The MLB season is drawing to an end, which means awards season is right around the corner.
Voters, of which I am not, will face their typical dilemma, how much does winning matter?
You can basically chalk up that college football's Heisman award will be given to the best player on the best team.
Looking at past MLB award winners, playing on a winning team does matter. That's unfortunate, because two of the players who are having the best seasons this year play for the dreadful LA Dodgers.
Southpaw Clayton Kershaw picked up his 20th win of the year Tuesday night. Kershaw, by himself accounts for 25 percent of all LA's wins and has beaten San Francisco ace Tim Lincecum four times.
His numbers are off the charts this year, 2.27 ERA (1st in the NL), 20 wins (tied for 1st), 242 strikeouts (again 1st). But his team is third the NL West, 7th best in the NL and barely pushing .500.
Kershaw's competition for the award, Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee of the Phillies and Ian Kennedy of the Diamondbacks, are all on playoff bound teams.
Here's the head-to-head comparison:
Kershaw: 20 Wins (1), 2.27 ERA(1), 242 K's (1), 5 Complete Games
Halladay: 18 Wins (3), 2.41 ERA (4), 217 K's (3), 8 CG
Lee: 16 Wins (5), 2.38 ERA (3), 232 K's (2), 6 CG
Kennedy: 20 Wins (1), 2.88 ERA (9), 194 K's (7) 1 CG
You can make a case for any pitcher, though Kershaw's numbers are slightly better than the rest. The determining factor for whoever takes the award the home might be team wins, advantage Phillies aces.
Same goes for the NL MVP race.
Again, outfielder Matt Kemp is having a tremendous season for a woeful team.
Kemp's leading the NL in RBI's (116), second in homers (35) and third in batting average (.322).
Still it's hard to make the argument for an MVP to come from a .500 ball club.
All of Kemp's competition in the MVP race, Brewers Prince Fielder or Ryan Braun and Diamondbacks Justin Upton, are on playoff bound teams. Who knows if the Cardinals make the postseason, you can never discount Albert Pujols.
I'm happy there's finally some baseball drama this September, but you just have to look at the individual level. Like in the pennant races, winning is everything.
1 comment:
I think Kershaw will win the CY and Kemp will win the MVP. Both their seasons have been better than anyone else by a long shot. Voters will take into account the Stow and McCourt situations and should find it amazing that these two players have succeeded the way they have. Halladay's season has been nice, but it's not his best and the Phillies have a far superior team to the Dodgers. I am probably biased having watched these guys obliterate the Giants all season, but numbers don't lie!
Personally, I find the AL MVP award debate more intriguing than both NL races.
Will Verlander win both? I sure hope not. 25 wins is not enough to cement an MVP...if he was at 28 or 29 wins, it might be different. I think a Red Sock will win, but Granderson on the Yankees has as good a shot as anyone.
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