Brewers' top 2011 performances rewarded

MILWAUKEE -- Another offseason has meant another opportunity for Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun to add to an already-full trophy case.

Here's his latest honor: Braun is the first MLB.com Brewers Player of the Year, an easy pick after he batted .332 with 33 home runs, 111 RBIs and 33 stolen bases in what might have been his finest all-around season. Braun led the National League with a .994 OPS and became Milwaukee's first 30/30 player since Tommy Harper in 1970.

As selected by MLB.com, awards have been designated in three categories -- Pitcher, Perfomer and Breakout Player -- for each of the 30 teams.

Select a team ¬
AL East ¬
Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox New York Yankees Tampa Bay Rays Toronto Blue Jays
AL Central ¬
Chicago White Sox Cleveland Indians Detroit Tigers Kansas City Royals Minnesota Twins
AL West ¬
Los Angeles Angels Oakland Athletics Seattle Mariners Texas Rangers
NL East ¬
Atlanta Braves Florida Marlins New York Mets Philadelphia Phillies Washington Nationals
NL Central ¬
Chicago Cubs Cincinnati Reds Houston Astros Milwaukee Brewers Pittsburgh Pirates St. Louis Cardinals
NL West ¬
Arizona Diamondbacks Colorado Rockies Los Angeles Dodgers San Diego Padres San Francisco Giants

Yovani Gallardo earned Pitcher of the Year, edging closer John Axford after leading the club's starters with a 3.52 ERA and 207 strikeouts.

Axford did not go empty-handed. He was selected as the club's Breakout Player of the Year after setting a franchise record with 46 saves in his first full Major League season.

More awards are coming. Manager Ron Roenicke is a candidate for the Baseball Writers' Association of America's NL Manager of the Year Award, to be announced along with the American League winner on Wed., Nov. 16. Roenicke led the Brewers to a club-record 96 wins and the team's first division title and postseason series win in 29 years. But the favorite for the award is the D-backs' Kirk Gibson, whose club made a surprise run in the NL West before losing a five-game NL Division Series to the Brewers.

BBWAA voters cast their ballots after the regular season but before the start of postseason play.

The Brewers could have two players in the top five when the NL MVP Award is announced on Tues., Nov. 22. Braun is considered a leading contender with the Dodgers' Matt Kemp, and Brewers teammate Prince Fielder and D-backs outfielder Justin Upton are also worthy of votes.

If it comes down to Braun vs. Kemp, then it becomes a matter of voting philosophy. Kemp mostly owned the better numbers, edging Braun in homers (an NL-best 39 for Kemp to 33 for Braun), RBIs (an NL-best 126 to Braun's 111) and steals (40 to 33). Braun had the better average (.332 to .324) and OPS (NL-best .994 to Kemp's .986).

Plus, the Brewers won their division, clinching with about a week to go on Braun's go-ahead home run against the Marlins on Sept. 23.

Outfielders Braun, Kemp, Upton and first baseman Fielder all won NL Silver Slugger Awards, handed out to the best offensive players at each position in both leagues. It was the fourth such award for Braun, who became the first National Leaguer to win four in a row since Barry Bonds garnered five straight Silver Sluggers from 2000-04.

Fielder claimed his second Silver Slugger Award. He also won in 2007. Facing pending free agency in 2011, Fielder had a stellar season, batting .299 with team bests in home runs (38) and RBIs (120). He played all 162 games for the second time in three years, walked more than 100 times for the third straight year and cut down his strikeouts to 106, fewer than 31 other NL players.

The Brewers handed out one award of their own, honoring reliever LaTroy Hawkins with the Michael Harrison Award for Community Service.