We Interrupt This World Series to Talk MVP

Discussing the season's MVP awards while the World Series is underway is like examining NFL draft positions during Super Bowl week. Except worse, because the Super Bowl is silly while the World Series is important.

Nonetheless, we venture, largely because the two MVP awards are easy picks. Here, choose your guy:

Player A: .318 BA, 31 HR. 26 of 30 steals. Great defense, corner outfield.
Player B: .315 BA, 30 HR. 30 of 37 steals. Very good defense up the middle.

Pretty even, right? Now add this:
Player A: 49 walks, .363 OBP
Player B: 116 walks, .441 OBP

Oh, and this:
Player A: great hitting home park, surrounded by sluggers.
Player B: average hitting home park, lousy lineup around him.

It's becoming a no-brainer, right? Player A, with a 131 OPS+ (31% better than average) and 9.6 WAR is a stud. Player B, with a 174 OPS+ and 10.6 WAR is the league's MVP.

So it's agreed: MIke Trout is the MVP over Mookie Betts and it's not terribly close.

In the NL, the MVP didn't hit .300 or lead the league in OBP, slugging, home runs or RBI. He isn't the best defensive player. He's simply top 10 in everything with a special bonus to boot. 

So while Daniel Murphy was a revelation at the plate, and led the league in OPS, he's a liability in the field. Joey Votto's OBP led the NL, but his defensive value is limited as a first baseman. Nolan Arenado paced the circuit in homers (again) and makes batters cry with his defense, but the offense must be tempered by his home park (Denver.)

Kris Bryant is your MVP. His OPS is fourth in the league, he smacked 39 home runs and he's a whiz in the field. Plus, he offers Joe Maddon valuable defensive flexibility, logging solid innings at the hot corner, the two corner outfield spots and even first base. His WAR (7.7) is a full win ahead of anyone else's.

In olden times (last decade) Murphy would have swept the award for his big offensive stats and his position on the field. David Ortiz might have done the same in the AL. We know better now the true cost of their poor (or non-existent) defense, and recognize the players who actually deserve it.