Crawford has highest MVP finish by a Giant since Posey

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The best player on baseball's best regular season team was not voted the National League Most Valuable Player, but Brandon Crawford did get more consideration than any Giant since 2012, when Buster Posey won the award.

Crawford finished fourth in the voting, trailing winner Bryce Harper, Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr. He got four first place votes, with Harper getting 17, Soto getting six, and Tatis getting a pair. Harper won his second MVP award and it wasn't particularly close, as he was in the top three on 28 of 30 ballots. 

Crawford set career-highs in batting average, runs, homers, RBI and OPS and had a wRC+ of 139. He ranked sixth in FanGraphs' version of WAR and ninth in Baseball Reference's version. Aside from a career year at the plate, he won the Gold Glove Award at shortstop and was an everyday force for the team that led MLB with 107 wins. 

This was by far the most MVP consideration Crawford has gotten in his 11 seasons. He finished 12th in 2016, getting listed on five of 30 ballots, with his high being a sixth-place vote. This time, Crawford got the four first place votes, two second place votes and one in third. He was listed in the top five on 22 ballots. Crawford finished between two other NL West shortstops, Tatis and Trea Turner.

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Since Posey won in 2012, the next best finish by a Giant was Posey ranking sixth in 2014. Crawford was one of four Giants to get votes this year. Posey, Kevin Gausman and LaMonte Wade Jr. each received one 10th place vote. 

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