Written by Tyler Kepner at New York Times.com
Kris Bryant hit a home run to start the Chicago Cubs’ scoring in Game 5 of the World Series last month. In Game 6, Bryant did it again. In Game 7, with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, he fielded a grounder and lost his balance, but still made the throw that gave the Cubs their first championship in 108 years.
“It’s scary watching it,” Bryant said Thursday. “I’ve seen it a lot since then, and kind of seeing my foot slip, just the circumstances going into that play — it kind of gets your blood pressure up.”
Mike Trout would gladly endure the stress of reliving such a highlight. His last three postseason games — his only three, actually — were far less memorable. In 2014, Trout’s Los Angeles Angels were swept in the first round by Kansas City, with Trout going 1 for 12 and striking out to end the series. This season, the Angels sank to fourth place in the American League West.
Soon, though, Bryant and Trout will share a stage in New York to receive their trophies as most valuable players. One comes from a great team, the other from a bad team. Both are worthy winners.
Bryant, who hit .292 with 39 homers and started at four defensive positions, won the National League vote on Thursday, a year after being named rookie of the year. He collected 29 of 30 first-place votes from the baseball writers, easily beating Daniel Murphy of the Washington Nationals.
Trout won the A.L. honor with 19 first-place votes, becoming the first player from a losing team to win the M.V.P. since Alex Rodriguez, then of the Texas Rangers, in 2003. Trout has widely been considered the best player in baseball for five years, yet had previously won just once, for that 2014 season.
To continue reading this article, click here.
