2012 BtBWAA Awards: AL MVP: Mike Trout

During the last week of the 2012 MLB season, 10 writers from Beyond the Box Score joined forces to create the greatest collaboration of baseball minds the world has ever known [citation needed]. This elite organization, known only as the BtBWAA, was formed for one and only one purpose: To conduct a player awards vote in which the truly meritorious take home the coveted hardware.

We've already announced our picks for MLB Executive of the Year, Silver Sluggers (AL, NL), Gold Gloves (AL, NL), Rookies of the Year (AL, NL), and Cy Youngs (AL, NL). This week, we conclude the results of our voting with the Most Valuable Player awards, starting today with the American League.

Before we get to the results, a few words on the process. Voting began on October 1 (after 159 games had been played) and continued until October 5, with the balloting closing before the first playoff games started. Each writer voted for three candidates, with voting scored Each writer voted for three candidates, with ballots scored on a 14-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.

Without further ado, here are the results: (click to embiggen)

Ladies and gentlemen, your unanimous pick for AL MVP is Mike Trout. So take that, real-life BBWAA.

Moving down the ballot, real-life MVP Miguel Cabrera comes in second—barely. Robinson Cano and Adrian Beltre round out the second tier (switching places from their real-life finishes). Ben Zobrist, who finished 18th in the BBWAA voting, comes in fifth. All five were named on every ballot.

For those interested, my ballot went: Trout, Cabrera, Cano, Justin Verlander, Beltre, Felix Hernandez, Zobrist, David Price, Torii Hunter, Chris Sale.