We have come to the end of the 2012 Major League Baseball season, but before officially closing the curtain on the regular season, we look back at the best and the worst of the final third of the season, where the postseason race reached its conclusion.
Most Surprising Teams: AL
Who would have thought that by the end of the season, the Detroit Tigers and the Oakland Athletics would win their respective division titles at the end of the season? The A's returned to form thanks to their league record 53 wins by rookie pitchers and a final series sweep of the Texas Rangers while the Tigers leaned on Miguel Cabrera's batting Triple Crown effort to snatch the AL Central for the second straight time. Whether they were inspired by the movie 'Moneyball', the A's are indeed back in the postseason, and Oakland fans were there to witness. As for the Tigers, a return to postseason was a decent achievement, especially after signing prolific slugger Prince Fielder for millions in the offseason.
Most Surprising Teams: NL
The St. Louis Cardinals are happy that they kept their season alive despite losing Albert Pujols to the Angels. The defending World Series champions quietly maintained a winning record for much of the season, eventually clinching one of two Wild Card slots. This despite missing ace Chris Carpenter for a long stretch due to injury. Their Wild Card playoff opponents, the Atlanta Braves, made sure there were no late-season collapses by storming through the final two months with consistent hitting and 'small ball' offense. The Braves are happy to be in the postseason again, but unless they dethrone the Cardinals on Friday, Chipper Jones' legendary career may end sooner than expected.
Most Disappointing Teams: AL
The Chicago White Sox led the AL Central for much of the second half, but then coughed up and eventually ceded the division to the Tigers in the final two weeks of the season. The Cleveland Indians also led the AL Central at one point, but their collapse was more dramatic than Chicago's, ending the season near the AL Central cellar amidst a poor combination of injuries, mediocre play from both sides, and questionable managerial decisions on now-dismissed manager Manny Acta. Both teams have a lot of questions to answer in the offseason. Also worth noting is the 93 losses by the Boston Red Sox, who just couldn't put their act together under Bobby Valentine.
Most Disappointing Teams: NL
Thankfully the Houston Astros will no longer be in the National League after a pair of 100-loss seasons. The latest, a 55-107 record, was a typical 'throw in the towel' bombshell, going deeper to their farm system to develop their talent. But with a new manager and a move to the pitcher-friendly American League (designated hitters replace batting pitchers), the Astros only hope that this latest rebuilding project won't stall for the next several years. As for the Chicago Cubs, their rebuilding process under Theo Epstein began on a sour note, losing 101 games. Still, there's a long way to go for Epstein to build the team like what he did in Boston, in hopes of ending a 100+ year title drought. Honorable mention goes to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who endured another late-season choke job to again finish with a losing record for the 20th straight time.
Most Valuable Player: AL
A unanimous choice for AL MVP, Miguel Cabrera surged late in the season to capture the first batting Triple Crown since Carl Yastrzemski achieved the mark in 1967. Despite moving back to his original position of third base, Cabrera maintained his hitting form for much of the season, leading the Tigers to another AL Central title. The high point of Cabrera's hitting spree was when hit .357 with eight homers, 24 RBIs and 35 hits. He picked up his play in the final month of the season, norming .339 with 11 homers, 30 RBIs and 38 hits. Finishing with a .331 batting average, 44 homers and 139 RBIs, Cabrera's romp would one day lead him to Cooperstown once he is done.
Most Valuable Player: NL
Ryan Braun may be in line for another NL MVP award, but Buster Posey is also a deserving contender. Posey stepped up his game in the wake of Melky Cabrera's PED scandal, norming .371 with six homers, 21 RBIs and 33 hits. In the final month of the season Posey continued to hit .371, this time with five homers, 21 RBIs and 39 hits. Finishing with a .336 average, Posey made sure that the batting title stayed in San Francisco. More importantly, Posey returned to form after suffering a broken ankle last season, helping the Giants return to the postseason two years after their World Series triumph.
Best Rookie: AL
Mike Trout was just several hits away from becoming the first rookie to win the batting title since Ichiro Suzuki, but he nevertheless made his case for the AL Rookie of the Year award with a .326 average, 30 homers, 83 RBIs, and 182 hits. He also became the youngest player of the 30-30 club upon finishing with 30 homers and 49 stolen bases. Trout stayed consistent despite dropping to .284 and .279 batting average in the final two months, helping the Angels stay in the postseason hunt until the final week of the season. The future looks bright for Trout as he emerged as one of baseball's most versatile offensive players.
Best Rookie: NL
Becoming a reliable offensive weapon at only 19 was an achievement for Bryce Harper. Helping the Washington Nationals earn the league's best record was an even higher achievement. To be honest, Harper should win the NL Rookie of the Year after playing 139 games and norming .270 with 22 homers, 59 RBIs, 144 hits and 18 stolen bases. September saw Harper at his best with a .330 average, with seven homers, 14 RBI, 37 hits and five stolen bases. Though no longer a teenager come the postseason, Harper's surge to the NL's batting elite should serve him well in the years to come.
Best Pitcher: AL
Before Jim Johnson, the last 50-save pitcher was Francisco Rodriguez of the Angels in 2008. His rise as one of the best closers in the game coincided with the Orioles' renaissance. Finishing with 51 saves, Johnson helped lead the Orioles back to the postseason after a 15-year absence. Combined with the Orioles' extra-inning dominance, Johnson's value to the team proved enormous through every save converted. The last reliever to win the Cy Young Award was Dennis Eckersley in 1992, but Johnson's impressive performance in a relief role should earn him a nomination, if not a Cy Young Award victory.
Best Pitcher: NL
With Stephen Strasburg on the shelf due to recovery from Tommy John surgery, Gio Gonzalez stepped up his game to become the postseason ace of the Washington Nationals. Winning 21 games proved to be his calling card, as he led one of the NL's best pitching staff to the league's best record at the end of the season. And coupled with prolific offensive weapons such as Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman, Gonzalez's emergence proved to be a huge benefit in leading Washington to the top of the Major Leagues at the end of the season. He should be a cinch to win the Cy Young Award.
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