Major League Baseball announced the National League Most Valuable Player selection and, for the first time in three years, the winner is not someone named Albert Pujols.
The 2010 NL MVP was Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto. Votto’s win was not that surprising given the type of year he had but the degree with which he won was shocking. Votto received 31 out of a possible 32 first place votes and that one vote was a second place.
Pujols finished the voting in second place receiving the one first place vote Votto did not get plus 21 second place and eight third place votes.
In yet another reminder to Diamondbacks fans of what we gave up, Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez finished third.
Gonzalez was part of the package of players that went to the Oakland Athletics in the trade for Dan Haren. At the time I cringed at the thought of giving up so many prospects in exchange for a starting pitcher.
Most of the prospects have not had an impact yet; at least not to the extent of Gonzalez. After struggling in Oakland in his rookie season he was sent to the Rockies as part of the Matt Holliday deal and blossomed in the thin Colorado air.
Diamondbacks fans will be continually reminded of the level of talent Car-Go has and how he could have solved the issue the team currently has in left field. Many die hard fans had dreams of an outfield containing Justin Upton, Chris Young, and Gonzalez.
Since the trade the Diamondbacks have had numerous left fielders including Conor Jackson, Gerardo Parra, Rusty Ryal, Ryan Roberts, Brandon Allen, and Cole Gillespie in just the last year. Those players combined they did not equal the statistics that Gonzalez put up for the Rockies.
This is one of those trades that will haunt the Diamondbacks for years.
Looking at the voting totals for the NL MVP race there were no Diamondbacks players that received a vote. That should probably not be too much of a surprise given the Diamondbacks’ anemic offensive production in 2010.
Still, it would have been nice if anyone had received a vote, even a tenth place vote.
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