Ryan Braun won the National League Most Valuable Player Award on Tuesday after helping lead the Brewers to their first division title in nearly 30 years. The left fielder received 20 of 32 first-place votes and 388 points in voting announced by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Los Angeles center fielder Matt Kemp, who came close to winning the Triple Crown, received 10 first-place votes and finished with 332 points. Braun's teammate Prince Fielder finished third with 229 points, and Arizona's Justin Upton finished fourth with 214 points. Fielder and Upton each received one first-place vote. St. Louis' Albert Pujols finished fifth.

Rockies third base prospect Nolan Arenado went to the All-Star Futures game in Phoenix in July, was a California League All-Star and led all Minor League hitters in RBIs. On Saturday, Arenado was presented with the Arizona Fall League's Joe Black MVP Award prior to the championship game. "There were a lot of great players in this league," Arenado said. "Mike Olt had a really good year and [could've been the choice]. I'm just blessed that the Rockies allowed me to come out here and play." Arenado led the AFL in hits and doubles, tied for the lead in extra-base hits, ranked second in total bases and RBIs, finished third in average, tied for third in home runs and finished fifth in slugging percentage.

While Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw took home top honors, the Phillies had three pitchers finish in the top five of the National League Cy Young voting. Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee finished second and third, respectively, while Cole Hamels was fifth. For the Phillies, it is the first time they had two finishers in the top five since 1980 when Steve Carlton won the Cy Young and Tug McGraw came in fifth. The last time any team had three pitchers in the top five of the voting was in 2005 when the Astros Roger Clemens, Roy Oswalt and Andy Pettitte got the votes.

Clayton Kershaw won the NL Cy Young Award on Thursday, becoming the first LA Dodgers pitcher to be so honored since Eric Gagne in 2003 and the first Dodgers starter to win it since Orel Hershiser in 1988. He received 27 of 32 first-place votes, three seconds and two thirds for a total of 207 points, 74 more than runner-up Roy Halladay of the Phillies.

Arizona's Kirk Gibson and Tampa Bay's Joe Maddon won the National League and American League Manager of the Year awards, respectively, on Wednesday. Gibson was honored in his first full season as a big league manager after leading the Diamondbacks from worst to first. Maddon won the award for the second time after helping the Rays overcame a nine-game deficit to beat out Boston for the wild-card spot on the last day of the regular season.

Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander has been voted the AL Cy Young winner for the 2011 season. Verlander won unanimously after he locked up the pitching version of the Triple Crown during the regular season. He is also being mentioned in the MVP discussion. "If you had told me at the beginning of the year that I had the chance to win the MVP and be a unanimous Cy Young winner, it would have blown my mind," he said. Verlander led the majors in wins by going 24-5 and topped baseball with 250 strikeouts. His 2.40 ERA was the best among AL pitchers who qualified for the title.

Braves closer Craig Kimbrel and Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson were named the winners of this year's Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Awards. Kimbrel, 23, won the National League's award in a unanimous decision. He was the 10th NL player to win the award unanimously and the 17th overall. Hellickson joined teammate Evan Longoria to become the second player in Tampa Bay team history to be recognized as the American League's top rookie. He received 17 of 28 first-place votes for 102 points. Angels first baseman Mark Trumbo received five first-place votes and finished second with 63 points. Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer was third with 38 points and Yankees right-hander Ivan Nova was fourth with 30.

Rangers infielder Michael Young has been chosen as the 2011 winner of the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award, the Major League Baseball Players Association has announced. It's the second time that Young has won the award, which is given to a player "whose on-field and off-field performance most inspires others to higher levels of achievement by displaying as much passion to give back to others as he shows between the lines on the baseball diamond." He also won the award in 2008. The only two other two-time winners are John Smoltz in 2002-03 and Jim Thome in 2001 and 2004. The winner is selected by Major League players and is part of the Player Choice Awards.

Tigers ace Justin Verlander has been selected player of the year in voting by the MLBPA, becoming the second pitcher to earn the honor. Verlander beat out Adrian Gonzalez and Curtis Granderson for the Players Choice Award, announced Thursday.

Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Ron Santo and Luis Tiant are among 10 candidates for the Baseball Hall of Fame who will be on the Veterans Committee ballot next month. The 16-member Veterans Committee will vote on 10 candidates from MLB's "Golden Era" (1947-72) on Dec. 5 at the winter meetings. Candidates need 75 percent of the vote for Hall election. THE CANDIDATES: Gil Hodges, Ron Santo, Jim Kaat, Luis Tiant, Ken Boyer, Minnie Minoso, Tony Olivo, Allie Reynolds, Buzzie Bavasi, and Charlie Finley