Giancarlo Stanton had 59 home runs, and a .631 slugging percentage. He was the league leader in both those stats. He also had all around good defense in right field. Stanton is a monster of a man, who had a monster season. Now he’s your NL MVP. Stanton beat Joey Votto and Paul Goldschmidt, while slugging his way to the award.
How He Did it
Stanton had a strong slash line along with his stats as he was .281/.376/.631. He added in a league leading 59 home runs, 132 RBI and scored 123 total runs. The Miami Marlins weren’t good, as they were 77-85, but Stanton made them better. Pitchers were scared to pitch to Stanton, which resulted in him seeing a lot of pitches out of the strike zone. Stanton’s strikeout numbers are somewhat alarming though, as he struck out 163 times this year. Stanton definitely made contact though, and the ball flew out of the park. He had three home runs that were 470+ feet, and 34 of his 59 were 400+.
What This Means For Giancarlo Stanton
Stanton signed a massive contract not too long ago, and he’s lived up to it. He signed a 13-year $325,000,000 contract in 2015. Since he signed the contract, he’s batting .262/.349/.575 with 113 home runs and 273 RBI. Stanton’s name has frequently been in talks of being traded by Miami, and they’re picking up steam. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals are all trying to acquire the MVP. Stanton is a force to be reckoned with at the plate. He consistently made opposing pitchers pay for their mistakes. Winning this MVP is just another huge step for Stanton in his career.
How He Can Improve
Stanton can look for improvement in the strikeout area. Becoming more disciplined at the plate will help him become even more dangerous. He already fixed his stance earlier this year to help himself grab more plate coverage. Stanton definitely benefits from watching runner-up Joey Votto, and his elite eagle eye skills. Stanton can also improve his defense even further. He placed second in gold glove voting this year behind Jason Heyward.
Did He Deserve It?
Stanton didn’t have the best slash line out of the three finalists. He didn’t hit better than Votto, and didn’t get on base more than Goldschmidt. Stanton gracefully slugged his way to the MVP award. The voters for the award LOVE the longball, and it showed here. Stanton had 23 more home runs than both Votto and Goldy, who had 36 each. He used his raw, unmatched power to out-slug everyone else in the MLB. Stanton deserved it, but so did Goldy and Votto.
Stanton slugged his way to the 2017 NL MVP, while putting up gaudy home run numbers. He was engaged in the fourth closest MVP race in MLB history, just barely edging out Joey Votto by twopoints. Stanton added another individual award to his mantle at home. He is the best power hitter in baseball, and the world has been put on notice.
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