MLB awards: my 2017 IBWAA ballot

IBWAA members submitted 2017 MLB Awards ballots

With the four Major League Baseball Division Series each heading towards their climactic moments, this marks a good time to take a quick look back at the regular season.

As a lifetime member of the IBWAA (Internet Baseball Writers Association of America), the end of each MLB regular season means that my awards ballot is due.

The IBWAA asks each of its members to vote on five categories in both the National and American Leagues. Those five are the MVP and Cy Young, as well as each league's top reliever, rookie, and manager.

As with the vast majority of voters in the IBWAA, my own selections were certainly based on performance. However, also as with every other voter, subjectivity comes in to play.

There are almost always multiple individuals deserving of awards consideration. That was most definitely the case this season. I found this past 2017 MLB season to be one of the toughest ever for which to fill out an awards ballot.


For the MVP Award, I always consider that middle word carefully: valuable. In addition to tremendous statistical seasons, I want my Most "Valuable" Player to have provided his team invaluable performances defensively and at clutch moments, as well as providing leadership.

For me, when two players each have great statistical seasons, but one of those players is with a winning/contending club, the contender is going to finish ahead on my ballot most times.

Hit 50 home runs, or win 25 games on the mound, for a 4th place team that finishes a dozen or more games out of the playoffs? To me, your losing team could have done that without your "valuable" performance.

I don't ignore great statistical performances from players on losing ball clubs. You're just not going to get my first place MVP vote in the vast majority of seasons.

The IBWAA asks each voter to rank their top ten finishers in each MVP race, the top five finishers for the Cy Young Award, and the top three in each of the other categories.

The IBWAA will announce the winners in November. Follow the IBWAA Twitter feed for awards results, as well as regularly for great baseball writing by our members.

With all that said, here is the ballot that I submitted for the 2017 MLB Awards.

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National League Most Valuable Player

1. Anthony Rendon
2. Charlie Blackmon
3. Paul Goldschmidt
4. Giancarlo Stanton
5. Cody Bellinger
6. Nolan Arenado
7. Joey Votto
8. Kris Bryant
9. Bryce Harper
10. Corey Seager

American League Most Valuable Player

1. Francisco Lindor
2. Jose Altuve
3. Jose Ramirez
4. Aaron Judge
5. Mookie Betts
6. Mike Trout
7. George Springer
8. Byron Buxton
9. Josh Donaldson
10. Eric Hosmer

National League Cy Young Award

1. Max Scherzer
2. Stephen Strasburg
3. Zack Greinke
4. Clayton Kershaw
5. Jimmy Nelson

American League Cy Young Award

1. Chris Sale
2. Corey Kluber
3. Luis Severino
4. Carlos Carrasco
5. Chris Archer

National League Rookie of the Year

1. Cody Bellinger
2. Rhys Hoskins
3. Luis Castillo

American League Rookie of the Year

1. Aaron Judge
2. Andrew Benintendi
3. Matt Olson

National League Top Reliever

1. Kenley Jansen
2. Corey Knebel
3. Wade Davis

American League Top Reliever

1. Craig Kimbrel
2. Cody Allen
3. Alex Colome

NL Manager of the Year

1. Torey Lovullo
2. Dusty Baker
3. Dave Roberts

AL Manager of the Year

1. Paul Molitor
2. Terry Francona
3. A.J. Hinch