Award season in Major League Baseball annually leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of fans, journalists, and players alike. Snubs and unlikely victors are seemingly inevitable from the sport that owns a near infinite array of statistics to perceive the game from. The league's pinnacle award, the Most Valuable Player, amasses debate year after year simply over the definition of the award itself.

This year, analysts will have a new darling to spur debate over the meaning of the Most Valuable Player award, and his name isn’t Giancarlo. Joey Votto is the starting first basemen for one of the worst teams in baseball. He leads his team in nearly every statistical hitting category and resides amongst the National League's best in this regard as well. Despite this, Votto has gotten far from fair MVP consideration compared to current favourites such as Paul Goldschmidt, Charlie Blackmon, Nolan Arenado, or Giancarlo Stanton. As bad as the Reds have been, Votto has been their MVP and deserves consideration for the Most Valuable Player in his entire league.

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Is it just to allow the 24 other Cincinnati Reds to define Votto’s value? Is his value not defined only by HIS performance? Is it now generally accepted that the Most Valuable Player must have valuable supporting cast as well?

While not having the clear claim for best player in the National League, Votto certainly has a case to be made. Statisticians will look to Votto’s counting stats and their minds will be decided against him. With an impressive but unspectacular 99 Runs and 95 RBIs, Votto does not sit in the same regard as fellow MVP candidates. To understand Votto’s value, and his claim for MVP contention, one must refer to his rate statistics. Votto is slashing an astounding .317/.453/1.035, besting his career highs as well as his current MVP competition. On a team with a below average OPS+ Votto is well on his way to leading the entirety of Major League Baseball in the very same stat. The Canadian slugger is getting on base in an astounding 45% of his plate appearances. Nearly half the time he steps to the plate he reaches base. Votto has often been playfully mocked for his perceived ‘walk first’ mentality, but this season Votto is putting it all together and showing he can hit, walk, and even play defence.

Historically, Votto has been a relatively volatile defensive First Basemen, winning the Gold Glove in 2011 but has also been a below average in seasons since then. This season however, Votto has been one of the best defensive first basemen in all of baseball, furthering his claim for the MVP. Ranking third on FanGraphs defensive metrics at his position, Votto has committed only two errors on the season to date. His eight defensive runs saved above average compared to his -14 from last season signify the improvements Votto has made defensively in 2017.

Votto has superior rate statistics, ranks higher defensively at his position, and has a significantly worse supporting cast than his MVP competitors and yet he’s being forgotten. Votto may not win the 2017 National League MVP, and he may not even deserve to. Nonetheless, to disregard one of the league's best players during one of his best seasons simply because his team is struggling to win 70 games is an injustice to Votto and simply to the game's concept of value.