Joey Votto is the reigning NL MVP and his performance this season is remarkably similar to last year’s award-winning production, yet I’ve rarely seen him touted as a leading candidate this time around.
Last year Votto hit .324 with 37 homers, 113 RBIs, 105 runs, and a league-leading 1.024 OPS. This year Votto is on pace to hit .328 with 30 homers, 105 RBIs, 108 runs, and a league-leading .992 OPS.
How can someone lead the league in OPS in back-to-back seasons, yet win the MVP one year and not even get significant consideration the next?
Obviously there’s still plenty of time for Votto to gain steam among voters, but clearly the Reds going from division winners to below .500 is a major factor. And that serves as a perfect example of why team success shouldn’t being a driving force for an individual award.
Votto is having a nearly identical all-around season, yet because his teammates have been much worse this year his odds for a repeat MVP are slim. I’ll never understand why that makes sense, but with Votto’s case gaining little traction and Jose Bautista mostly being overlooked in the AL despite leading in homers, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS it doesn’t seem likely to change anytime soon.
