Joey Votto: 3 Reasons Cincinnati Reds Star Will Win Another NL MVP in 2012

2010 National League MVP Joey Votto is enjoying yet another incredible season, but will his impressive 2012 campaign be enough to make him the Cincinnati Reds' third two-time MVP?

If you ask me...absolutely.

Here's a look at three reasons No. 19 could be taking home his second piece of MVP hardware come season's end.

The Stats Tell the Story

Baseball is a game of numbers, and Joey Votto's numbers are among the league's best, hands down.

While he may not possess the pure home run power that many of his MVP counterparts boast, one look at the league leader charts shows you just how productive the 28-year-old actually is.

The league leader in doubles? Votto. Walks? Votto. OPS? Votto. OBP? You guessed it.

Sure, the season is far from over, but barring a major meltdown, Votto is well on his way to posting the NL's most impressive statistical season and could even be flirting with a number of MLB records.

How About That Defense?

While Joey Votto's offensive numbers are probably impressive enough to earn him MVP consideration on their own, the two-time All-Star has also emerged as one of the National League's premier defensive first basemen.

Boasting the league's fourth-highest fielding percentage (.995), Votto has become an integral part of one of the MLB's most reliable defensive infields—a feat that could go a long way toward earning him a second MVP.

Where's the Competition?

Perhaps the most compelling case for Joey Votto in the MVP race is the fact that much of his National League competition seems to be falling by the wayside.

With perennial candidates Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder now competing in the American League and fellow NL superstars Matt Kemp and Troy Tulowitzki both battling injuries, the MVP competition seems to have boiled down to Votto and New York Mets third baseman David Wright—a lopsided competition that Votto would seemingly dominate.