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2013 AZ SnakePit Awards: Most Valuable Player

Though I'm tempted to call this "Most Foregone Conclusion" and have done with it. :) Probably the more interesting question is, who'll come runner-up? So I'm not just doing a straight poll this time.

Norm Hall

As traditional (well, I vaguely recall doing something similar previously), the winners of the Rookie, Pitcher and Unsung Hero of the Year receive automatic entries into the final five, along with two other entries. [Here seems as good a place as anywhere to congratulate Patrick Corbin for winning Pitcher of the Year, with 64% of the votes] However, you are welcome to use a "write-in" vote to select any other player not mentioned, because the balloting this time requires you to select a top three in the comments. I'll then collate the results once a week has passed, on a 5-3-1 points system, and give it to Goldschmidt announce the winner.

Will Goldschmit whoever it is surpass the 78% of votes obtained by Collmenter in the Unsung Hero category? Tune in next week to find out...

Josh Collmenter

A real workhorse in the Arizona bullpen, throwing 92 innings, the most relief work by a Diamondback for a decade, since Oscar Villarreal in 2003. His particular forte was the long outing, with nine appearances this season which lasted three or more innings - no other NL reliever has had more than seven since 2006. And Jose was excellent in that role, posting an ERA of 1.04 over those 34.2 innings. Perhaps his most impressive performance was the third game, where he got the win against the Cardinals, with no less than five innings of relief - the day after he'd worked 1.2 scoreless innings.

Patrick Corbin

Despite not locking down his roster spot until late in spring training, Corbin had a good 2013, particularly early. Only the second pitcher in the live-ball era to open with nine starts of at least six IP and two or fewer runs allowed; through the end of June, the D-backs had gone 15-1 with Patrick on the mound, with Corbin's own record 9-0 with a 2.22 ERA. His All-Star selection was a shoo-in, and there was legitimate talk about contending for the Cy Young as well. However, the second half of the season proved disappointing, Corbin going 5-8 with a 4.74 ERA from the start of July, but for his first full season in the majors, the overall numbers were perhaps the nicest surprise of the year.

Paul Goldschmidt

Really, what more needs to be said? Goldschmidt won the Silver Slugger, won the Hank Aaron award, gave us our first Golden Glove at his position, and led qualifying hitters on the team in (deep breath), runs, hits, home-runs, RBI, stolen bases, walks, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS. His OPS+ of 160 was second all-time for the franchise (trailing Gonzo's 2001), and his fWAR and bWAR were also the best by a Diamondback since that same campaign. This all resulted in the highest-ever finish for a Diamondback in the NL MVP balloting, where he finished second to Andrew McCutchen.

Gerardo Parra

Fun fact. Parra is already #8 on the team's all-time bWAR list, and another season like 2013 will see him in the top five (where, exactly, depends what Miguel Montero and Goldschmidt do). Put up 6.1 bWAR this season, trailing only three outfielders in the major-leagues (Trout, McCutchen and Gomez), and reached double-digits in home-runs for the first time ever. However, it was his defense which really shined: he has already won Play of the Year for 2013. His UZR of 31.1 was the second highest by an outfielder since the metric started, and his 17 outfield assists led the league. This all helped Parra snare a well-deserved Gold Glove, his second at the position.

A.J. Pollock

Another one not expected to make the roster, but when first Cody Ross, and then Jason Kubel, hit the disabled list, Pollock got his chance, and seized it with both hands. As the team's everyday center fielder, he was a pivotal factor in why our outfield defense was the best in the National League. His offense was more than acceptable, starting with A.J.'s three hits against the Cardinals on Opening Day, and he posted an OPS better than than the NL average at center, and the overall result was 3.5 bWAR for Pollock, ranking him fourth in the majors among all rookie position players this season.