Tim Melia voted 2017 MLS Goalkeeper of the year

Sometimes the vote does go the right way. Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Tim Melia has been voted the 2017 Allstate MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.

Melia was stellar for Sporting KC this year. Since coming to SKC, he has steadily improved, going from a league pool keeper, to starter to the Goalkeeper of the Year.

"Winning an award like this is one of the best compliments you can get as a goalkeeper," Melia said vie press release. "It's a huge individual accolade, and it's one that is only possible because of the efforts of my teammates and my coaches. To gain this recognition is an incredible honor."

"Over the course of the season, Tim was extremely consistent and came up with some really big saves," Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes said in the press release. "There is no doubt that his excellent play was one of the reasons we won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and reached the MLS Cup Playoffs for a seventh straight year.

"Tim had a major role in our success as a team, and we are happy he got rewarded. I also give a lot of credit to our goalkeeper coach Alec Dufty, who has done a great job helping our goalkeepers improve."

Looking at the numbers, Melia had career-highs in wins (12), shutouts (10), saves (91), starts (31) and minutes (2,759). Melia led MLS with a 0.78 goals against average, 78.4 save percentage and 69.2-percent passing accuracy.

Melia’s saves and his defender in front of him were the best in MLS this year, allowing just 29 goals in the regular season, eight less than the closest team. SKC’s keeper was also amazing on his own, stopping three penalty kicks.

This is the third time a Sporting KC keeper has been awarded the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. Former SKC captain Jimmy Nielsen in 2012 and Tony Meola in 2002.

Melia blew away the competition, receiving over half of the votes for Goalkeeper of the Year. Active players, club technical staffs and media members who covered the league in 2017 voted. (Full disclosure: Melia was my vote as well). With 50.29% Melia was well above his closest rival, Andre Blake with 10.13%.

Tim Melia (SKC) - 50.29%

Andre Blake (PHI) - 10.13%

Stefan Frei (SEA) - 8.24%

Alex Bono (TOR) - 4.33%

Sean Johnson (NYC) - 4.33%

Brad Guzan (ATL) - 2.61%

Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year Winners:

2017: Tim Melia - Sporting Kansas City

2016: Andre Blake - Philadelphia Union

2015: Luis Robles - New York Red Bulls

2014: Bill Hamid - D.C. United

2013: Donovan Ricketts - Portland Timbers

2012: Jimmy Nielsen - Sporting Kansas City

2011: Kasey Keller - Seattle Sounders FC

2010: Donovan Ricketts - LA Galaxy

2009: Zach Thornton - Chivas USA

2008: Jon Busch - Chicago Fire

2007: Brad Guzan - Chivas USA

2006: Troy Perkins - D.C. United

2005: Pat Onstad - San Jose Earthquakes

2004: Joe Cannon - Colorado Rapids

2003: Pat Onstad - San Jose Earthquakes

2002: Joe Cannon - San Jose Earthquakes

2001: Tim Howard - MetroStars

2000: Tony Meola - Kansas City Wizards

1999: Kevin Hartman - Los Angeles Galaxy

1998: Zach Thornton - Chicago Fire

1997: Brad Friedel - Columbus Crew

1996: Mark Dodd - Dallas Burn