Model of consistency, Brantley third in AL MVP voting Following breakout season, finishes behind Trout, V-Mart By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | November 13, 2014 + 7 COMMENTS CLEVELAND -- The Indians view as the model ballplayer for teammates and prospects to follow. This was evident in the spring, when general Chris Antonetti requested that a transcript of Brantley's quotes during a press conference be distributed to the team's Minor Leaguers.

Brantley's consistency with his comments, demeanor and production are reasons why Cleveland invested in a long-term contract for the outfielder before the 2014 season began. Brantley showed his gratitude with an All-Star campaign that ranked as one of the greatest seasons in franchise history, and led to Thursday's third-place finish in voting for the Most Valuable Player Award. "There's no disappointment at all," Brantley said. "I was honored and blessed to even be mentioned in that category. My whole goal is wins and losses. I don't look at stats. I don't care where I finish in the MVP. I care about getting that World Series ring." The award deservingly went to Angels superstar , who finished as the runner-up to Tigers slugger in each of the previous two years. This time around, Trout stood tallest in the voting by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, garnering all 30 first-place votes to capture his first MVP. Trout led the voting with 420 points, following by Detroit designated hitter Victor Martinez (229) and Brantley. For his work as Cleveland's , Brantley collected eight second-place votes and six third-place votes, finishing with 191 points on the ballot. Brantley third in AL MVP voting Brantley third in AL MVP voting 1:46 Indians outfielder Michael Brantley, who finished third in the AL MVP voting, speaks about his great 2014 season Brantley's respectable finish in the MVP race capped off a memorable awards season for the Indians, who saw pitcher Corey Kluber capture the AL Award on Wednesday. Last week, Brantley and catcher Yan Gomes -- both finalists for AL Gold Glove awards -- each earned an AL for being the top hitter at their positions. Brantley hopes that Indians' fans are as optimistic as the players about the team's future.

"For Cleveland fans, they should be excited," Brantley said. "We have a great group of young guys that are getting better each and every day. It's going to be a fun season to watch in 2015. I'm glad to be a part of it." It is hard to argue with the voters leaning toward Trout, who led the American League in WAR (7.9), runs scored (115), runs created (137) and extra-base hits (84), while posting a .287/.377/.561 slash line to go along with 36 homers, 39 doubles and 111 RBIs. The Angels' outfielder was the best player in the AL on the league's best team in the regular season. In a different year, Brantley's unique season might have taken home MVP honors. Brantley played in a career-high 156 games and finished second in the league in hits (200) and third in the league in average (.327). He led the AL with a .376 batting average with runners in scoring position, ranked fourth in the league in on-base percentage (.385) and finished fifth in WAR (7.0). Brantley was also fifth in the AL with 67 extra-base hits. Along the way, Brantley collected 20 home runs, 23 stolen bases, 45 doubles, 94 runs and 97 RBIs. "We've always felt Michael was a really good player," Antonetti said at the end of the season. "We were hopeful that he would stay healthy and just continue to do what he's always done. ... He's that guy that's also gotten better each and every year. He came into Spring Training this year more physical than any year in the past." Brantley became the first Indians batter to reach 200 hits in a season since achieved the feat in 1996 and he joined (four times), (three) Shin-Soo Choo (twice), Roberto Alomar (twice), Matt Lawton (once), (once), Toby Harrah (once) and Bobby Bonds (once) as the only players in team history to have at least 20 homers and 20 steals in a season. In Cleveland history, Brantley became the first player to end a single campaign with at least 20 home runs, 20 stolen bases, 45 doubles and 200 hits. Brantley was only the ninth player in Major League history to hit those marks in one year. The others on that short list include (2011), Hanley Ramirez ('07), Alfonso Soriano ('02), Craig Biggio (1998), Larry Walker ('97), ('96), Vada Pinson ('59) and Chuck Klein ('32). Brantley joined Ellsbury (2011), Walker (1997), Burks ('96), Klein ('32) and Babe Herman ('29) as the only players in baseball history to have at least a .320 average, 20 homers, 20 steals, 40 doubles, 90 RBIs and 200 hits in one season. The Indians, who remained in contention for an AL Wild Card until the final weekend of the season, needed the kind of year Brantley turned in to stay afloat. While key players such as Nick Swisher, and Jason Kipnis dealt with injuries and inconsistencies, Brantley provided a steady bat in the heart of Cleveland's lineup. "I believe that leadership is given to you by your teammates," Brantley said. "Me, personally, I just go out there and try to lead by example. I don't say too much. I'm kind of quiet, but I play hard each and every day, I try to be the best teammate and pick up my teammate when he's down or he needs help, and they do the same for me." Brantley's offensive WAR (7.2) accounted for 30.4 percent of the Tribe's total offensive WAR, showing how critical he was to the team's lineup. Trout and Martinez, who each were part of division-winning clubs, had more offensive contributions around them in their respective offenses. The performance by Brantley this year only reinforced Cleveland's reasons for inking him during Spring Training to a four-year, $25 million extension that includes a team option for 2018. The Indians already felt they had an important member of their core in place. Now, the Tribe knows it has a budding star capable of an MVP-caliber season. "He's a complete player," Antonetti said. "He was a huge part of our success and we think one of the best players in the American League."

Stetson alumni Kluber, deGrom bring pride to university By Adam Berry / MLB.com | November 13, 2014 + 0 COMMENTS DELAND, Fla. -- Walk through the baseball offices of Melching Field at Conrad Park, move past the bulletin board covered with fresh news clippings and step into the Stetson Hatters' locker room. Check out one locker under a flat-panel TV and another near the door to the dugout. One is signed by Corey Kluber, the 2014 American League Cy Young Award winner; the other by Jacob deGrom, 2014 National League Rookie of the Year. It's a rare accomplishment for any program to win two major postseason awards. Prior to this year, it had only been done twice, in fact, both times by the University of Southern California: Fred Lynn (AL MVP, Rookie) and Tom Seaver (NL Cy Young) in 1975, and Barry Zito (AL Cy Young) and Randy Johnson (NL Cy Young) in 2002. "It's a good thing to bring publicity to the school. I know I had a great time there, and I know [deGrom] did, too," Kluber said Wednesday night on MLB Network. "I think it's pretty cool that we both went there and we were able to have these awards in the same year." But you never would have predicted it'd happen at Stetson University, an Atlantic Sun Conference school halfway between Orlando and Daytona Beach with an undergraduate attendance of about 2,800. Not even Pete Dunn, the Hatters' longtime , is that much of a believer. "Not in any stretch of the imagination," Dunn said in his office Thursday. "I'd be a big liar if I said, 'Oh, yeah, I knew that was coming.'" Corey Kluber, Yan Gomes, Chris Antonetti and Mickey Callaway react to the pitcher winning the 2014 AL Cy Young Award You could generally say the same thing about Kluber and deGrom. Kluber was hardly a household name at the beginning of the year, and deGrom was buried beneath the Mets' stockpile of talented young arms. But that's somewhat fitting, considering only a classic bit of baseball coincidence brought Kluber to Stetson and deGrom might still be a light- hitting shortstop if the team hadn't needed him to pitch. "There's some happenstance, or chance, in both," said Dunn, entering his 36th season as head coach at Stetson. "I think it's something that we're very proud of. ... That's what our program's all about." In late 2003, one of the university's donors asked Dunn and his staff to check out a pitcher from Miami who just so happened to be playing in a tournament in Jupiter, Fla. So former Stetson assistant coach Mitch Markham watched the game, as requested, and came back with a message. "Well, the guy you sent me to see, he ain't the guy. But the guy that was pitching against him, he's the guy," Dunn recalled. "And it happened to be a team out in Texas that was playing in this tournament, and Kluber was on the mound." Still, it would have been unlikely for Stetson to land the Texan. With its limited budget, Stetson can't really recruit west of the Mississippi. But Kluber's parents had a condo in southwest Florida. Dunn said Kluber, undrafted out of high school, liked the idea of contributing right away. He developed into the Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year in 2007 and a fourth-round pick by the Padres in the '07 MLB First-Year Player Draft. He came back to DeLand last weekend to be inducted into the Stetson Athletics Hall of Fame alongside Braves third baseman Chris Johnson. He was the same old stoic "Klubot" coached by Dunn from 2005-07, just coming off a Cy Young season with an 18-9 record, 2.44 ERA and 269 strikeouts in 235 2/3 innings for the Indians. "We didn't go to that tournament to recruit or scout Corey Kluber. But we were lucky on that one. Sometimes you need to be lucky," Dunn said. "He was special." Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom discusses winning the 2014 NL Rookie of the Year Award and looks back on the impactful moments of his season deGrom, also undrafted out of high school, was a more obvious recruit. He lived nearby in DeLeon Springs. But he joined the Hatters as a shortstop and only stepped in as their closer after blowing everyone away during fall practice. During deGrom's junior season, his coaches realized their best pitcher was playing shortstop while their rotation faltered. So deGrom became Stetson's Friday night starter. The first thing he asked, according to Dunn, was to keep playing shortstop. Dunn agreed that deGrom could hit for himself on Friday nights, DH on Saturdays and play shortstop on Sundays. "He could throw strikes with his eyes closed," Dunn said. "He didn't have to go down and do a lot of bullpen work. ... He was that good of an athlete." deGrom wasn't nearly as much of a finished product as Kluber, but he had less mileage on his arm. The Mets picked him in the ninth round of the 2010 Draft, injuries helped him claim a rotation spot this season and he took care of the rest en route to a 9-6 record and 2.69 ERA in 140 1/3 innings. There's a picture waiting for deGrom in Dunn's office. Attached is a note, reminding the shaggy deGrom he used to be a short-haired shortstop. "[The Mets] knew they had a diamond in the rough," Dunn said. "As you can see now, they were 100 percent right." Dunn was right, too. He recruited two undrafted high schoolers and helped turn them into top 10-round Draft picks and, eventually, the 2014 AL Cy Young Award winner and NL Rookie of the Year. It's been a rewarding week for the Stetson baseball coaches, and they're hopeful they can spin this success toward recruiting future talent. "We've had some cool things happen out on the field, but overall, this is no doubt the biggest thing that's happened to Stetson baseball," Dunn said. "We couldn't afford to pay for that kind of national exposure, so it's awfully nice to get that." One of the more memorable moments of the Stetson baseball recruiting visit used to be standing on Melching Field and looking beyond the fences at Spec Martin Stadium, where they filmed some of the football scenes for Adam Sandler's "The Waterboy." Sandler and Henry Winkler occasionally stopped by the park to take in games when they weren't filming. But there's no need to talk about Bobby Boucher and The Fonz anymore. There's two other names to point out instead -- one of them on the locker under a flat-panel TV, the other on the locker near the door to the dugout.

Indians' Michael Brantley third in AL MVP voting By Marla Ridenour Published: November 13, 2014 Indians left fielder Michael Brantley finished third in voting for the American League Most Valuable Player award, which was announced Thursday night. Angels Mike Trout, 23, who finished second to Tigers' slugger Miguel Cabrera the past two years, was the unanimous choice of 30 members of the Baseball W riters' Association of America. Trout received 420 points. Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez, an ex-Indian, was second ahead of Brantley. Martinez received 16 second- place votes, Brantley eight. Relax, Tribe fans: Cy Young winner Kluber isn't going anywhere -- at least not for a while Joe ReedyFOX Sports Ohio Right about the time Corey Kluber picks up a baseball to begin his offseason throwing routine, talks about a contract extension will be in high gear. After winning the AL Cy Young Award on Wednesday, Kluber said that would start throwing again the second week of December, that is also when the Baseball Winter Meetings will be taking place. Unlike C.C. Sabathia and Cliff Lee, who were going into the final year of their deals after winning the Cy Young, the Indians have time on their side with Kluber. He isn't arbitration eligible for the first time until 2016 and is expected to have a $550,000 salary next season if an extension isn't reached. Last offseason the Indians agreed to extensions with Michael Brantley, Yan Gomes and Jason Kipnis but when it comes to extensions with pitchers, the organization has had problems. There are a couple recent extensions that could provide an indication on what both parties should expect. In 2013, Chris Sale and the White Sox agreed to a five-year extension worth $32.5 million. Sale was slated to earn $600,000 in 2013 but got a bump up to $850,000 before making $3.5 million in 2014 and it progressively rising each year. The deal also carried club options for 2018 and '19. The contract bought all three years where he was slated to be arbitration eligible as well as his first year of free agency with the options on the following two years. Sale though was 24 and Kluber is 28. He will turn 29 on April 10, which happens to be the Tribe's home opener against Detroit. It is likely that an extension with Kluber would be five years that would include all of his arbitration years and his first year of free agency. That would carry Kluber until he was 34 and the risk of injuries with pitchers is higher. Or they could do a four-year extension covering 2015 and all three of his arbitration years with a club option on his first year of free agency in 2019. "The thing that is most encouraging is he will lead this staff for the foreseeable future. You can't have a better guy setting the standard with his preparation," general manager Chris Antonetti said. "To have that guy at the front of the staff is a great example throughout the organization."

When he does get to spring training, one of the things Kluber said he wants to work on is his changeup. Toward the end of the season, he was using it typically only four percent of the time. Pitching coach Mickey Callaway added that he has already been in contact with Tim Belcher, and Jason Bere -- guys in the organization who logged a lot of innings as starters -- on the best way for Kluber to prepare for the upcoming season during spring training.

Close, but no MVP Award for Indians' Brantley Joe ReedyFOX Sports Ohio 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 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 a season in which he has become the Indians' first MVP candidate in 15 years, here are 10 Michael Brantley moments from this past season that stood out. "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 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 , 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.