Football season may be underway, but here at the beginning of October, the Beltway is buzzing with pennant fever. That’s right – the baseball playoffs are here, and both the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals enter with strong rosters and high expectations. However, before the postseason begins, let’s preview the regular-season award races, as well as my World Series prediction.
The AL MVP “race” has turned into a one-man show. After two years of being stymied by the awesome Miguel Cabrera, Angels’ center fielder Mike Trout has finally separated himself from the rest of the pack. “Statheads” love him – he leads the majors in WAR (Wins Above Replacement). Old-schoolers love him – he is the leader of the best team in baseball. What’s not to love – he is simply the most complete player in baseball, a true five-tool player. Anyone who doesn’t choose him needs to have his voting privileges revoked.
The AL Cy Young should be the most difficult award to pick. Chris Sale had an excellent year in Chicago, but he was overshadowed by “King Felix” Hernandez in Seattle. Hernandez had a ridiculous streak of 16 starts of pitching at least seven innings and allowing fewer than three runs, a streak that was only snapped by his getting hit on the leg by a ground ball. Furthermore, he has led a Seattle rotation that has kept the Mariners in the postseason hunt despite their dreadful offense. Hernandez should pick up his second career Cy Young this season.
The NL MVP race is certainly the most controversial of the year. Can a pitcher win MVP? Well, when you’re Clayton Kershaw, why not? The Dodgers are a whopping 23-4 in games Kershaw starts. In contrast, they are 70-64 in games he doesn’t start (essentially turning them into the Cleveland Indians in terms of win percentage). Anyone who gives you that much of a boost every time he plays has to be the most valuable in the league.
Kershaw should easily win the NL Cy Young award as well. Simply put, Kershaw is having one of the best seasons in MLB history. Yes, the numbers are more than impressive, but what sets Kershaw apart is the fear he strikes in the hearts of opponents. Kershaw has drawn comparisons to Dodger great Sandy Koufax, and it’s not hard to think that by the time Kershaw’s career is over, he may be considered one of the best pitchers ever.
While a “Beltway Battle” World Series between the Orioles and Nationals is possible, it’s not probable. Instead, I foresee a different local matchup: the Freeway Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels. The Angels have a punishing lineup and a roster filled with veterans with postseason experience (C.J. Wilson, Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton). The Dodgers have a lethal rotation with Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu. More often than not, pitching wins championships, and the Dodgers can pitch an entire World Series with those three starters. That’s why my World Series prediction for 2014 is the Dodgers over the Angeels, in 5 games