5. Bryce Harper, Nationals
While Bryce Harper may be best known for his infamous “That’s a clown question, bro” moment, he’s a pretty good baseball player. The now 20-year-old All Star outfielder burst onto the scene in 2012 leading him to a Rookie of the Year honor after batting .270 with 22 homers and 59 RBI. Although these stats may not be jaw dropping, they are impressive for a 20 year old rookie in the majors. Harper was a huge contributor last season as he helped push the Nationals to a National League East division title.
In 2013, expect Harper to put up even better numbers. With a full season under his belt, he now has the gist of the majors and knows what to expect. No sophomore slumps for Harper. Expect him to hit between .280 and .290 with a more homeruns and RBI’s.
Why is Harper an MVP candidate? Because without him, the Nationals will struggle in the NL East. They need Harper to have another good, All Star caliber season in order to make a run for the division and beyond.
4. Buster Posey, Giants
Referred to by Giants fans as “MVPosey,” Buster Posey won the honor in 2012 after leading the Giants to a World Series victory. In the past three seasons, the Giants have won two series championships and the year they didn’t make the postseason, Posey was out due to injury. Coincidence? I think not. Posey is a proven leader for the Giants and is missed when he’s not able to play.
In his MVP season, Posey batted .336 with 24 homers and 103 RBI. Safe to say, his numbers are beyond impressive and are needed in that Giants lineup.
Posey has an opportunity to win the MVP award in consecutive years as long as his numbers reflect the 2012 season. Expect the Giants catcher to hit above .300 with around 20 homers with 90 plus RBI, only a slight decrease from 2012.
3. Stephen Strasburg, Nationals
Despite his season being cut short due to an innings limit, Stephen Strasburg had a great 2012 and significantly helped the Nationals reach the postseason. Last season, he dominated the mound as he was 15-6 with a 3.16 ERA and 197 strikeouts. Strasburg was also named to the 2012 All-Star Team and it was recently announced he’ll pitch Opening Day for the Nationals; a pretty big honor for such a young pitcher at only 24-years-old.
Expect Strasburg to have an even better season in 2013 with more wins, more strikeouts and a lower ERA. The Nationals playoff push will depend on Strasburg’s success on the mound. Although they also have pitchers like Gio Gonzalez, Strasburg will have more success and a bigger impact in 2013.
2. Andrew McCutchen, Pirates
It seems like every season Andrew McCutchen gets better and better, so 2013 will be no exception. The Pirates made a push last season, but came up short missing out on the playoffs and a winning record, but McCutchen’s numbers were beyond impressive in 2012. He batted .327 with 31 homeruns and 96 RBI and is easily becoming one of the most elite outfielders in the game, as he was also named to the 2012 All Star Team.
2013 will be another great year for McCutchen as he will bat over .300, hit 30 plus homers and have more than 90 RBI. McCutchen would be a great addition to any team and his numbers prove his value and are MVP worthy.
1. Ryan Braun, Brewers
Despite the drama surrounding outfielder Ryan Braun this offseason, his 2012 stats speak for themselves. .319 batting average, 41 homeruns, and 112 RBI with 30 stolen bases; what a season for Braun. He had to prove his worth after winning the MVP award and then being accused of PED use after the 2011 season, and thats exactly what he did. The All Star continues to display MVP caliber play and has easily become one of the best in the game, as well as one of biggest offensive threats at the plate.
2013 will just be another year for Braun to flaunt his talent and put up amazing numbers. Expect him to again bat over .300, hit 35 plus homeruns and have over 100 RBI.
These top 5 are all MVP worthy, but Braun’s consistency and impressive play put him at the top.