The Real NL MVP: Nolan Arenado vs. Kris Bryant

On Thursday, the Chicago Cubs’ Kris Bryant was named NL MVP, nearly receiving a unanimous vote (29 out of 30 possible first-place votes).

Nolan Arenado, who led the National League in home runs and RBIs, failed to even crack the top three.

You be the judge (Bryant on the left; Arenado on the right):

Of course, the one thing not included in that graphic is the World Series championship Bryant helped bring to Chicago for the first time in over a century, and for that, he deserves the MVP, especially when you consider that the Rockies didn’t even sniff the playoffs.

And there’s no doubt that there will be plenty of people who say Arenado’s numbers are inflated because he plays at Coors Field — though, I didn’t see Jon Gray getting extra Rookie of the Year consideration because he had to pitch at altitude.

Colorado is lucky to have Arenado, and there’s no doubt that he is one of the best players in the world. If the Rockies can just start winning, he’ll undoubtedly begin to receive the same kind of respect the baseball world is currently giving Bryant.