Giants Buster Posey Wins National League MVP

San Francisco Giants news

Posey set career highs in 2012 with a .336 average, 24 homers and 103 RBI

The San Francisco Giants’ Buster Posey received 27 of 32 first-place votes to win the 2012 National League Most Valuable Player Award. Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun received three first-place votes and came in second place.

Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen was third. Posey hit .336/.408/.549 with 24 home runs and 103 RBI for San Francisco last season. Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina was fourth with 241 points and received two first-place votes. Padres third baseman Chase Headley was fifth with 127 points.

Posey won the batting title because of a rule amendment that disqualified teammate Melky Cabrera. Posey had a WAR of 7.2 to lead all National League players.

Posey became the first National League catcher since 1972 to win the MVP. Twins catcher Joe Mauer won the AL MVP in 2009. Posey, 25, joined Johnny Bench and Thurman Munson as the only catchers in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year, MVP and a World Series title, of which Posey now has two.

From Aug 24 through September 22, when the Giants clinched the National League West, Posey hit an astounding .356 with four home runs 18 RBI and 18 runs scored. That stretch was part of a spectacular second half in which Posey, hit .385 with 14 homers and a 1.102 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) after an All-Star Game.

Perhaps more remarkable was the comeback from a fractured fibula and torn ligaments in his left ankle in a collision at home plate with Scott Cousins in May of 2011.