Former SJ Giant Buster Posey Wins MVP Award
Posey is the sixth player in San Francisco Giants history to win the Most Valuable Award joining Barry Bonds, Jeff Kent, Kevin Mitchell and Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Willie McCovey. In 2010, he became the first former San Jose Giant to win the National League Rookie of the Year award. Posey and Tim Lincecum (2007 and 2008 Cy Young winner) are the only former SJ Giants to win major postseason awards.
Posey was the first National League catcher to win a batting title since 1942. In addition to leading the league in hitting, Posey was sixth in RBI's, first in on-base percentage (.408) and third in slugging percentage (.549). He hit a remarkable .385 after the All-Star break to help the Giants to a National League West Division championship.
Posey's outstanding year is even more impressive after the gruesome leg injury in May of 2011 that ended his season. He returned this year to catch 114 games and handle a pitching staff that ranked among the league leaders in several categories.
Voting for the award was done at the conclusion of the regular season. Posey continued his terrific year throughout the playoffs delivering a pair of clutch home runs during San Francisco's championship run, including a grand slam in Game 5 of the NLDS at Cincinnati and a go-ahead homer in the clinching game of the World series versus Detroit.
Posey was a member of the California League championship San Jose Giants team in 2009. The former first round draft pick hit .326 with 13 home runs and 58 RBI's in 80 games for San Jose to earn All-Star honors before a promotion to Triple-A Fresno that July.