Runs Scored (112), Hits (189), On Base Percentage (.418), and Slugging Percentage (622). Playing his entire career with Boston, Yastrzemski would win three Batting Titles, five OBP Titles, three Slugging Titles and was an All-Star eighteen times. He retired in 1983 with 3,419 Hits and 452 Home Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989.
Orlando Cepeda, NL: St. Louis Cardinals (1967)
Orlando Cepeda was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1958 when he was with the San Francisco Giants, and he would promptly go to the next six All-Star Games. He was traded to the Cardinals in 1966, and in 1967, he was chosen for his seventh and last All-Star Game, but this year, he was part of an excellent team that won the World Series. Cepeda had 25 Home Runs, and would lead the NL in RBIs (111), with a career-high .325 Batting Average. There were others who could have been chosen for this, but there was no runaway candidate. Cepeda played until 1974, and he would retire with 2,351 Hits with 379 Home Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.
Bob Gibson, NL: St. Louis Cardinals (1968)
Before 1968, Bob Gibson had already won two World Series Rings with the St. Louis Cardinals, and he was the MVP in both of those championships. In 1968, Gibson went 22-9 with an anemic ERA of 1.12, which of course was leading the National League. Gibson also led all NL Pitchers in Shutouts (13), Strikeouts (268), FIP (1.77), WHIP (0.853), and H/9 (5.8). The Cardinals won the Pennant, but Gibson was not able to will the Redbirds over the Detroit Tigers in the World Series this year. Gibson would later win his second Cy Young in 1970, and he would retire with a record of 251-174 and 3,117 Strikeouts. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.
Harmon Killebrew, AL: Minnesota Twins (1969)
Harmon Killebrew might be the greatest player in Minnesota Twins history, and if he is not, he is certainly the most iconic. "The Killer" would win his sixth (and final) Home Run Title, and he would tie his personal best with 49 taters. Killebrew would finish first in the AL with 140 RBIs, 145 Walks, and an OBP of .427, which also was personal bests. While overall, this may not have been the best year for Killebrew, it is hard to state that he should not have been an MVP at some point in his career. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984.
Willie McCovey, NL: San Francisco Giants (1969)
How good was Willie McCovey? He was able to escape the shadow of Willie Mays. In 1969, McCovey won his third Home Run Title (45) and second RBI Title (126), and he would also finish first in On Base Percentage (.453), Slugging Percentage (.656), and OPS (1.108). McCovey would also bat .320, the highest of his career. He was third the in MVP voting the year before, and was ninth the season after. He played until 1980, and would accumulate 2,211 Hits and 521 Home Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.
Johnny Bench, NL: Cincinnati Reds (1970)
Two seasons removed from winning the Rookie of the Year, Johnny Bench won his first MVP. The Reds Catcher would finish first in the National League in Home Runs (45), Runs Batted In (148), and he would have a Slash Line of .293/.345/587, with the Batting Average and Slugging Percentage being career-highs. Bench would also earn his third of what would be ten straight Gold Gloves. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989.
Joe Torre, NL: St. Louis Cardinals (1971)
In 1971, Joe Torre went to his seventh of nine All-Star Games, and he would have the best year of his career. Torre would lead all National League batters in Hits (230), Runs Batted In (137) and Batting Average (.363), and he would have 24 Home Runs. Playing at Third Base this year, Torre played until 1977, and would accumulate 2,343 Hits with 252 Home Runs. As good as he was as a player, he would have a more successful career as a Manager where he would win four World Series rings with the New York Yankees. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014 (as a manager).
Johnny Bench, NL: Cincinnati Reds (2) (1972)
Just like in 1970, Johnny Bench would lead the NL in Home Runs (40) and RBIs (125), and this season he would bat .370 with a career-high in Walks (100) and On Base Percentage (.379). In the next three years, Bench would finish in the top ten in MVP voting and he was in the middle of a thirteen-year run of All-Star Game appearances. Bench would play his entire career with the Reds and helped them win two World Series Titles. He retired in 1983 with 2,048 Hits and 389 Home Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989.
Reggie Jackson, AL: Oakland Athletics (1973)
This was Reggie Jackson's first time winning the Home Run Title, and he would do it again three other years. Jackson would also lead the American League in Runs Scored (99), Runs Batted In (117), Slugging Percentage (.531) and OPS (.914), and this was also the second of three straight World Series Titles for Jackson and the Oakland A's. "Mr. October" would have five World Series rings in total with 563 Home Runs in his career. Jackson would have six other years where he would finish in the top ten in MVP voting, which included a second-place finish in 1980. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.
Joe Morgan, NL: Cincinnati Reds (1975)
By this time, Joe Morgan had already established himself as the best Second Baseman in Baseball, and he finished fourth and eighth in MVP voting in the last two years. The Reds were ready to take over, and with previous MVPs Pete Rose and Johnny Bench, Morgan led "The Big Red Machine" to a Championship in 1975, and Morgan won not only the MVP, the Gold Glove, and he led the NL in On Base Percentage (.466) and OPS (.974). Morgan also had 17 Home Runs with a .327 Batting Average. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990.
Joe Morgan, NL: Cincinnati Reds (2) (1976)
Joe Morgan did it again, doubling up as MVP and World Series Champion, and for the fourth time he would lead the National League in On Base Percentage (.444). This season, he would also win the Slugging Title (.576), OPS Title (1.020), and would have career-highs in Home Runs (27), and Runs Batted In (111). Morgan was also an All-Star for the seventh of what would be ten times, and he secured his fourth (of five) Gold Gloves. The Second Baseman played until 1984, and he would have 2,517 Hits with 268 Home Runs and 689 Stolen Bases. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990.
Rod Carew, AL: Minnesota Twins (1977)
While Rod Carew had an MVP case in earlier seasons, he was not going to be denied in 1977. The Panamanian finished in the top nine in MVP voting the last four seasons, and this year he won his sixth of seven Batting Titles. It was not just a league-leading Batting Average, it was an incredible .388. He also finished first in the AL in On Base Percentage (.449), OPS (1.019), Runs Scored (128), Hits (239) and Triples (16), and he would be named an All-Star in the first 18 of his 19 seasons in the Majors. Carew played until 1985, and retired as a member of the 3,000 Hit Club with 3,053. He would bat .328 over his career. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.
Jim Rice, AL: Boston Red Sox (1978)
Jim Rice finished fourth in MVP voting the year before, when he won his first Batting Title. In 1978, Rice won his second (of three) Home Run crowns, and he did so with a career-high 46. He would also lead the AL in Hits (213), Triples (15), RBIs (139), Slugging Percentage (.600), and OPS (.970), and he would Have a nice Batting Average of .315. Rice would go on to have three more top five finished in MVP voting and in a career spent entirely with the Red Sox, he would accumulate 2,452 Hits, 382 Home Runs and was an eight-time All-Star. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.
Willie Stargell, NL: Pittsburgh Pirates (1979)
While Willie Stargell is a deserving Hall of Famer, this might be one of the worst MVP selections ever. His 2.5 bWAR is the worst to date for any MVP, and his co-winner, Keith Hernandez, had more than triple what Stargell had. This was the last good season of Stargell's career, and he had been an All-Star seven times before, and was an MVP runner-up twice before in much better years. Stargell did not even get to 120 Hits, though his 32 Home Runs and .281 Batting Average were decent, but not MVP worthy. What Stargell did accomplish was win the World Series, which combined with sentiment propelled him to this honor. He retired three years later with 2,232 Hits and 475 Home Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.
George Brett, AL: Kansas City Royals (1980)
While George Brett arguably should have won an MVP already, Brett's 1980 season was exceptionally impressive. The Royals' Third Baseman led everyone in the AL in the Slash Line (.390/.454/.664), and he would have 24 Home Run with a career-high 118 Runs Batted In. Brett only played 117 Games, but he would have a stellar bWAR of 9.4. Largely because of Brett, The Royals would win the Pennant, though would lose to the Philadelphia Phillies. Brett played his entire career in Kansas City where he would accumulate 3,154 Hits, 317 Home Runs, and a Batting Average of .309. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.
Mike Schmidt, NL: Philadelphia Phillies (1980)
Mike Schmidt and the Philadelphia Phillies would finally make history as the Third Baseman would take the hard luck franchise to their first ever World Series Championship. Schmidt was third in MVP voting in 1976, would win his fourth Home Run Title in 1980, with what would be a career-best of 48. This was his first RBI Title, and his 121 ribbies was his personal best. Schmidt would also lead the National League in Slugging Percentage (.624) and OPS (1.004). Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.
Rollie Fingers, AL: Milwaukee Brewers (1981)
Rollie Fingers had already won three World Series Rings with the Oakland A's, and here he was in his first season in Milwaukee winning the elusive Cy Young and MVP. Fingers would lead the AL in Saves with 28, and had an exemplary ERA of 1.04, with a WHIP of 0.872. The Brewers would go to the playoffs for the first time this year. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.
Mike Schmidt, NL: Philadelphia Phillies (2) (1981)
In the strike-shortened 1981 season, Mike Schmidt maintained his elite status as the best Third Baseman in the National League. The career Philadelphia Phillie would win his fifth Home Run Crown (31), second RBI Title (91), and for the first time in his career would finish atop the National League in On Base Percentage (.435). He was also first in Slugging (.644) and OPS (1.080). Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.
Robin Yount, AL: Milwaukee Brewers (1982)
An All-Star for the second time in his career, Robin Yount would lead the American League in Hits (210), Doubles (46), Slugging Percentage (.578), and OPS (.957), and had a career-best in Batting Average (.331), Home Runs (29), and RBIs (114). Yount would lead the Brewers to the American League Pennant, though Milwaukee would lose to the St. Louis Cardinals. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.
Cal Ripken, AL: Baltimore Orioles (1983)
The legendary Shortstop won the Rookie of the Year the year before and in 1983 Cal Ripken cemented himself as the premier player at his position. The career Baltimore Oriole would lead the AL in Runs Scored (121), Hits (211) and Doubles (47), with all of those numbers being his personal best. Ripken had a Slash Line of .318/.371/.571 and he was named to the All-Star Game, a trend that he would continue until he retired in 2001. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
Ryne Sandberg, NL: Chicago Cubs (1984)
Ryne Sandberg had already established himself as an upper echelon Second Basemen in the National League, but this was the year that Phillies fans were beyond consolation over letting Sandberg go in a trade three years before. The Second Baseman would finish first in Runs Scored (114) and Triples (19), and he would have a career-high .314 Batting Average. Sandberg would have two more fourth place finishes in his career for the MVP and he would play until 1997 with 2,386 Hits and 282 Home Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005.
Mike Schmidt made the rare three-time MVP club in 1986, and he was also earning his eighth (and final) Home Run Title this year, with his 37 dingers. Schmidt would also lead the National League in RBIs (119), Slugging Percentage (.547), and OPS (.937), and he would play three more seasons, retiring in 1989. Schmidt retired with 12 All-Star Game appearances, 548 Home Runs and 2,234 Hits. This is without a doubt the greatest Philadelphia Phillie ever, and the success they had in the 1980s does not happen without him. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.
Andre Dawson, NL: Chicago Cubs (1987)
Andre Dawson joined the Chicago Cubs as a Free Agent in the era of collusion, and the Cubs got an MVP for a half a million dollars. "The Hawk" would lead the National League in Home Runs (49) and Runs Batted In (137), which were both career-highs. He would bat .287 that year. Dawson would belt 438 Home Rus and 2,774 Hits over his career. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.
Robin Yount, AL: Milwaukee Brewers (2) (1989)
Robin Yount might not have had led any offensive category, but this was an excellent campaign. Yount would have 21 Home Runs, 101 Runs, 103 RBIs, and a Slash Line of .318/.384/.511. He played his entire career with the Brewers, accumulating an impressive 3,142 Hits, and 251 Home Runs. Even though he was only a three-time All-Star, this was a star in every sense of the word and a worthy first ballot Hall of Fame inductee. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.
Rickey Henderson, AL Oakland Athletics (1990)
For the 10thtime in his career, Rickey Henderson won the Stolen Base Title, but he also matched his previous high of 28 Home Runs. He would have career-highs in all aspects of the Slash Line (.325/.439/.577), and his OBP was good enough to lead the American League, which was the first time that happened. The A's would go to their third straight World Series, though they lost this year to the Cincinnati Reds. Henderson played until 2003, and retires as the all-time leader in Runs Scored (2,295), and Stolen Bases (1,406). He would also accumulate 3,055 Hits with a .401 On Base Percentage. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.
Cal Ripken, AL: Baltimore Orioles (2) (1991)
While Cal Ripken did not lead the AL in any traditional metric, his 11.5 bWAR was far and away the best in the league. Ripken would have his best power numbers with 34 Home Runs and 114 RBIS, and he also set a personal best with his .323 Batting Average. Ripken was in the middle of the all-time record of 2,632 consecutive Games. Over his career, Ripken would accrue 3,184 Hits with 431 Home Runs and 1,695 Runs Batted In. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
Dennis Eckersley, AL: Oakland Athletics (1992)
Dennis Eckersley was an integral part of Oakland's three straight American League Pennants (1988-90), and this season "Eck" would lead the AL in Saves (51), Games Finished (65) and would also win the Cy Young. For all intents and purposes, this was his last good year, and he played until 1998. His career was truly two halves, the first as a good starter, and his second as an elite reliever. He retired with 197 Wins and 390 Saves. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
Frank Thomas, AL: Chicago White Sox (1993)
"The Big Hurt" was in the top ten in MVP voting the last two seasons, and in the 1993 season, he would belt 41 Home Runs with 128 Runs Batted In, and a Slash Line of .317/.426/.607. None of these would lead any offensive category, but this was still an incredible offensive year that began a five-year run of All-Star runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Frank Thomas, AL: Chicago White Sox (2) (1994)
Frank Thomas was excellent again with his bat, leading the American League in Runs Scored (106), On Base Percentage (.487), Slugging Percentage (.729), and OPS (1.217). The last three of those were personal bests for the slugger. Thomas would also bat a career-high .353 and 38 Home Runs and 101 RBIs. He would go on to finish in the top eight in MVP voting in the next three seasons and was the runner-up in 2000. He played until 2008 and would hammer 521 Home Runs with 1,704 RBIs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Jeff Bagwell, NL: Houston Astros (1994)
In the strike-shortened 1994 season, Jeff Bagwell planted his flag as an upper-echelon player. He would lead the National League in Runs Scored (104), Runs Batted In (116), Slugging Percentage (.750) and OPS (1.201). The former Rookie of the Year had 39 Home Runs with a .368 Batting Average that year. Bagwell would go on to have five more top ten MVP finishes, and he would play his entire career with the Houston Astros retiring in 2005. He would have 2,314 Hits with 449 Home Runs over his career. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
Barry Larkin, NL: Cincinnati Reds (1995)
Spending his entire career with the Cincinnati Reds, Barry Larkin was their Shortstop from 1986 to 2004. Larkin was an 12-time All-Star, and this year was right in the middle of his career. He would have 15 Home Runs and batted .319, which was a career-high. Larkin would also win the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger this season, and he would retire winning three Gold Gloves and nine Silver Sluggers. He also had 2,340 Hits with 198 Home Runs and 379 Stolen Bases over his career. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.
Ken Griffey, AL: Seattle Mariners (1997)
The statistical argument can be stated that Ken Griffey Jr. was worthy of more than one MVP, but this was the one that he captured and thank God that he did. This season, Griffey led all American League batters with 125 Runs Scored, 56 Home Runs, 147 Runs Batted In, and a Slugging Percentage of .646. He would also bat .304. "Junior" would win four Home Run Titles in his career, and was also in the top ten in MVP voting five other seasons. He played until 2010, and would accumulate 2,781 Hits with 630 Home Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
Ivan Rodriguez, AL: Texas Rangers (1999)
Ivan Rodriguez had already been considered for a few years to be the best Catcher in the American League. 1999 would see "Pudge" go to his eighth of what would be 14 All-Star Games, and he was also named a Silver Slugger and Gold Glove, of which he would have seven and thirteen respectively. This season, he would bat .332 with a career-high 35 Home Runs and 113 Runs Batted In. He would not lead the AL in any offensive category, but for a Catcher, his numbers were spectacular. The Rangers made the playoffs that year, but were beaten by the New York Yankees in the American League Divisional Series. Rodriguez would later lead the Florida Marlins to the World Series in 2003, where he was the NLCS MVP. He played until 2011, and retired with 2,844 Hits and 311 Home Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
Chipper Jones, NL: Atlanta Braves (1999)
Chipper Jones played his entire career with the Atlanta Braves, and in 1999 he would belt a career-high 45 Home Runs with 110 Runs Batted In, and a Slash Line of .319/.441/.633, which equated to a personal best OPS of 1.074. While Jones would not lead the National League in any stat, his numbers were certainly fantastic. Jones would be named to eight All-Star Games, win two Silver Sluggers, and the 2008 Batting Title. He retired in 2012 with 2,726 Hits and 468 Home Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
Vladimir Guerrero, AL: Anaheim Angels (2004)
After eight seasons with the Montreal Expos, Vladimir Guerrero joined the Angels and continued to have one of the seasons that was expected from him. Guerrero led the American League with 124 Runs Scored and had 39 Home Runs with 126 Runs Batted In. The "Impaler" had a Slash Line of .337/.391/.598, and while advanced metrics would say that this was not the best year of his career, this was a player who was MVP worthy. Guerrero played until the 2011 season and the nine-time All-Star and retired with 2,590 Hits and 449 Home Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
The following are the players who have won the MVP in MLB who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have not been selected:
Frank Schulte, NL: Chicago Cubs (1911)
Helping the Chicago Cubs win the World Series in 1907 and 1908, Frank Schulte would have better seasons to come. Schulte made history as the first player in the National League to win a version of their MVP in 1911, and he would lead the NL in Home Runs with 21, which was an incredible number for that time. This year, he would become the first player ever to have at least 20 Doubles, Triples, Home Runs and Stolen Bases, and he would have a Slash Line of .300/.384/.534. He would continue to play until 1918 and had 1,766 Hits over his career. Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.
Larry Doyle, NL: New York Giants (1912)
One of the most popular players of his day, Larry Doyle finished third in MVP voting the season before. This year he would bat .330 with 184 Hits. In 1915, when there was no MVP award, Doyle would win his only Batting Title while also leading the National League in Hits (189) and Doubles (40). He would accumulate 1,887 Hits over his career that was mostly spent with the New York Giants. Ranked #42 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jake Daubert, NL: Brooklyn Dodgers (1913)
Jake Daubert was an underrated hitter in terms of history, but this was not the case in 1913, where he would win his first of two straight batting titles. This year, Daubert would bat .350, which was his personal best. He would also have a career-high of .405 in On Base Percentage. Daubert would accumulate 2,326 Hits, 165 Triples, 251 Stolen Bases and a .303 lifetime Batting Average. Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.
Roger Peckinpaugh, AL: Washington Senators (1925)
This is a very strange choice, as while Roger Peckinpaugh was a very good defensive Shortstop, this award happened near the end of his career, and offensively. This year, he only had 124 Hits, though he did have bat .294, the second highest of his career. This was a good player but with a 2.6 bWAR, he is among the worst MVPs in Baseball history. He would have 1,876 Hits with a career Defensive bWAR of 25.0 over his career. Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.
George Burns, AL: Cleveland Indians (1926)
George Burns would have the best season of his life this year and he would have a personal best of 216 Hits and 64 Doubles, both of which would lead the American League. Burns would have a Slash Line that year of .358/.394/.494. Over his career, he would win the World Series twice, one with Cleveland (1920) and one with the Philadelphia Athletics (1929). He would have 2,018 Hits with a .307 Batting Average over his career. Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.
Bob O'Farrell, NL: St. Louis Cardinals (1926)
Bob O'Farrell was a highly regarded defensive Catcher, and he would become the first man at his position to win an MVP. He would have 144 Hits with a .293 Batting Average and he would help the Cardinals win the World Series that year. He played until 1935, and would have 1,120 career hits. O'Farrell was on the ballot for three years, finishing as high as 2.4% in 1950. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bucky Walters, NL: Cincinnati Reds (1939)
While Bucky Walters may have been an All-Star in 1937 when he was the Philadelphia Phillies, he truly arrived in 1939 as a member of the Cincinnati Reds. Walters was the second Red in a row to win the MVP, and he would lead the National League in Wins (27), ERA (2.29), Innins Pitched (319) and WHIP (1.125). He would finish third in MVP voting the following season and help Cincinnati win the World Series. He would retire with 198 Wins. Walters was on the ballot for fifteen years, finishing as high as 23.7% in 1968. Ranked #64 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Frank McCormick, NL: Cincinnati Reds (1940)
For the third consecutive year, a Cincinnati Red won the National League MVP, and this year it was Frank McCormick, their First Baseman. As you can imagine, this led to them winning the 1940 World Series. This was the third season in a row that McCormick would lead the NL in Hits, and he also finished number one in Doubles (44). He would bat .309 this year with 19 Home Runs, and he finished in the top five in MVP voting the two years prior. He would be named to nine All-Stars over his career, and he would accumulate 1,711 Hits with a .299 Batting Average. McCormick was on the ballot for four years, finishing as high as 4.0% in 1964. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dolph Camilli, NL: Brooklyn Dodgers (1941)
Dolph Camilli had already proven himself to be a proven power hitter as the First Baseman had previously hit at least 23 or more Home Runs the last six years. A popular player in Brooklyn, Camilli's 1941 campaign would see him lead the NL in Home Runs (34) and Runs Batted In (120), both were personal highs. He also batted .285 with a .407 On Base Percentage, which was on par from what should be expected by Camilli. The Dodgers would win the pennant that year, but lost to the New York Yankees. He would play until 1945. Camilli was on the ballot for four years, finishing as high as 1.5% in 1958. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Mort Cooper, NL: St. Louis Cardinals (1942)
Cooper ascended to the ace of the Cardinals staff this year, and he would lead the NL in Wins (22), ERA (1.78), Shutouts (10), WHIP (0.987) and SO/BB (2.24). While Cooper was not great in the World Series (which St. Louis won), he was a huge factor in their pennant win. The pitcher remained in the league during World War II, and he would finish in the top ten in MVP voting on two more occasions. Cooper remained in Baseball until 149, and he would retire with a 129-75 record. Cooper was on the ballot for four years, finishing as high as 1.1% in 1958. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Spud Chandler, AL: New York Yankees (1943)
Spud Chandler had a career season where he led the American League in Wins (20), ERA (1.64), FIP (2.30) and WHIP (0.992), and went to win the World Series by securing two Wins in the Fall Classic. This was by far the best season he would ever have, and he would win a third World Series Ring in 1947. Overall, Chandler won 109 Games in the Majors. Chandler was on the ballot for five years, finishing as high as 3.0% in 1958. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Marty Marion, NL: St. Louis Cardinals (1944)
Arguably, this was a strange selection, as Marion was not the best hitter, and he would bat .267 with 6 Home Runs, and 135 Hits, which was a typical offensive season for him. The Shortstop was nicknamed the "Octopus", and he could always be counted on to be a wizard with the glove, and while advanced metrics were not known in 1944, Marion was the leader in Defensive bWAR with a whopping 3.6. It is weird, in that the voters recognized this side of the game, which is rare. Marion would take the Cardinals to the World Series win that year. Marion was on the ballot for fifteen years, finishing as high as 40.0% in 1970. Ranked #56 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Phil Cavarretta, NL: Chicago Cubs (1945)
Cavarretta's best seasons in Major League Baseball did take place during World War II, so when he is criticized historically for not being a great player, you can see why that might be the case. No matter. In 1945 Cavarretta won the Batting Title (.355), On Base Percentage (.449), and he would help the Cubs win the National League Pennant. He played until 1955, and would collect 1,977 Hits. Cavarretta was on the ballot for fourteen years, finishing as high as 35.6% in 1975. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bob Elliott, NL: Boston Braves (1947)
This was the first year that Elliott was with the Braves after eight years with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Elliott had finished in the top ten in MVP voting three times before, but in '47, he set career-highs in Batting Average (.317), Slugging Percentage (.517) and Runs Batted In (113), with a 22 Home Run Year. Elliott played until 1953 and he would accumulate 2,061 Hits and 170 Home Runs. Elliott was on the ballot for three years, finishing as high as 2.0% in 1964. Ranked #95 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Konstanty, NL: Philadelphia Phillies (1950)
Jim Konstanty might be the most unlikeliest player to have ever won the MVP Award. First off, he had an average career at best prior to this win, and he went right back to that afterwards. Second, Konstantu was a reliever, who didn't start a single game in 1950. That is common now, but in 1950, closers were not part of the baseball vernacular. Regardless, the member of the Whiz Kids Phillies team that won the National League Pennant was excellent this season going 16-7 and leading the NL in Games Pitched (74), Games Finished (62) and Saves (22). He was an All-Star this year, for the first and only time, and he would later make dubious history as the first MVP to not even appear on a Hall of Fame ballot. Konstanty was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1962 but was not on the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bobby Shantz, NL: Philadelphia Athletics (1952)
This was by far the best season by far for Bobby Shantz, who was an All-Star the previous season, but his '52 year was so much better. Shantz led the American League in 24 Wins, and also led the AL in WHIP (1.048), BB/9 (2.0), and SO/BB (2.41). His Schantz 9.3 bWAR was higher than his closest competitor, Larry Doby by 2.1. He would later win the ERA Title in 1957, and a plethora of Gold Gloves, but realistically he was a Pitcher with one great season. He would finish his career with a 119-99 record with 1,072 Strikeouts. Shantz was on the ballot for five years, finishing as high as 2.3% in 1975. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Hank Sauer, NL: Chicago Cubs (1952)
While Hank Sauer had a good year, he likely should not have won this MVP, as Stan Musial, Robin Roberts and Jackie Robinson had much better bWARs, but this is not to say that Sauer's '52 was average. The Chicago Cub had a great year with 37 Home Runs and 121 Runs Batted In. That led the National League, and likely landed him the MVP. He would also bat .270 that year, and this was his second of two All-Star Game appearances. Sauer played until 1959 and would retire with 288 Home Runs. Sauer was on the ballot for one year, and finished with 1.3% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Al Rosen, AL: Cleveland Indians (1953)
A career Cleveland Indian, AL Rosen won the Home Run Title in 1950, and in 1952 was the leader in Runs Batted In. In 1953, he did both. He would post career-bests in those metrics (43 Home Runs) and (145 Runs Batted In) and in all three Slash Line components (.336/.422/.613). His Slugging Percentage was also league leasing as was his OPS (1.034). Rosen played three more seasons and finished his career with 1,063 Hits and 192 Home Runs. Bauer was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1962, but was not on the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Don Newcombe, NL: Brooklyn Dodgers (1956)
This was the first year of the Cy Young Award, which was designated to be given to the best Pitcher. From 1956 to 1966, there was only one award given, and not one per league. It only took one year for us to see the first dual winner of the MVP and Cy Young as Don Newcombe captured them both in 1956. Newcombe was the Rookie of the Year in 1949 and he was already a two-time 20 Game winner, but he would secure 27 Wins in 1956 and led the NL in WHIP with 0.989. That was the last great year he would have, and he would only have two more 10 Win Seasons. Newcombe played until 1960 and he retired with 149 Wins against 90 Losses. Newcombe was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 15.3% in 1980. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jackie Jensen, AL: Boston Red Sox (1958)
This was the best season of Jackie Jensen's career, and while this should have gone to Mickey Mantle, Jensen did post good numbers for the Red Sox. Jensen had 35 Home Runs and led the AL in Runs Batted in with 122. He also had an excellent Slash Line of .286/.396/.535. Jensen was an All-Star for the third and final time this year and won the RBI Title the following season, but he would be out of the game two years after. He retired with 199 Home Runs and 1,463 Hits. Jensen was on the ballot for six years and finished as high as 1.1% in 1968. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Roger Maris, AL: New York Yankees (1960)
While most people think of Maris' record breaking 1961 season, he was an MVP the season before in 1960 when he led the AL in Runs Batted In (112) and Slugging Percentage (.581). He would have 39 Home Runs, won the Gold Glove, and helped the Yankees win the Pennant, though they would lose to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Maris was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 43.1% in 1988. Ranked #20 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dick Groat, NL: Pittsburgh Pirates (1960)
The 1960 season was a magical one for the Pittsburgh Pirates as they were able to win the National League Pennant and go on to defeat the loaded dynasty of the New York Yankees. The winning Home Run in the Series came from Bill Mazeroski, but the league MVP was Shortstop, Dick Groat, who won his only Batting Title with a .325 Average. Groat likely won this due to the Pirates winning of the pennant, as Willie Mays and Hank Aaron arguably had a better year, but again, they did not win the Pennant in 1960. Groat would go to five All-Star Games, won another World Series with the Pirates in 1964, and had 2,138 Hits over his career. Groat was on the ballot for six years and finished as high as 1.8% in 1978. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Roger Maris, AL: New York Yankees (2) (1961)
This was the year where Roger Maris famously broke Babe Ruth's single season Home Run record with 61, and he did against backlash from the league (the asterisk), and Yankees fans who wanted it to broken by Mickey Mantle. Regardless, Roger Maris persevered and had the league leading 61 Home Runs, as well topping the American League leaderboard in Runs Scored (132) and Runs Batted In (141). More importantly, the Yanks won the World Series. New York would win the World Series again next year, but the power of Maris diminished and he would have only three more 20 Home Run seasons, finishing with 275 overall. Maris was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 43.1% in 1988. Ranked #20 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Maury Wills, NL: Los Angeles Dodgers (1962)
Maury Wills had won the previous two National League Stolen Base titles with tallies of 50 and 35, but the Los Angeles Dodger would set a new record with 104 thefts, making him the first player to ever exceed the 100 mark. Wills would bat .299 with 130 Runs Scored and a league-leading 10 Triples. Wills would win three more SB Titles, and went on to record 2,134 Hits and 586 Stolen Bases. Wills was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 40.6% in 1981. Ranked #73 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Elston Howard, AL: New York Yankees (1963)
For the fourth year in a row, a New York Yankee won the MVP, with Elston Howard being the third different player to earn this honor. The Catcher was on his seventh of nine straight All-Star Games, and he had a career-high 28 Home Runs, batted .287, and won his first Gold Glove. Howard played until 1968, and he would have 1,471 Hits with 167 Home Runs while winning four World Series Championships with the Yankees. Howard was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 20.7% in 1981. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ken Boyer, NL: St. Louis Cardinals (1964)
Ken Boyer had another good season with 24 Home Runs, and a National League leading 119 Runs Batted In, which would be the only time he led in any major offensive stat. He had previously batted over .300 five times, and came close with .295. Boyer and his St. Louis Cardinals would win the Pennant and the World Series. Boyer had a good year, but in 20/20 hindsight, Willie Mays should have secured this award. This year would however be the last of Boyer's All-Star years, as he was not named to another one, and would retire after 1969. He would have 2,143 Hits with 282 Home Runs over his career. Boyer was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 25.5% in 1988. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Zolio Versalles, AL: Minnesota Twins (1965)
From Cuba, we have the first ever Minnesota Twin to win the MVP. Zolio Versalles is not considered historically to be a player you would expect to win an MVP, but this was a year where there was no clear-cut favorite, and Versalles' career-high 7.2 bWAR (which was almost triple his second best) was more than adequate; especially in a season where the Twins won the Pennant. The Cuban infielder led the AL in Runs Scored (126), Doubles (45), and Triples (12), and he would have 19 Home Runs with a .273 Batting Average. He would become one of the few former MVPs who was not on a Hall of Fame ballot. Although Versalles was Hall of Fame eligible in 1977, he was not on the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Denny McLain, AL: Detroit Tigers (1968)
We feel very safe stating that this is the last 30 Win season that will happen in the Majors, as Denny McLain's 31 Wins won't see an equal anytime soon…if ever. McClain's 1968 campaign would see him also win the Cy Young, strike out 280 batters, and take his Detroit Tigers to a World Series Championship. McLain would win the Cy Young again in 1969 with a 24-9 season, but he would never come remotely close to anything like that again. Realistically, he would not even have a season that would be considered good again. He would play until the 1972 season and retired with 131 Wins. McLain was on the ballot for three years and finished as high as 0.7% in 1979. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Boog Powell, AL: Baltimore Orioles (1970)
While arguably the MVP this year should have been Boston's Carl Yastrzemski, it was Boog Powell and the Baltimore Orioles that won the World Series this year. Powell had already won a World Series Ring in 1966, and he was the runner-up for the MVP in 1969. While he did not lead the American League in any category, he had great offensive numbers of 35 Home Runs, 114 RBIs, and a Slash Line of .297/.412/.459. Powell played until 1977 and would blast 339 Home Runs. Powell was on the ballot for one year and finished with 1.3% in 1983. Ranked #87 Notinhalloffame.com.
Vida Blue, AL: Oakland Athletics (1971)
Also winning the Cy Young this year, Vida Blue would go 24-8 with AL leading 1.82 ERA, 2.20 FIP and a 0.952 WHIP. Blue would also throw for 301 Strikeouts. While he wasn't a rookie, this was his first full season and his best one ever. He would go on to win three World Series Rings, and finished in the Cy Young top ten voting four more times. Blue would pitch until 1986, and retired with 209 Wins and 2,175 Strikeouts. Blue was on the ballot for four years and finished as high as 8.7% in 1993. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dick Allen, AL: Chicago White Sox (1972)
Dick Allen only played three seasons with the Chicago White Sox, and was an All-Star in each of those years. The first one was 1972, and he would lead the AL in Home Runs (37), Runs Batted In (113), Walks (99), On Base Percentage (.420), Slugging Percentage (.603) and OPS (1.023). A former Rookie of the Year, Allen would retire after the 1977 season, and he would have 1,848 Hits and 351 Home Runs. Allen was on the ballot for fourteen years and finished as high as 18.9% in 1996. Ranked #23 Notinhalloffame.com.
Pete Rose, NL: Cincinnati Reds (1973)
Pete Rose had been generating hits for a decade and in 1973 he would lead the National League in that metric for the fifth time. Rose would have 230 Hits, a career-high, and he would win his third Batting Title with a .338 Average. After his MVP, he would anchor the Reds to two World Series Championships and he would go on to become the all-time leader in baseball with 4,256. Rose has been declared ineligible for the Hall. Ranked #1A Notinhalloffame.com.
Jeff Burroughs, AL: Texas Rangers (1974)
Based on advanced metrics, Jeff Burroughs should not have won the MVP as his sub-4.0 bWAR is one of the lowest to win the award. Regardless, Burroughs made franchise history as the first Ranger to win the honor. He would lead the AL with 118 RBIs, and would have 25 Home Runs with a .301 Batting Average. Burroughs was also an All-Star this season, and was again in 1978 as a member of the Atlanta Braves. He played until 1985 and retired with 1,443 Hits and 240 Home Runs. Blue was on the ballot for one year and finished with 0.2% in 1991. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Steve Garvey, NL: Los Angeles Dodgers (1974)
Historically speaking, Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies was the much better choice as he had more than double the 4.4 bWAR of Steve Garvey, but this was Garvey's breakout season for a team that would win the National League Pennant. Garvey had 200 Hits, which would be the first of five times that he would reach that number. He would also bat .304 with 21 Home Runs and 111 Runs Batted In. Garvey would have four more seasons where he would finish in the top ten in MVP voting and he would play until 1987, where he would retire with 2,599 Hits and 211 Home Runs. Garvey was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 42.6% in 1995. Ranked #25 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Fred Lynn, AL: Boston Red Sox (1975)
This was another history making year for the MVP, as Fred Lynn's win marked with the first time that a player won both the MVP and the Rookie of the Year in the same baseball campaign. The Red Sox Outfielder would hit 21 Home Runs, batted .331 and led the AL in Slugging with .566. This year, he would go to his first of nine straight All-Star Games. Incidentally, Lynn probably should have won this award in 1979, but that would go to Don Baylor. He would retire in 1990 with 1,960 Hits and 306 Home Runs. Lynn was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 5.5% in 1996. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Thurman Munson, AL: New York Yankees (1976)
Thurman Munson would become yet another Yankees Catcher to win the MVP, and this season he again batted over .300, with 17 Home Runs and 105 RBIs. This was his fifth of seven All-Star Game appearances and in the two years that followed, he helped New York win the next two World Series Championships. Munson was tragically killed when he crashed the plane he was piloting during an off-day in the 1979 season. Munson would have 1,558 Hits over his shortened career. Munson was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 5.5% in 1996. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
George Foster, NL: Cincinnati Reds (1977)
A testament to just how good the Cincinnati Reds were in the 1970s, George Foster was the fourth Red to win this accolade in this decade. The runner-up behind his teammate, Joe Morgan in 1976, Foster would blast 52 Home Runs this year with 149 Runs Batted In, which was by far the best in the NL. He was also first in Runs Scored (124), Slugging Percentage (.631) and OPS (1.013). Foster again won the Home Run and RBI crown in 1978, and he was sixth in MVP voting. He would play until 1986 and would belt 348 Home Runs with 1,925 Hits. Foster was on the ballot for four years and finished as high as 6.9% in 1993. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dave Parker, NL: Pittsburgh Pirates (1978)
Prior to his MVP win, Dave Parker would have two third place finishes in MVP seasons, and this year, he won his second straight Batting Title with a .334 Average. He also led the National League in Slugging Percentage (.585) and OPS (.979) and had 30 Home Runs with 117 Runs Batted In. Parker would help lead Pittsburgh to a World Series Championship the year after. Later in his career, Parker would have two more top-five MVP finishes when he was with the Cincinnati Reds. Parker played until 1991, and would tabulate 2,712 Hits with 339 Home Runs. Parker was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 24.5% in 1998. Ranked #21 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Don Baylor, AL: California Angels (1979)
The first California Angel to win the MVP, Don Baylor arguably should not have won it as his 3.7 bWAR was less than half of George Brett and Fred Lynn. Regardless, this was given to Baylor, who would lead the American League in Runs Batted In (139) and Runs Scored (120), and he would have a career-high 36 Home Runs and .296 Batting Average. This was also the year that Baylor would be named an All-Star. Baylor played until 1988, and would have 2,135 Hits with 338 Home Runs. Baylor was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 2.6% in both 1994 and 1995. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Keith Hernandez, NL: St. Louis Cardinals (1979)
Hernandez would share this MVP with Willie Stargell, thus marking the first and only time that the voting was tied. Hernandez would win his lone batting title in 1979 with a .344 Average, and he was also first in Runs Scored (111). The First Baseman was an All-Star for the first time, and would go again four more times. He was also the Gold Glove winner for the second time, and would win a whopping 11 of them over his career. He would later win a World Series with the Cardinals (1981), and with the New York Mets in 1986, and he retired in 1990 with 2,182 Hits. Baylor was on the ballot for nine years and finished as high as 10.8% in both 1998. Ranked #28 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dale Murphy, NL: Atlanta Braves (1982)
This was a banner year for Dale Murphy who not only won the MVP, but also won his first Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award. The Braves Outfielder would win his first of two straight 109 RBIs, and he would have 36 Home Runs and a Slash Line of .281/.378/.507. Murphy was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 23.2% in both 2000. Ranked #30 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dale Murphy, NL: Atlanta Braves (2) (1983)
Murphy would win this honor back-to-back and in his second win, not only did win his second RBI Title, but he finished first in Slugging Percentage (.540) and OPS (.933). Murphy repeated his production of 36 Home Runs and he would bat .302. He would go on to win the next two Home Run Titles, and was in the top ten in MVP voting in both of those seasons. Murphy played until 1993, and would finish with 2,111 Hits and 398 Home Runs. Murphy was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 23.2% in both 2000. Ranked #30 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Willie Hernandez, AL: Detroit Tigers (1984)
This was a very good Tigers team, and after playing in the Majors since 1977, Willie Hernandez finally came into his own with one of the best relief campaigns ever in a Tigers uniform. Hernandez led the American League in Games Pitched (80), Games Finished (68) and he had 32 Saves with 140.1 Innings Pitched. The Tigers would win the World Series that year, and Hernandez was an All-Star this season and the two that followed. He retired in 1989 with 147 Saves. Hernandez was on the ballot for one year and finished with 0.4% in 1995. Unranked on Notinalloffame.com.
Don Mattingly, AL: New York Yankees (1985)
While arguably Don Mattingly won the MVP in the wrong year (he had a much better 1986), this was a good season for the Yankees legend. This season, "Donnie Baseball" led the American League in Doubles (48) and Runs Batted In (145), and had a career-high 35 Home Runs. He would also have a Slash Line of .324/.371/.567. He was the runner-up for the 1986 MVP, and he played until 1995. He would accumulate 2,153 Hits, and is considered the greatest Yankee never to win a World Series Ring. With this organization, it means a lot! Mattingly was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 28.2% in 2001. Ranked #40 on Notinalloffame.com.
Willie McGee, NL: St. Louis Cardinals (1985)
This was the best season of Willie McGee's career, where he would lead the National League in bWAR (8.2), Hits (216), Triples (18) and Batting Average (.353). This was his second All-Star of four, and the only year he would win the Silver Slugger. McGee and the St. Louis Cardinals would win the National League Pennant that year, but would lose to the Kansas City Royals that year. McGee was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 5.0% in 2005. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com
Roger Clemens, AL: Boston Red Sox (1986)
This was the break out season for Roger Clemens, who would also win the Cy Young this year. The flamethrower would lead the AL in Wins (24), ERA (2.48), FIP (2.81), WHIP (0.969) and H/9 (6.3). Clemens also threw for 128 Strikeouts. The Red Sox won the American League Pennant that year, but lost to the New York Mets. He would go on to win six more Cy Youngs, win 354 Games and 4,672 Strikeouts. Due to the PED association, he has yet to make the Baseball Hall of Fame. Clemens has been on the ballot for seven years and finished as high as 59.5% in 2019. Ranked #1C on Notinalloffame.com.
George Bell, AL: Toronto Blue Jays (1987)
George Bell made history as the first player from the Toronto Blue Jays (and non-American team) to win the MVP. Bell was in the top ten in MVP voting the two years before, and this year he finally went to his first All-Star Game, and would blast 47 Home Runs, with a league-leading 134 Runs Batted In. He would bat .308 with a Slugging Percentage of .605. Bell played until 1993, and would have 1,702 Hits and 265 Home Runs. McGee was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 5.0% in 2005. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com
Jose Canseco, AL: Oakland Athletics (1988)
Jose Canseco was the American League Rookie of the Year two years earlier, and in 1988, he was one of the most high-profile baseball players. This was Canseco's second of what would be seven All-Star Games, and he would win the Home Run and RBI Title with results of 42 and 142 respectively. He batted .307 and won the Slugging Title with a .569 Percentage. Oakland won the AL Pennant that year, and Canseco and the Athletics won the World Series the following season. He played until 2001 and in his controversial career would blast 462 Home Runs. McGee was on the ballot for one year and finished with 1.1% in 2007. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com
Kirk Gibson, NL: Los Angeles Dodgers (1988)
This was the season where Kirk Gibson took the underdog Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series, and on a gimpy leg hit a Home Run in his only World Series At Bat. That was his second World Series win, as he won with the Detroit Tigers in 1984. In the regular season, Gibson had 25 Home Runs with a .290 Batting Average. Gibson was on the ballot for one year and finished with 2.5% in 2001. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com
Kevin Mitchell, NL: San Francisco Giants (1989)
Kevin Mitchell blasted his way into the MVP in 1989, after seemingly coming out of nowhere. Mitchell had a National League leading 47 Home Runs, 127 RBIs, .635 Slugging Percentage and 1.023 OPS. He would also bat a respectable .291. Mitchell had good power numbers the next season too, but he would regress after. He played until 1998 and had 1,173 Hits and 234 Home Runs. Mitchell was on the ballot for one years and finished with 0.4% in 2004. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com
Barry Bonds, NL: Pittsburgh Pirates (1990)
Buckle up as we have a lot of Barry Bonds to get to. His first MVP took place with the Pittsburgh Pirates where he had 33 Home Runs, 114 Runs Batted In and batted .301. He would lead the National League in Slugging Percentage (.565) and OPS (.970), and he was named to the All-Star Game for the first time. Bonds is currently out of the Hall of Fame due to his name being associated with PEDs. Bonds has been on the ballot for seven years and finished as high as 59.1% in 2019. Ranked #2 on Notinalloffame.com.
Terry Pendleton, NL: Atlanta Braves (1991)
After seven seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Terry Pendleton joined the Atlanta Braves, and he had the season of his life. He led the NL in Hits (187), and won the Batting Title (.319), and had a career-high of 22 Home Runs. The Braves would win the National League Pennant but lost in a seven-game thriller to the Minnesota Twins. Pendleton was second in MVP voting the year after, and he played until 1998. He retired with 1,897 Hits. Pendleton was on the ballot for one and received 0.2% of the vote in 2004. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Barry Bonds, NL: Pittsburgh Pirates (2) (1992)
Bonds missed out on the 1991 MVP as he was the runner-up, but he would not be denied in 1992. In what would be final season with the Pirates, Bonds smacked 34 Home Runs and for the first and only time would lead the NL in Runs Scored (109). He batted .311, and won his second OBP (.456) and Slugging Percentage Title (.624). Bonds is currently out of the Hall of Fame due to his name being associated with PEDs. Bonds has been on the ballot for seven years and finished as high as 59.1% in 2019. Ranked #2 on Notinalloffame.com.
Barry Bonds, NL: San Francisco Giants (3) (1993)
Bonds signed with the San Francisco Giants as a Free Agent, and in his first year in the Bay Area he won his third MVP in four years. He would win his first Home Run Title (46), and shockingly, this was the only time he led the league in Runs Batted In (123). He batted .336, and for the third time won the OBP (.458) and Slugging Title (.677). Bonds is currently out of the Hall of Fame due to his name being associated with PEDs. Bonds has been on the ballot for seven years and finished as high as 59.1% in 2019. Ranked #2 on Notinalloffame.com.
Mo Vaughn, AL: Boston Red Sox (1995)
Mo Vaughn may not have been the best selection as the American League MVP in 1995, as his 4.3 bWAR was much lower than some of the other players in the AL. Regardless, Vaughn was the winner and he would lead the AL in Runs Batted In (126), while hammering 39 Home Runs and having a .300 Batting Average. Vaughn was an All-Star this year, and would be again twice more. He played until 2003 and retired with 1,620 Hits and 328 Home Runs. Vaughn was on the ballot for one year and finished with 1.1% in 2009. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Juan Gonzalez, AL: Texas Rangers (1996)
One of the most iconic Texas Rangers of all-time, Juan Gonzalez won his first of two MVPs in 1996, and prior to this year, he would win two Home Run Titles (1992 & 1993). This year, he would have a career-high in taters with 47, and also had 144 RBIs with a .314 Batting Average. As good as this was, his bWAR was under 4.0, and both Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr. double this, meaning that "Juan Gone" was not the best choice this year. Gonzalez was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 5.2% in 2011. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ken Caminiti, NL: San Diego Padres (1996)
Ken Kaminiti was the first MVP from the San Diego Padres, and this season he would post career-highs of 40 Home Runs, 130 Runs Batted IN, a .326 Batting Average and an OPS of 1.028. None of his offensive stats were league leading, but his advanced stats and traditional stats place him in the hunt for this award. Caminiti was arguably a one-year winder as this was the only season where he would receive an MVP vote. He played until 2001, and he was a three-time All-Star who retired with 1,710 Hits and 239 Home Runs. Caminiti was on the ballot for one year and finished with 0.4% in 2007. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Juan Gonzalez, AL: Texas Rangers (2) (1998)
Juan Gonzalez won his second MVP in three years and this season he would lead all American League batters in Doubles (50), and Runs Batted In (157). He would belt 45 Home Runs with a Slash Line of .318/.366/.630. Like 1996, bWAR states that there were better candidates for the MVP like Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter, but if this was based only on power, this was not a terrible choice. Gonzalez played until 2005, and had 1,936 Hits with 434 Home Runs. Gonzalez was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 5.2% in 2011. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Larry Walker, NL: Colorado Rockies (1997)
Larry Walker was the first Colorado Rockie to win the MVP, and while many believed that the "Coors Field Effect" was in full force, he nevertheless won this award. The Canadian. Led the National League with 49 Home Runs, a .452 On Base Percentage, a .720 Slugging Percentage and an OPS of 1.172. He also batted .366 this year. Overall, he would be a five-time All-Star and would have 2,160 Hits with 383 Home Runs. Walker has been on the ballot for nine years and finished as high as 54.6% in 2019. Ranked #10 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Sammy Sosa, NL: Chicago Cubs (1998)
Sammy Sosa was at the height of his popularity in 1998, and this was the year that he and Mark McGwire chased Roger Maris' single season home run record. Both of them would break Roger Maris' 61 Home Runs, McGwire finishing with 70 and Sosa with 66. McGwire would actually have a higher OBP, Slugging Percentage and bWAR than Sosa, but Sosa had the higher Batting Average, and he would lead the National League in Runs Batted In with 158. He would have five more top ten finishes in MVP voting, and played until 2007. He would accumulate 2,408 Hits with 609 Home Runs. Sosa's association with PEDs has done him no favors with Hall of Fame voters. Sosa has been on the ballot for nine years and finished as high as 12.5% in 2013. Ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jason Giambi, AL: Oakland Athletics (2000)
Jason Giambi finished eighth in MVP voting, and in 2000, he would begin his five-year streak of All-Star Games. Giambi would blast a career-high 43 Home Runs and 137 Runs Batted In, and would lead the AL in On Base Percentage (.476). Giambi would bat .333 this year with an OPS of 1.123. He would have similar stats the year after, but was denied the MVP to Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners. Giambi was 5ththe following season, which was his first as a New York Yankee. Giambi played until 2014, and he would total 2,010 Hits with 440 Home Runs. Giambi is on his first year of eligibility. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jeff Kent, NL: San Francisco Giants (2000)
Jeff Kent would win the National League MVP instead of his teammate, Barry Bonds, who matched up with him very well statistically. Kent was an All-Star for the second of five occasions and this year he would accumulate 33 Home Runs, 125 RBIs, and a Slash Line of .334/.424/.596; all of which would be career-highs. Kent played until 2008, and would retire with 2,461 Hits and 377 Home Runs. Giambi is on his first year of eligibility. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
This was his first MVP in eight years, but it was not like Bonds was not in the conversation. In five of those years, he finished in the top eight, and was the runner-up in 2001. This season began the era of unprecedented dominance by a hitter. Forget the PEDs for a minute. This time frame was the sickest ever by any hitter, and whether he was juicing or not, there were many in the league who was at this time. Bonds destroyed the single season Home Run record with 73 taters, and he had 137 Runs Batted In. He batted .328, with National League leading .515 OBP, .863 Slugging Percentage and an OPS of 1.379. Bonds is currently out of the Hall of Fame due to his name being associated with PEDs. Bonds has been on the ballot for seven years and finished as high as 59.1% in 2019. Ranked #2 on Notinalloffame.com.
Miguel Tejada, AL: Oakland Athletics (2002)
Miguel Tejada's Oakland Athletics went to the 2002 Playoffs, which might be why he won the MVP over Alex Rodriguez or Jim Thome. Still, this was a good year for the Dominican, who would bat .308 with 34 Home Runs with 131 RBIs. Tejada played until 2013, and had 2,407 Hits with307 Home Runs. Tejada was on the ballot for one year and received 1.2% of the ballot in 2019. Ranked #92 on Notinalloffame.com.
Bonds was not going to hit 73 Home Runs, but everyone had decided that the best way to stop Bonds was not to pitch to him. He was intentionally walked 68 times, and still blasted 46 Home Runs with 110 Runs Batted In. He won his first Batting Title with a .370 Average, and of course he led the NL in On Base Percentage (.582) and Slugging Percentage (.799). Bonds is currently out of the Hall of Fame due to his name being associated with PEDs. Bonds has been on the ballot for seven years and finished as high as 59.1% in 2019. Ranked #2 on Notinalloffame.com.
In his third year of destruction, Bonds had 45 Home Runs and batted .341, with league leading .529 in On Base Percentage and a .749 Slugging Percentage. Imagine how good he was at this time, when this was arguably his worst year of the four! Bonds is currently out of the Hall of Fame due to his name being associated with PEDs. Bonds has been on the ballot for seven years and finished as high as 59.1% in 2019. Ranked #2 on Notinalloffame.com.
Barry Bonds was walked 232 times this season with 120 of them being intentional. Those are single season records, which will never be touched. He had 45 Home Runs, 101 Runs Batted In, and won his second Batting Title with a .362 Average. He also set the single season record in OnBase Percentage with .609, a number that will likely never be topped. Bonds missed most of 2005 due to injury and returned to approach nearly 500 Plate Appearances in the two years after. That was 2007 when his contract with the Giants expired and no team decided to pursue Bonds as the was being targeted for PED use by the federal government. He ended his career with the all-time record in Home Runs (762) and Walks (2,558), and had 2,935 Hits with a career Slash Line of .298/.44/.607. Bonds is currently out of the Hall of Fame due to his name being associated with PEDs. Bonds has been on the ballot for seven years and finished as high as 59.1% in 2019. Ranked #2 on Notinalloffame.com.
Let's update our tally, shall we?
Award in Question
Percentage of recipients who have entered the HOF
Percentage of recipients by year who have entered the HOF.
NBA MVP
NHL Norris
NBA All Star Game MVP
NHL Conn Smythe
NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year
NHL Lady Byng
NFL Defensive Player of the Year
NFL Super Bowl MVP
NBA Defensive Player of the Year
NBA Rookie of the Year
MLB MVP
NFL Pro Bowl MVP
MLB Lou Gehrig Award
MLB Roberto Clemente Award
MLB/NL/AL Cy Young Award
MLB Babe Ruth Award
NHL Frank J. Selke Trophy
MLB Hutch Award
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
NHL Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
MLB Edgar Martinez Award
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter)
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Shortstop)
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Catcher)
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Second Base)
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Shortstop)
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Pitcher)
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Second Base)
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Outfield)
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Outfield)
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Third Base)
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Third Base)
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (First Base)
MLB (NL/AL) Rookie of the Year
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Catcher)
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (First Base)
NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year
So, who is up next?
The following are the players who have won the MVP in Major League Baseball who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame:
Ichiro Suzuki, AL Seattle Mariners, (2001)
Ichiro Suzuki was already a longtime superstar in Japan, and he signed with the Seattle Mariners for the 2001 season. He became the first Japanese player to win an MVP, and the second player to win the MVP in the same season that he won the Rookie of the Year. This season, he won his first of two Batting Titles, was the American League leader in Hits for the first of what would be seven times, and he also led the league in Stolen Bases. This year also began his streak of ten All-Star Games. Suzuki played until 2019, and amassed an incredible 3,089 Hits. Eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2025.
Alex Rodriguez, AL Texas Rangers, (2003)
This was the third and final season that Alex Rodriguez was with the Texas Rangers, and by this point he had finished as the runner-up twice before, and based on advanced metrics, he probably should have won an MVP already. A-Rod's '03 season would see him hammer 47 Home Runs and 118 Runs Batted In, and he led the AL in Slugging Percentage with .600. The Infielder would win his second and last Gold Glove this year. Eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Alex Rodriguez, AL New York Yankees (2) (2005)
In his second season with the Yankees, Rodriguez would win his fourth Home Run Title (48), and would have 130 Runs Batted In. This would also be the fourth year he would lead the league in Runs Scored (124). He also led the AL in Slugging Percentage (.610) and OPS (1.037). We have one more year of A-Rod to get to, so brace yourself! Eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Justin Morneau, AL Minnesota Twins (2006)
Justin Morneau would have his breakout season in 2006, and the Minnesota Twin First Baseman would put up career-best numbers in Home Runs (34), Runs Batted In (139), and Batting Average (.321). He would be named to the All-Star Team in the next four years. He played until 2016, and retired with 1,603 Hits and 247 Home Runs. Eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Ryan Howard, NL Philadelphia Phillies (2006)
Ryan Howard was the National League Rookie of the Year in 2005, and in 2006 he blasted a National League leading 58 Home Runs with 149 Runs Batted In. He would also post career-bests in the Slash Line (.313/.425/.659). Howard won the Home Run title again in 2008, and took the Phillies to a World Series win. In a career spent entirely with the Phillies, Howard belted 382 Home Runs, but only had a career bWAR of 15.0 due to his horrible defense. Eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2022.
This was the third and final MVP for Alex Rodriguez and in terms of stats there was no better regular season for A-Rod. This year, he would win his fifth and final Home Run Title with 564 taters, and set a personal high with 156 Runs Batted IN, which also led the American League. His .648 Slugging Percentage an 1.067 OPS would also finish first in the AL, and again would be personal highs for Rodriguez. While Rodriguez would be criticized for his post-season play, he would lead New York to a World Series Title in 2009. Rodriguez played until 2016, and would accumulate 3,115 Hits with 696 Home Runs and ten Silver Sluggers. As he was suspended for PED use, his Hall of Fame candidacy is in doubt. Eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Jimmy Rollins, NL Philadelphia Phillies (2007)
For the second year in a row, a Philadelphia Phillie won the MVP, as Jimmy Rollins followed his teammate, Ryan Howard in winning this award. Rollins batted .296 with 139 Runs, 20 Triples, 30 Home Runs and 94 RBIs, all of which were career-highs. Rollins and Howard would lead the Phillies to a World Series win in 2008. Rollins would play until 2016, and managed to collect 2,455 Hits with 231 Home Runs. Eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Joe Mauer, AL Minnesota Twins (2009)
Playing his entire career with the Minnesota Twins had two previous top ten finishes in MVP voting and would have another one following his 2009 win. The six-time All-Star won his third Batting Title in 2009 (.365), and would also lead the American League batters in On Base Percentage (.444), Slugging Percentage (.587) and OPS (1.031), and he would give career-highs in Home Runs (28) and Runs Batted In (96). Mauer played until 2018, and would have 2,123 Hits with a career Batting Average of .306. Eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2024.
Josh Hamilton, AL Texas Rangers (2010)
Josh Hamilton had a long road to the MVP as the highly touted prospect fell under the spell of drugs and alcohol. It took him a while to get clean and he did not make the Majors until he was 26. Hamilton joined the Texas Rangers in 2008, where he played five seasons and was an All-Star in each of them. 2010 was his best year where he won the Batting Title (.359), Slugging Title (.633) and OPS Title (1.044), and he would have 32 Home Runs and 100 RBIs. Hamilton did not play the mandatory ten seasons for the Hall, so he is unlikely to find a place on the ballot unless they give him a Kirby Puckett exemption. Eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021 should they allow him on the ballot.
The following are the players who have won the MVP who are still active.
Albert Pujols, NL St. Louis Cardinals (2005)
After finishing in the top three in MVP voting in the three years before Albert Pujols finally won his first Most Valuable Player Award. This season, he would lead the National League in Runs Scored with 129, and had 41 Home Runs with 117 RBIs. The Cardinal also batted .330 with an OPS of 1.039. 40 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Dustin Pedroia, AL Boston Red Sox (2008)
Dustin Pedroia won the 2007 Rookie of the Year and also won the World Series. Pretty hard to top that, but Pedroia did by winning the American League MVP in 2008. The Second Baseman finished first in the AL in Runs Scored (118), Hits (213) and Doubles (54), and he would bat .326 with 17 Home Runs. He also won the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove this year. 36 Years Old, Playing for the Boston Red Sox.
Albert Pujols, NL St. Louis Cardinals (2) (2008)
In between his fist MVP and his second one, Albert Pujols was finished second and ninth respectively, and in this 37 Home Run campaign, he would lead the National League in Slugging Percentage (.653) and OPS (1.114). The latter stat would be a career-best. 40 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
This was the first season where Albert Pujols would lead the National League in Home Runs with 47 Home Runs, and he would also have 135 Runs Batted In. While batting .327, he would lead the NL in On Base Percentage with .443 and it was his third year finishing first in Slugging (.658) and OPS (1.101). 40 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Joey Votto, NL Cincinnati Reds (2010)
The Canadian First Baseman already proved himself to be an excellent batter, and this season he would win the first of seven On-Base Percentage Titles and his lone Slugging Title. He had career-highs in Home Runs (37) and Runs Batted In (113) and went to his first of six All-Star Games. 36 Years Old, Playing for the Cincinnati Reds.
Justin Verlander, AL Detroit Tigers (2011)
Justin Verlander's Detroit Tigers would make the playoffs this year, and he would also win the first of two Cy Youngs. Verlander would later win the World Series with the Houston Astros in 2017. This year he went 24-5 and won the ERA Title (2.40), WHIP Title (0.920) and led the league in Strikeouts (250). 36 Years Old, Playing for the Cincinnati Reds.
Ryan Braun, NL Milwaukee Brewers (2011)
Ryan Braun was the 2007 National League Rookie of the Year, and this year he would belt 33 Home Runs with 111 RBIs, and a Slash Line of .332/.397/.597. His Slugging Percentage was league leading. He would finish second in MVP voting the year after. 36 Years Old, Playing for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Miguel Cabrera, AL Detroit Tigers (2012)
Miguel Cabrera made history as the first Venezuelan to win the MVP. This year he won his second Home Run Title (44), and second RBI Title (139), and also his second Batting Title (.330). Cabrera would also lead the AL in Slugging Percentage (.606), and he took his Tigers to the World Series. 37 Years Old, Playing for the Detroit Tigers.
Buster Posey, NL San Francisco Giants (2012)
Buster Posey was the National League Rookie of the Year in 2010, the same season that he aided the Giants in winning the World Series. This year, he won the Batting Title (.336) with 24 Home Runs, 103 Runs Batted In, and a 408 On Base Percentage. Posey would go the All-Star Game this year (his first of six), and he won his second World Series Ring. Two years later, Posey and Giants won the World Series again. 32 Years Old, Playing for the San Francisco Giants.
Miguel Cabrera, AL Detroit Tigers (2) (2013)
Cabrera went back-to-back with the MVP with another 44 Home Run Year, and his third Batting Title (.348). Cabrera also led the AL with On Base Percentage (.442), Slugging (.636) and had the best OPS of his career (1.078). Cabrera again took the Tigers to the playoffs. 37 Years Old, Playing for the Detroit Tigers.
Andrew McCutcheon, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (2013)
The MVP season of Andrew McCutcheon happened right in the middle of his five-year run of All-Star Games, and was also sandwiched between third place finished for the MVP. This season, the Pirates Outfielder would have 21 Home Runs with 86 RBIS and a Slash Line of .317/.404/.508. 33 Years Old, Playing for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Mike Trout, AL Los Angeles Angels (2014)
Two seasons prior, Mike Trout won the Rookie of the Year, and was also the runner-up for the MVP. He was the runner-up again last season, and he would finish first in 2014. This year he would have 36 Home Runs with a Slash Line of .287/.377/.561. He would also lead the AL in Runs Batted In with 111. 28 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Angels.
Clayton Kershaw, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (2014)
Clayton Kershaw was already entrenched as the best Pitcher in the National League, and in 2014, he would win his third Cy Young in a four-year span. This season, Kershaw went 21-3, and led the NL with a 1.77 ERA, the fourth year that he would win the ERA crown. He would record 239 Strikeouts and had a WHIP of 0.857, which resulted in his fourth consecutive NL lead in that category. 32 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Josh Donaldson, AL Toronto Blue Jays (2015)
Josh Donaldson finished eighth in MVP voting the year before in what would be his last season in Oakland. The Toronto Blue Jays would trade for him, and he would put forth his best year in Baseball. The Third Baseman would lead the American League in Runs (122), and RBIs (123) and would also belt 41 Home Runs with a .297 Batting Average. 34 Years Old, Playing for the Atlanta Braves.
Bryce Harper, NL Washington Nationals (2015)
Bryce Harper was the 2012 Rookie of the Year, and three years later Harper would win the MVP with the Nationals. He would finish first in the NL in Runs Scored (118), Home Runs (42), On Base Percentage (.460), Slugging Percentage (.649), and he batted .330. He would also win the Silver Slugger in 2015. 27 Years Old, Playing for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Mike Trout, AL Los Angeles Angels (2) (2016)
After winning his first MVP in 2014, he was second in MVP voting in 2015, which was the third time that happened. Trout again ascended to the top winning his first On Base Percentage Title (.441), while batting .315 and hitting 29 Home Runs with 100 Runs Batted In and 30 Stolen Bases. He would also lead the league in Runs Scored (123). 28 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Angels.
Kris Bryant, NL Chicago Cubs (2016)
Having a better first two years than Kris Bryant is pretty hard to do. He won the Rookie of the Year Award in 2015, and was the MVP in 2016. That season, he would finish first in Runs Scored (121), blasted 39 Home Runs and batted .292. More importantly, he led the Chicago Cubs to their first World Series in over a century. It doesn't get better than that. 28 Years Old, Playing for the Chicago Cubs.
Jose Altuve, AL Houston Astros (2017)
2017 was a special season for Jose Altuve, who had already established himself as an MVP contender with a third place MVP finish in 2016. In 2017, Altuve led the NL in Hits for the fourth year in a row, and he won his third Batting Title with a .346 metric. Altuve had 24 Home Runs with a .410 OBP. He would lead the Astros to their first World Series Championship. 30 Years Old, Playing for the Houston Astros.
Giancarlo Stanton, NL Miami Marlins (2017)
Giancarlo Stanton finished second in MVP voting in 2014, and in 2017 he had the eyes of the baseball world when he belted 59 Home Runs and 132 Runs Batted In, both of which would lead the NL. Stanton would also bat .281 with a Slugging Percentage of .631. This was his last season in Florida as he was traded to the New York Yankees in the off-season. 30 Years Old, Playing for the New York Yankees.
Mookie Betts, AL Boston Red Sox (2018)
Mookie Betts was sixth in MVP voting the year before and in 2018, he would win the MVP, with his first Batting Title (.346), Slugging Title (.640), and would blast 32 Home Runs. Betts also won the Gold Glove, and Silver Slugger, and would lead his team to the World Series Championship. 27 Years Old, Playing for the Boston Red Sox.
Christian Yelich, NL Milwaukee Brewers (2018)
Christian Yelich was a very good player for the Miami Marlins, but in their restructuring, he was dealt to the Milwaukee Brewers. Yelich responded with by winning he Batting Title (.326), Slugging Title (.598), and had 36 Home Runs and 110 RBIs. He would take Milwaukee to the NLCS that year, and he was the runner-up for the MVP the season after. 28 Years Old, Playing for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Cody Bellinger, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (2019)
Cody Bellinger was the 2017 National League Rookie of the Year, and he would win the MVP, though arguably had Christian Yelich not gone injured late in the year, it likely would have gone to him. Bellinger had 47 Home Runs, 115 RBIs, with a Slash Line of .305/.406/.629. 24 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In the two seasons between Mike Trout's second and third MVP, he would finish fourth and second in MVP voting. In 2019, Trout secured his fourth consecutive OBP Title (.438), and his third Slugging Title (.645). This coincided with his fourth and third straight OPS title (1.083), and he was named an All-Star for the eighth consecutive year. 28 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Angels.
The MVP has generated a few surprises, but for the most part, it is a great determiner of Hall of Fame potential.
We will go back to the ice and look at the Vezina Trophy, the award for the best goalie in the National Hockey League.
As always, we thank you for that support and look for that soon!