Buster Posey, NL MVP, says he has new appreciation for baseball

Winning an MVP award can have a lot of effects on a player. For Giants catcher Buster Posey, the NL's Most Valuable Player in 2012, taking home the hardware on Thursday night has already given him a new outlook on the game. Here is what Posey had to say in a recent CSN Bay Area article:

"I do know I definitely have a deeper appreciation for being able to play baseball. I've seen it can be taken away quick. I hope I can continue to embrace the game and enjoy it because that was my mindset coming into the year: just enjoy each minute that you're out there."

Those are big words from a guy who won't turn 25 until March. And when you consider what Posey has achieved just a few years into what promises to be an impressive career, the Giants have to feel good about their chances moving forward.

The 2012 NL MVP batted .336 and set career-highs with 24 home runs and 103 RBIs. He posted an OPS of .957, which was by far the best mark of any catcher in the league. And when you consider he was the anchor of one of baseball's best pitching staffs, the Most Valuable Player title was a mere formality. For a player who has such a deep appreciation of the game, Posey should only get better in the coming years.