Bochy did not shy away from the question on Friday – Buster Posey deserves the Most Valuable Player Award this season.
“I can’t think of a player more valuable to a ball club than what Buster is to us,” Bochy said.
Posey officially won the batting title on Wednesday, finishing the season with a .336 average — seven points higher than runner-up Andrew McCutchen.
He did that in just his first full season in the Major Leagues, after being called up in August of 2010 and being injured for the majority of the 2011 season.
“To win a batting title, that’s amazing for a catcher,” Bochy said. “But coming off that injury, missing all that time and winning a batting championship shows you what a talent this guy is.”
Posey will be in the running for MVP with Ryan Braun and McCutchen.
McCutchen slowly tapered off towards the end of this season and his Pirates team did not make the playoffs.
Braun’s numbers are there, but he tested positive for steroids last season just weeks after winning the NL MVP, and the Brewers did not make the playoffs this season.
Posey’s biggest grab for MVP voters is that he hit for the highest batting average in all of baseball, caught one of the best pitching rotations in the MLB and is a season removed from an injury that has derailed several careers in the past.
“Coming back off that devastating injury, and the way he’s played — how much he’s played — we really didn’t know how much we could put him out there. We didn’t know how his ankle would react. He exceeded those expectations,” Bochy said.
“I hate to think where we would be without Buster Posey. Here’s a guy that’s handling the pitching staff, playing first base and putting up the numbers he’s put up.”
