NL MVP

[besaesa]

Now I know it is early to talk about this but if AZ somehow gets in the playoffs I would not object to Goldy being MVP. However, if they do not make it I dont feel he should get it because of Kemp in 2011. If we get in and AZ doesnt then I feel that Hanley has been our MVP this year. What do you guys think?

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

Now I know it is early to talk about this but if AZ somehow gets in the playoffs I would not object to Goldy being MVP. However, if they do not make it I dont feel he should get it because of Kemp in 2011. If we get in and AZ doesnt then I feel that Hanley has been our MVP this year. What do you guys think?

Paul Goldshit :ss: aint getting it...i wish it would be Hanley but he has not played alot of games this year...they might give it to someone from the NL Central

 

[antone112]

I'd say Molina. As a Braves fan, my bias leads me to Freeman. I could see McCutchen or Kershaw too. Puig, even though he is deserving of such talk, won't make it past the crotchety old voters.

 

[besaesa]

I'd say Molina. As a Braves fan, my bias leads me to Freeman. I could see McCutchen or Kershaw too. Puig, even though he is deserving of such talk, won't make it past the crotchety old voters.

It is hard for a pitcher to get it and im not sure they would give it to Kershaw although I would love it. Puig is amazing BUT Hanley has been the real key to our run because when Puig started to struggle Hanley still carried us. The main thing for me is if Kemp did not win it in 2011 because the Dodgers didnt make the playoffs, then Goldy should not win if AZ does not get in in all fairness. McCutchen is also deserving and again it remains to be seen if the Pirates are for real and make the playoffs. If they do I wouldnt be upset with h im getting it.

 

[LASports96]

It's McCutchen or Kershaw

 

[Silas]

I agree with MVPuig.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

I thought Kershaw put up MVP type numbers the year Verlander won it in the AL too. We were not a playoff team that year though. If things continue the way they are going for the Dodgers and Kershaw then I could definitely see him win it with those numbers. He's leading MLB pitchers in most categories, and is 3rd in the league in K's. All he has to do is get a little bit of run support the rest of the way.

 

[besaesa]

Yeah I just think the likelihood of Kershaw getting it is low because pitchers do not typically win MVP and if the Pirates make the playoffs there is no way they dont give it to Mccutchen because of the 20 year losing season streak.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Felt like this was a nice piece that applied to the conversation. Since it's from CBS, I'll try to avoid giving that website any more hits by simply copy and pasting it.

April 24, 2013 5:05 PM EST Dodgers uber-ace Clayton Kershaw may wind up hoisting the NL Cy Young and NL MVP trophies this year (to say nothing of a real shot at the World Series trophy). A glance at the numbers reveals why that's the case: At present, he ranks second in the NL in innings, leads the NL in strikeouts and shutouts and leads the majors in WHIP and ERA+. Oh, and he also quite comfortably paces the bigs with a sparkling ERA of 1.72. It's that latter figure -- that infinitesimal ERA of his -- that really distinguishes Kershaw in 2013.

If that mark holds, then it'll stand as the lowest ERA by a qualifier since Greg Maddux hung a 1.63 in 1995 (which followed up his 1.56 in 1994). As well, it would be the lowest single-season ERA in Los Angeles Dodgers history, just nudging out Sandy Koufax's 1.73 in 1966.

What's also notable is that Kershaw has been especially outstanding of late, as he's given up only one earned run in his last 25 1/3 innings pitched. The question, then, is raised: Can Kershaw post the lowest ERA since Bob Gibson's unreachable 1968 mark of 1.12? Presently, the honor belongs to Dwight Gooden of the Mets, who pitched to a 1.53 ERA in his rookie season of 1985. Obviously, Kershaw going forward would have to pitch even better than he has to date this season in order to slot in behind Gibson. Call that difficult, but don't call it impossible.

To get an idea of Kershaw's chances, let's take a look at the road ahead. If he stays on schedule for the rest of the season (not to be assumed, of course, but a possibility, since the Dodgers figure to be in a fight for the top NL seed for perhaps the rest of the season and thus may not "pump the brakes" in the event that they clinch the division with time to spare), then this should be his slate of remaining opponents:

8/27 - Cubs (10th)
9/1 - Padres (12th)
9/6 - @Reds (4th)
9/11 - Diamondbacks (5th)
9/16 - @Diamondbacks (5th)
9/21 - @Padres (12th)
9/26 - @Giants (13th)
In parentheses, you see each team's NL rank in runs scored for this season. No team on this docket can be described as any kind of offensive juggernaut, so that's in Kershaw's favor. On the other hand, Kershaw, both in 2013 and throughout his career, has posted lower ERAs at home than on the road, so finishing up with four of seven starts away from Dodger Stadium may not help matters. Something else to note is that the Padres and D-Backs rank, respectively, second and fourth in the NL this season in OPS vs. lefties. So there's that, too.

As for the numbers, Kershaw this season is averaging almost exactly seven innings per start. If that holds, then he has 49 innings left. Over that very specific span, he'd need to allow no more than four earned runs in order to post a lower ERA than Gooden. And if Kershaw does in fact pitch 49 more innings and give up precisely four earned runs, then consider it a photo finish: Gooden's very exact 1985 ERA of 1.5289 against Kershaw's very exact 2013 ERA of 1.5283.

To be sure, Kershaw, great as he is, isn't likely to pitch at such a level over the balance of the regular season, but he's got a puncher's chance to post not only the lowest ERA since Gibson in '68, but also the second-lowest ERA of the live-ball era (i.e., from 1920 onward). That's rarified air, even if Kershaw comes up short.

Since ERA is the driver in this discussion, it bears mentioning that it's far from a perfect stat. It's not adjusted to reflect park and league conditions (which is why ERA+ is a much better option), and the "earned" component lets pitchers off the hook too readily after an error is committed behind them. As well, ERA in effect rewards pitchers whose defenses botch the routine play but penalizes those whose range-deficient defenses never get to the ball in the first place.

Flaws of ERA aside, though, Kershaw's shrinking mark is absolutely something to watch the rest of the way.

 

[besaesa]

I hope Kershaw wins MVP but they wont want to give it to a pitcher. However Verlander got an MVP so you never know.

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

Wheres the Love for Agon in all this? look at his number right up their with any other NL MVP candidate

 

[besaesa]

Wheres the Love for Agon in all this? look at his number right up their with any other NL MVP candidate

I agree with you LA. He should be considered but Agon has a small shot of winning with Mccutchen and the Pirates doing what they are doing and many are also saying Kershaw has been bigger for us than Agon. Goldy has carried AZ this year, or they would be in the cellar without him. Now if AZ doesnt get in the playoffs Goldy wont win it, as Kemp didnt in 2011 but that is the logic voters are looking at I think.

 

[The Derski]

Goldy is 1 homer away from holding 2/3 of the triple crown. I understand the playoffs argument but imo there isnt a player more important to their team than Goldy is to Arizona.

 

[besaesa]

Goldy is 1 homer away from holding 2/3 of the triple crown. I understand the playoffs argument but imo there isnt a player more important to their team than Goldy is to Arizona.

I get it. My only issue with Goldy is if Kemp did not win in 2011 because LA did not make the playoffs the same should apply to Goldy in all fairness. With that said, I do get the importance of him to your team because you guys would not be in second without him this year. I hope I did not come across as a Goldy hater, because I don't hate him. I just think in all fairness he should only win if AZ makes the playoffs.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Correct me if I'm wrong but Kemp also held 2/3 of the triple crown in 2011 when he was snubbed for that roider Ryan Braun.

 

[The Derski]

I get it. My only issue with Goldy is if Kemp did not win in 2011 because LA did not make the playoffs the same should apply to Goldy in all fairness. With that said, I do get the importance of him to your team because you guys would not be in second without him this year. I hope I did not come across as a Goldy hater, because I don't hate him. I just think in all fairness he should only win if AZ makes the playoffs.

No that makes sense. I thought Kemp should have won in 2011 regardless of playoffs. Im still bitter towards Braun destroying us in the NLDS that season.

 

[besaesa]

No that makes sense. I thought Kemp should have won in 2011 regardless of playoffs. Im still bitter towards Braun destroying us in the NLDS that season.

We can both be bitter over the shit Braun pulled in 2011. Dbacks got screwed in the playoffs that year because of a roiding Braun and well we all know what happened with MVP that year.

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

Correct me if I'm wrong but Kemp also held 2/3 of the triple crown in 2011 when he was snubbed for that roider Ryan Braun.

Yep this is correct brotha!

 

[AZ Sun]

McCutchen will likely win it if the Pirates don't collapse. Kershaw would be a close runner up, then third place would either go to a player from STL. Goldschmidt won't win simply because the D-backs aren't making the playoffs. The last player on a non playoff team to win MVP was Pujols in 08 but he hit 60 points higher than Goldschmidt is currently hitting.

 

[besaesa]

McCutchen will likely win it if the Pirates don't collapse. Kershaw would be a close runner up, then third place would either go to a player from STL. Goldschmidt won't win simply because the D-backs aren't making the playoffs. The last player on a non playoff team to win MVP was Pujols in 08 but he hit 60 points higher than Goldschmidt is currently hitting.

I would actually be ok with McCutchen winning it because of the fairy tale story the Pirates have been this season IF they make the playoffs. Goldy definitely is deserving but will probably get the Matt Kemp treatment from 2011.