Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968

CHICAGO -- While the Los Angeles Angels stumbled, Mike Trout soared again.Just too good to ignore.Trout won the AL MVP award Thursday for the second time in three years, and Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant was voted NL MVP in balloting by the Baseball Writers Association of America.To win it one time, its hard to do, Trout said. Twice, I guess you saw my emotions tonight, it was something special.While the Angels finished fourth in the AL West, Trout was his usual brilliant self. The center fielder batted .315 with 29 homers, 100 RBI and 30 steals. He scored 17 percent of Los Angeles runs, the highest percentage for an AL player since Rickey Henderson with the 1985 New York Yankees.Trout, who was a unanimous winner in 2014, had finished second in three of the past four years. He becomes the first MVP from a losing team since Alex Rodriguez for Texas in 2003 and just the fifth player ever to accomplish the feat, joining Hall of Famers Ernie Banks (1958 and 1959), Andre Dawson (1987) and Cal Ripken (1991).At the end of the season a lot of people were asking me about the same question, you know, if your team has a losing record is it going to hurt you in the MVP? Trout said. With this MVP this year, I guess it doesnt matter.Bryant hit .292 with 39 homers and 102 RBI in just his second year in the majors, helping the Cubs to their first World Series title since 1908. The No. 2 overall pick from the 2013 draft becomes just the sixth player to win rookie of the year and MVP in one or consecutive seasons.This year has certainly been one of the best years of my life, said Bryant, who is set to get married in January. I mean winning a World Series, now this, its just icing on the cake.The Las Vegas native is the first NL MVP from the Cubs since Sammy Sosa in 1998 and the eighth player from the club to win the award since 1935. The once-forlorn franchise enjoying its best run in decades also had two of the top MVP candidates, with first baseman Anthony Rizzo finishing fourth.Voting by BBWAA members was completed by the start of the playoffs.If it wasnt for Anthony and his protection and guidance, I wouldnt have won this award, Bryant said. I mean he texted me and I said the same thing to him, I said if it wasnt for you I wouldnt have been able to do this.Bryant was a runaway winner, grabbing 29 of 30 first-place votes and 415 points. Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy, who batted .347 for the NL East champions, was the runner-up with the other first-place vote and 245 points. Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager was third after he was the unanimous winner of the NL Rookie of the Year award on Monday.Seager will look to follow in Bryants footsteps next year.Bryant was the unanimous NL Rookie of the Year after he hit .275 with 26 homers and 99 RBI last season. Bryant joins Dustin Pedroia (2007-08), Ryan Howard (2005-06) and Cal Ripken (1982-83) as the only players to go Rookie of the Year-MVP in consecutive seasons. Ichiro Suzuki (2001) and Fred Lynn (1975) are the only players to win the awards in the same year.Kris is just an impressive young man in every aspect, Cubs owner Tom Ricketts said. (He) is very mature, professional, light-hearted, but serious at the same time. Hes just kind of a dream player for any organization.Trout received 19 first-place votes and 356 points. Mookie Betts, who batted .318 with 31 homers, 113 RBI and 26 steals in 158 games for the Boston Red Sox, was second with 311 points, and AL batting champion Jose Altuve of Houston was third. Retiring Red Sox slugger David Ortiz got one first-place vote finished sixth in his final year in the majors.A well-deserved honor for a player that puts his name in the MVP conversation year in and year out, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said in a release. Mike is the consummate team player and deserves every accolade he receives on the field just as he should off of it for the person he is.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap Vans Old Skool Sale . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. Vans Sk8 Low Sale . You can watch the game live on TSN at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. The Flyers had won seven of eight before dropping their last two outings on consecutive days over the weekend. Philadelphia was handed a 6-3 loss by the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon before dropping a 4-1 decision to the Rangers the following night in New York City. http://www.vanssalestore.com/ . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. Vans Slip On Sale .C. -- Rodney Hood connected from all over the court while freshman Jabari Parker was busy swatting shots and scoring in transition. Vans Old Skool Discount . Michell Burger, a woman who lives on an estate next to Pistorius gated community, said she and her husband were awoken by the screams in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 14 last year, when Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp by shooting four times through a door in his bathroom. Throughout the college football season, Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay kick off each week by settling a debate, looking at emerging NFL prospects and peeking ahead to next week.Among this weeks topics: Which team is the best among the AP top four -- Alabama, Clemson, Michigan or Ohio State? ' ' '