Ryan Braun
Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun was named one of five finalists Wednesday for the 2012 NL Most Valuable Player award.
The MVP awards for both the National and American League’s will be announced next Thursday.
Joining Braun as National League finalists are San Francisco’s Buster Posey, Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen, San Diego’s Chase Headley and St. Louis Cardinal Yadier Molina.
Braun is the reigning NL MVP, but he’s not expected to repeat after a positive drug test in October 2011 for elevated levels of testosterone. The positive test was overturned on appeal, but the positive result was already public, which hurt Braun’s case in the court of public opinion.
Braun hit .319 with 41 home runs and 108 rbi’s last season.