MVP from losing teams: Mike Trout and five others, one twice (Ernie Banks).

Yesterday the Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards were announced:

American League (AL): Mike Trout, Angels 74-88
National League (NL): Kris Bryant, Cubs 103-58

The obvious difference is that Bryant played for the team with the best record and Trout played for a team that lost many more games than it won. The Minnesota Twins had the fewest wins: 59. Maybe if the Twins had Mike Trout they would have had closer to 70 wins, like Trout's Angels.

Previous MVP have played for teams with losing records or that were low in the standings. Trout may have finally shattered the inclination of the voters to favor players on teams that contended for post season play, whether in the old pennant winner non-division eight team leagues or in the recent 15 team conferences with three division winners plus two wild card teams qualifying for the tournament.

The modern MVP award started in 1931. In the 86 years, there have been 173 MVP awards, including the 1979 NL tie: Willie Stargell (Pirates, 1) and Keith Hernandez (Cardinals, 3). Stargell's Pirates won the World Series. Including Trout in 2016, the MVP has been on a non first place team 55 times out of 173, 31.8%.

In 1932 Chuck Klein of the Philadelphia Athletics won the AL MVP. His team was 78-76, fourth among eight teams and well behind the pennant winning Yankees. Klein led the AL in Hits and Home Runs. In 1933 Klein had the triple crown, leading in HR, RBI, BA.

Other early year MVP from fourth place teams:
1937 NL: Joe Medwick, Cardinals 81-73
1938 NL: Ernie Lombardi, Reds 82-68

Of the 55 non first place MVP, the number by team rank:
2: 33
3: 8
4: 8
5: 3
6: 2

21 MVP from teams lower than second, sorted descending by Rank:

yearID	nameFirst	nameLast	lgID	teamID	Rank	W	L
1987	Andre	Dawson	NL	CHN	6	76	85
1991	Cal	Ripken	AL	BAL	6	67	95
1958	Ernie	Banks	NL	CHN	5	72	82
1959	Ernie	Banks	NL	CHN	5	74	80
1952	Hank	Sauer	NL	CHN	5	77	77
1938	Ernie	Lombardi	NL	CIN	4	82	68
1977	Rod	Carew	AL	MIN	4	84	77
1932	Chuck	Klein	NL	PHI	4	78	76
1989	Robin	Yount	AL	ML4	4	81	81
1937	Joe	Medwick	NL	SLN	4	81	73
2008	Albert	Pujols	NL	SLN	4	86	76
2003	Alex	Rodriguez	AL	TEX	4	71	91
1952	Bobby	Shantz	AL	PHA	4	79	75
1964	Brooks	Robinson	AL	BAL	3	97	65
1981	Mike	Schmidt	NL	PHI	3	59	48
1947	Bob	Elliott	NL	BSN	3	86	68
1979	Keith	Hernandez	NL	SLN	3	86	76
1958	Jackie	Jensen	AL	BOS	3	79	75
1966	Roberto	Clemente	NL	PIT	3	92	70
1997	Larry	Walker	NL	COL	3	83	79
1933	Jimmie	Foxx	AL	PHA	3	79	72

Since 2000:
2003: Alex Rodriguez, Rangers fourth
2008: Albert Pujols, Cardinals fourth

Played on third place contending teams with more than 90 wins:
1964 Brooks Robinson Orioles 97, 2 back of Yankees
1966 Roberto Clemente Pirates 92, 2 back of Dodgers

MVP playing on teams with losing records, only Mr. Cub Ernie Banks more than once:

yearID	nameFirst	nameLast	lgID	teamID	Rank	W	L
2016	Mike	Trout	AL	LAA	4	74	88
1991	Cal	Ripken	AL	BAL	6	67	95
2003	Alex	Rodriguez	AL	TEX	4	71	91
1958	Ernie	Banks	NL	CHN	5	72	82
1959	Ernie	Banks	NL	CHN	5	74	80
1987	Andre	Dawson	NL	CHN	6	76	85

Note: Mike Schmidt won in 1981 in that messed up season that was missing a lor games in the middle because of a work stoppage. An impromptu split season was created. Schmidt's Phillies won the first half, which qualified them for an impromptu five game series against Montreal, which the Phillies lost. The Phillies were third in the second half and third over all.

So there's more precedent for MVP on a losing team than many realize but the inclination to vote for players on contenders has been very strong right through 2016.