Joey Votto completed his ascension to the game's elite on Monday by winning his first National League Most Valuable Player award in a landslide, picking up 31 of a possible 32 first-place votes. After finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting in 2008, Votto was among the most productive players in baseball in 2009 on a per-game basis, but an inner-ear infection and depression stemming from his father's death the year before limited him to 131 games. This year, the 26-year-old Votto played in 150 games and set career highs in virtually every offensive category and led his Reds past the Cardinals to their first winning season since 2000 and first division title since 1995.
More...