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RF Jimmy Ryan won his second National League Most Valuable Player award (1892) and first since getting traded by Louisville to Buffalo for 1894. Injuries had plagued him his first two years with the Bisons, but Ryan looked like his old self in a healthy 1896. He had 15 first place votes while Indianapolis LF Fred Clarke had the other nine. Clarke was the league leader for hits (213) and total bases (354) with 7.7 WAR.

For the 33-year old Ryan, he led in doubles (51), RBI (128), triple slash (.367/.445/.644), OPS (1.089), wRC+ (192), and WAR (9.5). He added 199 hits, 114 runs, 27 home runs, and 73 stolen bases. Ryan also won his ninth Silver Slugger in RF and is signed through 1898 for Buffalo.

Ryan through 12 seasons has 2009 hits, 1291 runs, 421 doubles, 399 home runs, 1317 RBI, .335/.418/.626 slash, 181 wRC+, and 95.2 WAR. He is second in WAR among position players behind Mike Tiernan’s 99.09. Two-way man Charlie Ferguson is the overall WARlord with 68.7 pitching and 55.2 batting for 123.9 total. George Van Haltren also has 105.7 as a two-way player.

Second-year lefty Jerry Nops of Pittsburgh won Pitcher of the Year with 19 first place votes. Louisville’s Bobby Wallace had three first place votes, while New York’s Joe Corbett and St. Louis’s Mickey Welch had one each. Nops was the leader for ERA (2.51), WAR (8.8), and FIP- (68). He got the nod even with an 11-12 record, the first to win POTY with a losing record. Nops had 280 innings with 203 strikeouts and 151 ERA+.

Boston’s Cy Seymour was the unanimous Rookie of the Year as his 297 strikeouts were the third-most in a single-season by any pitcher. The #5 pick also had the most walks in the NL at 139. Seymour tossed 287.1 innings for a 3.41 ERA, 12-20 record, 121 ERA+, 80 FIP-, and 6.8 WAR.

World Series winner Jake Goodman won Manager of the Year in his fifth season with Indianapolis. The 43-year old took over a team that was 63-99 in 1891 and stayed in last place his first two years. The Clowns were patient during the rebuild, as they got back above .500 for 1894-95. They were rewarded with the top trophy in 1896.

Buffalo two-way man Adonis Terry won his fifth Silver Slugger as a pitcher while Indianapolis CF Bill Lange also got his fifth and New York 3B Charlie Irwin earned his fourth. Irwin also grabbed his fourth Gold Glove, as did Philadelphia’s Charlie Duffee. Winning their third Gold Gloves was Phillies SS Herman Long, Bisons 1B Skyrocket Smith, and Braves RF Chicken Wolf.