<strong>National League Most Valuable Player:</strong></p><p><strong> Outfielder Ryan Braun, Milwaukee</strong></p><p><strong><span class="subhead">WHY HE WON</span></strong></p><p> Braun, 28, outpolled Los Angeles outfielder Matt Kemp, 28, seemingly as a result of helping Milwaukee win the National League Central Division crown.</p><p> Kemp&#x92;s numbers were generally slightly better across the board, but the Dodgers finished 7 1/2 games out of a postseason berth.</p><p> Braun collected 20 of the 32 first-place votes and finished with 388 points after batting .332 with 33 homers and 111 RBIs. Kemp got 10 first-place votes and 332 points after batting .324 and leading the league with 39 homers and 126 RBIs.</p><p> Prefer newer-wave stats? Kemp led the NL with a 171 OPS+ (on-base percentage plus slugging adjusted to a player&#x92;s ballpark) and a 10.0 WAR (wins above replacement). Braun finished at 166 and 7.7.</p><p> But the Brewers reached the postseason &#x97; and Braun was a big reason.</p><p> Milwaukee first baseman Prince Fielder and Arizona outfielder Justin Upton each received one first-place vote and finished third and fourth. Braun, Kemp, Fielder and Upton were the only players cited on every ballot. </p><p><strong><span class="subhead">IN HIS WORDS</span></strong></p><p> &#x93;Ultimately, I think the reason I won,&#x94; Braun said, &#x93;is because they put a better team around me. Without a doubt, that&#x92;s a huge reason I was fortunate enough to win this award.&#x94;</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">THE VOTING</span></strong></p><p><span style="line-height:0"><br clear="all" /></span><table border="0" class="story-table"> <tr class="story-table-even-row"><td><strong>Player, team</strong></td><td><strong>1st</strong></td><td><strong>2nd</strong></td><td><strong>3rd</strong></td><td><strong>4th</strong></td><td><strong>5th</strong></td><td><strong>6th</strong></td><td><strong>7th</strong></td><td><strong>8th</strong></td><td><strong>9th</strong></td><td><strong>10th</strong></td><td><strong>Total</strong></td></tr> <tr class="story-table-odd-row"><td>Ryan Braun, Milwaukee</td><td>20</td><td>12</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>388</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-even-row"><td>Matt Kemp, Los Angeles</td><td>10</td><td>16</td><td>6</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>332</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-odd-row"><td>Prince Fielder, Milwaukee</td><td>1</td><td>4</td><td>11</td><td>9</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>229</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-even-row"><td>Justin Upton, Arizona</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>8</td><td>11</td><td>6</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>214</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-odd-row"><td>Albert Pujols, St. Louis</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>6</td><td>11</td><td>6</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>166</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-even-row"><td>Joey Votto, Cincinnati</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>8</td><td>3</td><td>3</td><td>4</td><td>1</td><td>135</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-odd-row"><td>Lance Berkman, St. Louis</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>6</td><td>3</td><td>7</td><td>2</td><td>4</td><td>3</td><td>118</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-even-row"><td>Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>4</td><td>8</td><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>69</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-odd-row"><td>Roy Halladay, Philadelphia</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>6</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>52</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-even-row"><td>Ryan Howard, Philadelphia</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>39</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-odd-row"><td>Jose Reyes, New York</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>4</td><td>3</td><td>31</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-even-row"><td>Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>5</td><td>2</td><td>29</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-odd-row"><td>Shane Victorino, Philadelphia</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>3</td><td>3</td><td>18</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-even-row"><td>Ian Kennedy, Arizona</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>16</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-odd-row"><td>Cliff Lee, Philadelphia</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>12</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-even-row"><td>Hunter Pence, Houston/Philadelphia</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>10</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-odd-row"><td>Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>7</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-even-row"><td>John Axford, Milwaukee</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>7</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-odd-row"><td>Michael Morse, Washington</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>5</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-even-row"><td>Carlos Beltran, New York/San Francisco</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>3</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-odd-row"><td>Miguel Montero, Arizona</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>2</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-even-row"><td>Yadier Molina, St. Louis</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>2</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-odd-row"><td>Starlin Castro, Chicago</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-even-row"><td>Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-odd-row"><td>Carlos Ruiz, Philadelphia</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr> <tr class="story-table-even-row"><td>Mike Stanton, Florida</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr> </table> The voting panel consists of two BBWAA members from each of the 16 chapters in National League cities. Players receive 14 points for a first-place vote, nine for a second-place vote and eight for a third-place vote, etc., down to one point for a 10th-place vote. Balloting is conducted prior to postseason play.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">PREVIOUS WINNERS</span></strong></p><p><strong>2010: </strong>Joey Votto, Cincinnati; 2009: Albert Pujols*, St. Louis; 2008: Albert Pujols, St. Louis; 2007: Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia; 2006: Ryan Howard, Philadelphia; 2005: Albert Pujols, St. Louis; 2004: Barry Bonds, San Francisco; 2003: Barry Bonds, San Francisco; 2002: Barry Bonds*, San Francisco; 2001: Barry Bonds, San Francisco; 2000: Jeff Kent, San Francisco.</p><p><strong> 1999: </strong>Chipper Jones, Atlanta; 1998: Sammy Sosa, Chicago; 1997: Larry Walker, Colorado; 1996: Ken Caminiti*, San Diego; 1995: Barry Larkin, Cincinnati; 1994: Jeff Bagwell*, Houston; 1993: Barry Bonds, San Francisco; 1992: Barry Bonds, Pittsburgh; 1991: Terry Pendleton, Atlanta; 1990: Barry Bonds, Pittsburgh.</p><p><strong> 1989: </strong>Kevin Mitchell, San Francisco; 1988: Kirk Gibson, Los Angeles; 1987: Andre Dawson, Chicago; 1986: Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia; 1985: Willie McGee, St. Louis; 1984: Ryne Sandberg, Chicago; 1983: Dale Murphy, Atlanta; 1982: Dale Murphy, Atlanta; 1981: Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia; 1980: Mike Schmidt*, Philadelphia.</p><p><strong>1979 (tie): </strong>Keith Hernandez, St. Louis, and Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh; 1978: Dave Parker, Pittsburgh; 1977: George Foster, Cincinnati; 1976: Joe Morgan, Cincinnati; 1975: Joe Morgan, Cincinnati; 1974: Steve Garvey, Los Angeles; 1973: Pete Rose, Cincinnati; 1972: Johnny Bench, Cincinnati; 1971: Joe Torre, St. Louis; 1970: Johnny Bench, Cincinnati.</p><p><strong>1969: </strong>Willie McCovey, San Francisco; 1968: Bob Gibson, St. Louis; 1967: Orlando Cepeda*, St. Louis; 1966: Roberto Clemente, Pittsburgh; 1965: Willie Mays, San Francisco; 1964: Ken Boyer, St. Louis; 1963: Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles; 1962: Maury Wills, Los Angeles; 1961: Frank Robinson, Cincinnati; 1960: Dick Groat, Pittsburgh.</p><p><strong> 1959: </strong>Ernie Banks, Chicago; 1958: Ernie Banks, Chicago; 1957: Hank Aaron, Milwaukee; 1956: Don Newcombe, Brooklyn; 1955: Roy Campanella, Brooklyn; 1954: Willie Mays, New York; 1953: Roy Campanella, Brooklyn; 1952: Hank Sauer, Chicago; 1951: Roy Campanella, Brooklyn; 1950: Jim Konstanty, Philadelphia.</p><p><strong> 1949: </strong>Jackie Robinson, Brooklyn; 1948: Stan Musial, St. Louis; 1947: Bob Elliott, Boston; 1946: Stan Musial, St. Louis; 1945: Phil Cavarretta, Chicago; 1944: Marty Marion, St. Louis; 1943: Stan Musial, St. Louis; 1942: Mort Cooper, St. Louis; 1941: Dolph Camilli, Brooklyn; 1940: Frank McCormick, Cincinnati.</p><p><strong>1939: </strong>Bucky Walters, Cincinnati; 1938: Ernie Lombardi, Cincinnati; 1937: Joe Medwick, St. Louis; 1936: Carl Hubbell, New York; 1935: Gabby Hartnett, Chicago; 1934: Dizzy Dean, St. Louis; 1933: Carl Hubbell, New York; 1932: Chuck Klein, Philadelphia; 1931: Frankie Frisch, St. Louis.</p><p><strong> * unanimous selection.</strong></p><p><strong><span class="subhead">2011 BBWAA AWARD WINNERS</span></strong></p><p><strong> AL Most Valuable Player: </strong>Justin Verlander, Detroit</p><p><strong> NL Most Valuable Player: </strong>Ryan Braun, Milwaukee</p><p><strong>AL Cy Young Award: </strong>Justin Verlander, Detroit</p><p><strong> NL Cy Young Award: </strong>Clayton, Kershaw, Los Angeles</p><p><strong> AL Manager of the Year: </strong>Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay</p><p><strong> NL Manager of the Year: </strong>Kirk Gibson, Arizona</p><p><strong> AL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year: </strong>Jeremy Hellickson, Tampa Bay</p><p><strong> NL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year: </strong>Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta</p><p><hr class="infobox-hr-separator" /> <div class="infobox"> </div>