MLB 2012 Post season awards

As a card-carrying member of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance, one of my favorite duties is to vote in the alliance's post season award ballot. Voting is fun and it certainly is much more favorable to not having a voice. That is true in our country as it is for these award selections. It is a privilege.

What follows is this Fan's official BBA ballot and feel free to disagree or agree as you will.

The Connie Mack Award (best manager)

National League

1. Davey Johnson
2. Bruce Bochy
3. Dusty Baker

American League

1. Bob Melvin
2. Buck Showalter
3. Joe Girardi

Rationale: How do you measure managers? It is impossible. So all such choices are subjective. The AL was a tossup and could have gone to either Melvin or Showalter. The A's sweep of the Rangers to end the season pushed the vote over the edge.

Willie Mays Award (top rookie)

National League

1. Wade Miley
2. Bryce Harper
3. Mike Fiers

American League

1. Mike Trout
2. Yu Darvish
3. Yoenis Cespedes

Rationale: The AL was a runaway and not worth discussing. In the NL, Miley and Harper both finished with the exact same fWAR. Miley simply impressed this voter more pitching that well in a tough environment in Arizona.

Goose Gossage Award (top relievers)

National League

1. Craig Kimbrel
2. Aroldis Chapman
3. David Hernandez

American League

1. Fernando Rodney
2. Greg Holland
3. Jake McGee

Rationale: The top two were no brain picks and so there is comfort there. The second and third picks were hard to judge as it is always difficult to rate relief pitchers. It was hard to leave Rafael Soriano out for the AL, for example.

Walter Johnson Award (best pitcher)

National League

1. Gio Gonzalez
2. Clayton Kershaw
3. R.A. Dickey
4. Johnny Cueto
5. Wade Miley

American League

1. Justin Verlander
2. David Price
3. Felix Hernandez
4. Chris Sale
5. Yu Darvish

Rationale: Verlander just has too studly numbers for David Price to overcome. Price had a fantastic, superlative season. Gonzalez pitched in a tougher division and thus the nod his way but it was close.

Stan Musial Award (top player)

National League

1. Buster Posey
2. Ryan Braun
3. Yadier Molina
4. David Wright
5. Chase Headley
6. Andrew McCutchen
7. Aramis Ramirez
8. Aaron Hill
9. Jason Heyward
10. Michael Bourn

American League

1. Mike Trout
2. Miguel Cabrera
3. Robinson Cano
4. Justin Verlander
5. Adrian Beltre
6. Joe Mauer
7. David Price
8. Josh Hamilton
9. Adam Jones
10. Prince Fielder

Rationale: Posey was simply the best player in the NL this season. Braun had another great season and just fell short in this voter's mind. Molina had a fantastic season. And the Trout / Cabrera debate will rage for years.

That's the vote and feel free to bash away if you'd like.  :)  We all have opinions.