After finishing runner up to Miguel Cabrera for the AL MVP in 2012 and 2013, Mike Trout finally grabbed the brass ring by unanimously winning the 2014 AL MVP. Trout hit .287, belted 36 HR and drove in 111 runs for a resurgent Los Angeles Angels team. Detroit Tigers DH Victor Martinez and Cleveland Indians outfielder Michael Brantley were the runners up in the balloting. I suspect this will not be the 23-year old Trout’s last MVP trophy.

As widely expected, Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw earned NL MVP honors beating out Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton and Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen, who won the award in 2013. This honor comes the day after winning his third NL Cy Young in four seasons. Kershaw is the first NL pitcher to win both the Cy Young and MVP in the same season since Bob Gibson did so in 1968. This has happened several times in the AL since Denny McLain won both awards in 1968. Vida Blue (1971), Rollie Fingers (1981), Roger Clemens (1986), Dennis Eckersley (1992) and Justin Verlander (2011). No one has ever done it twice. If anyone could pull that off it would be Kershaw.