There wasn't any disappointment by Michael Brantley over not being named the American League MVP on Thursday. Just being mentioned in the same group with Mike Trout of the Angels and the Tigers' Victor Martinez seemed to suffice.
"I'm honored to be in the same category. The ultimate goal is wins and losses and getting a World Series ring," Brantley said during a conference call after Thursday's results were announced. "As long as you keep thinking like that it keeps you motivated."
Brantley finished third with 191 points, becoming the first Indians player to finish in the top three since 1999 when Roberto Alomar and Manny Ramirez tied for third.
Trout was a unanimous selection among the 30 voters who are members of the Baseball Writers Association of America, with 420 points while Martinez was second with 229 points.
Brantley -- who was second in the AL in hits (200) and third in batting average (.327) and doubles (45) -- was listed on all but three of the ballots. He received eight seconds, six thirds, five fourths, four fifths, and one vote each for sixth, seventh, ninth and 10th. The three who did not have Brantley on their ballots were Mark Whicker (LA Daily News), Roger Mooney (Tampa Tribune), and Jeff Wilson (Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
Said Brantley of Trout and Martinez: "They are both phenomenal players. Trout is a guy that gets better each and every year. He's still young and has room to improve which is scary.
"In my first Major League camp in Cleveland I had a chance to look up to Victor. He would put his hands on my shoulder and ask each day if I was ready to get better. He's always been on of my favorite players to watch."
After winning a Silver Slugger award last week, Brantley was trying to become the third Indians AL MVP winner and first since Al Rosen in 1953. In 2014, Brantley made the AL All-Star team for the first time and became the first Indians player to collect 200 hits, 45-plus doubles, 20-plus homers and 20-plus stolen bases in the same year.
The biggest improvement in Brantley's game this year was being more aggressive at the plate. Before going to spring training last year, Brantley had a conversation with his father, former Major Leaguer Mickey Brantley, where the younger Brantley took his father up on the challenge.
"He's been wanting me to do that for a couple years and said that my numbers wouldn't go down but up," Brantley said. "I was more aggressive, took good swings and it worked out for me. In the past I wanted to have the perfect pitch and perfect at-bat. This time if I got a good first pitch I put a good swing on it."
According to STATS LLC, Brantley's 99 balls in play on the first pitch were tied for 12th in the Majors. He had a .404 average on first pitches in play, including 10 doubles and two home runs. The year before, he had 58 first pitches in play with 20 hits.
Brantley said he has started to do some light jogging and working out before ramping up his offseason program the closer it gets to spring training.
AL Cy Young winner Corey Kluber finished 11th in the MVP voting with 45 points. He was listed on 11 ballots with the highest being a third-place vote.
