The NL MVP Case For Both Kershaw And Stanton

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As we’re in the final month of the month of the Major League Baseball season, playoff races are taking shape and the same can be said about the MVP races in both leagues. But for my money the National League MVP race is an intriguing one between Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw and Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton. Kershaw is looking to become the first Dodgers player since Kirk Gibson in 1988 to be named as the NL MVP. Kershaw is also attempting to become the first pitcher since Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1968 to be selected as NL MVP. The history of the Marlins dates back to 1993 and they have never had a player be selected as National League MVP and Stanton is looking to ascend to rare air. But between Kershaw and Stanton, who will win the coveted award in 2014?

Clayton Kershaw

This season Kershaw is 18-3 with  an earned run average of 1.67 and 210 strikeouts. Kershaw is currently leading the NL in wins and ERA. Kershaw is doing all of this in spite of the fact that he has missed six weeks of the season with a back injury. Stanton is currently leading the NL in home runs (37), runs batted in (105), walks (91), slugging percentage (.560), and on-base plus slugging (.957). Stanton is also closing in on becoming the first Marlins player since Gary Sheffield in 1996 to hit 40 home runs in a single season.

Kershaw only sees the field every fifth day while Stanton is an everyday player. But Kershaw’s Dodgers are currently leading the NL West as they appear to be on their way to the postseason while Stanton’s Marlins are currently under .500 and the postseason appears to be a long shot. Both Kershaw and Stanton are extremely valuable to their respective teams, but the voters tend to side with players who are on contending teams. The Marlins current record of 70-72 will work against Stanton as not since Ernie Banks of the Chicago Cubs in 1959 has a player been named as National League MVP while playing for a team that finished the season with a losing record.

Giancarlo Stanton

Kershaw also plays on one of the deepest and most expensive clubs in Major League Baseball while Stanton does not have that luxury. The Dodgers payroll of roughly $240 million is the highest in MLB which is evident by the talent around him. The Marlins on the other hand have a payroll of $50 million which is the lowest in baseball. But both players know how to put their respective teams on their backs. Since June 2, the Dodgers are 16-1 in games started by Kershaw and in the process he has lowered his earned run average from 3.32 to 1.67. Stanton’s season got off to a bang as he hit 8 home runs along with 29 runs batted in in the month of April. Overall this season Stanton has had three months in which he has hit at least 8 home runs and he is looking to finish strong. Already in the month of September, Stanton has hit 4 home runs to go along with 7 runs batted in.

In the end it will more than likely be Kershaw that will be named as the 2014 National League MVP. Kershaw plays in the bigger media market and the Dodgers simply have better teams as compared to the Marlins. Whereas Kershaw can take the mound at Dodger Stadium and know that he is going to consistently pitch in front of at least 40,000 fans, Stanton launches home runs at Marlins Park in Miami where one fan could have an entire section to his or herself. Kershaw should become the first Dodger to win the NL MVP since 1988, but it should not take away from the season that Stanton is currently having for the Marlins.

Source: Baseball-reference.com

 

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