Jimmy Rollins, who helped fulfill his bold prediction of a playoff appearance for the long-suffering Phillies, squeaked by Colorado's Matt Holliday for the National League MVP award, reports MLB.com. At 353 voting points, his 17-point margin over the brawny Rockies slugger was the slimmest in 16 years.
Rollins yielded a scant 11 errors all season at shortstop, enough for the Gold Glove, and as the team's leadoff hitter batted .296 with 30 HRs, 20 triples, 94 RBIs, and 41 stolen bases in a league-record 716 at-bats. Said manager Charlie Manuel of his shortstop, "Once he popped up, he put his intensity where his mouth was. He likes the stage. Jimmy has what I'd call a good cockiness." (More MLB stories.)