Kershaw Should Be NL MVP

I'll be the first person to tell you that I don't believe a pitcher should win one of baseball's Most Valuable Player Awards. That being said, Clayton Kershaw should be the 2013 National League MVP.

The three finalists for the award to be announced shortly are Andrew McCutchen, Yadier Molina, and Paul Goldschmidt. All worthy candidates, but none more valuable to his team than Kershaw. (By the way, anyone besides me hate the fact that they announced the three finalists ahead of time? I hated when the NHL started doing it and it's not getting any better!)

My prediction is that Molina will be the winner, which will create some history. With last year's winner Buster Posey, the league MVP award will go to catchers in back to back seasons for the first time.

Molina is one of the best catchers in the game. He's already achieved All-Star honors, a Gold Glove Award and a Silver Slugger this season. His slash line of .319/.359/.477 and a career high 80 RBI was vital to the St. Louis Cardinals Central Division crown.  Of course, Molina's pitch calling, overall defense and dependability in throwing out would-be base-stealers (43% in 2013) is what he's best known for.

But with a starting staff of Adam Wainwright, Shelby Miller, Michael Wacha, Joe Kelly, and Lance Lynn, and the offensive production of Carlos Beltran, Matt Holliday, Matt Carpenter, and Allen Craig, there's a pretty good chance the Cardinals could have replicated their season had the Cardinals used a catcher who was half as valuable.

The Los Angeles Dodgers were abysmal to start the season , due in large part to a rash of injuries. It was still somewhat of a surprise that they were in last place in the NL West from May 6 to June 30. That's a span of 50 games, which some teams could not have made up. However, the Dodgers play in the weak National League West and trailed the division leading Diamondbacks by four games on June 30. Despite being in the basement, the Dodgers trimmed 4.5 games off the lead in a little over two weeks.

Kershaw was the steady hand that kept the Dodgers afloat until the cavalry arrived in the form of healthy players and surprises like Yasiel Puig. The left-hander won his third straight ERA title - his 1.83 mark was the third sub-2.00 ERA since 1997 (Roger Clemens, Hou 2005, Pedro Martinez, Bos 2000) - and his third straight WHIP title with a career best 0.915 (only Randy Johnson's 2004 mark of 0.9 was lower since 1995).

Additionally, Kershaw led the league in strikeouts (232) and topped the 200 mark for the fourth straight year. He was also tops in shutouts (tied with 2) and displayed remarkable consistency by starting 33 games for the third straight year. (He started 32 in 2010). He was also among the league leaders with 236 innings pitched, 16 wins, complete games (3), and had a 4.4 strikeout to walk ratio.

The Texan allowed more than three earned runs in a start just three times, while he ranked 57th in the Major Leagues in run support. He had a 2.12 ERA in his eight no-decisions and the Dodgers scored 14 runs in Kershaw's nine losses. Over his final 17 starts, Kershaw was 11-4 with a 1.61 ERA and the Dodgers went from last place, 6.5 games back, to a division crown by 11 games.

Had Kershaw not been on the Dodgers or a pitcher with half his output replaced him in the rotation, it's likely LA doesn't win the division, never mind making it to the sixth game of the NLCS.

Cardinals Have Plenty Of Confidence in Wacha

Wacha may look 16, but he pitches like a veteran ace.

Entering the 2013 season the St. Louis Cardinals knew they were going to have to rely on their highly touted young right-hander to help them win the NL Central or capture one of the two National League wild card spots.

Not only did the rookie help win the division, but the Cardinals would not have advanced to the World Series without him. Oh, you though I meant Shelby Miller. While Miller's regular season performance was a big factor in the Cardinal's 2013 success, it was the pitching of fellow rookie Michael Wacha that got them to the fall classic for the fourth time since 2004.

Wacha (pronounced wok-kuh - think Fozzy Bear - wok-kuh wok-kuh) was the 19th overall selection out of Texas A&M University in the 2012 amateur draft and made his Major League debut on May 30 of this year. Passed over in the draft during his high school days, it is remarkable Wacha made it to the 19th pick when he was drafted after a stellar three year collegiate career. His numbers as an Aggie were a 27-7 record, a 2.78 ERA, 8.6 K's per 9 innings, and a 1.06 WHIP. He came into this season with a fastball that topped out at 95-mph, a strong curveball, and a low 80's changeup. Wacha also knew how to pitch.

Coincidentally, Miller was the 19th overall pick out of Texas' Brownwood High School in 2009. After six appearances, all but one in relief, in 2012, Miller made 31 starts for the Cards this year. He finished 15-9 with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.206 WHIP. But with about a 180 regular season innings limit, Miller made his last start on September 25 and was moved to the bullpen for the post-season.

Meanwhile, Wacha made three starts for the Cardinals between his May debut and June 11 before he was returned to Triple-A Memphis (PCL). He put together an outstanding season for the minor league Redbirds, going 5-3, 2.65 in 15 starts with an average of 7.7 K's per 9 innings. The Cardinals took note and recall him in the second week of August.

The 22-year old made six starts and six relief appearances down the stretch to finish 4-1, 2.78 with 9 K's per 9 innings and a 1.098 WHIP. With Miller moved to the pen, Wacha was the logical selection to take the baseball in Game 4 of the NL Division Series.

The Pirates held a 2 games to 1 lead in the best of five, but a Wacha-led victory meant St. Louis had ace Adam Wainwright for the fifth game. To say that Wacha was successful is an understatement.

The former Texarkana, TX high schooler (he and Miller lived equidistant from Dallas in opposite directions.) retired the first 15 men he faced. Pirates’ catcher Russell Martin finally drew a walk to lead off the 6th inning, but Wacha retired the next six hitters in order and took a no-hitter into the 8th inning.

Wacha retired Marlon Byrd to start the next to last "regular" inning, but National League home run leader Pedro Alvarez broke up the no-hitter and the shutout with a solo shot to halve the lead. Matheny only pulled his starter when Wacha followed it up with another walk to Martin. The bullpen closed out a 2-1 win and then took the night off to watch Wainright's complete game victory in Game 5 to advance to the NLCS.

After an exciting 13-inning, 3-2 win in Game 1, the Cardinals went back to Wacha to face the best pitcher in baseball, Clayton Kershaw in Game 2. The Dodgers left-hander held the Cards to two hits...and lost thanks to Wacha's performance.

It only took LA two batters into their lineup before they got their first hit, but the next 12 Dodgers went down in order. A.J. Ellis broke the string with a 2-out double in the 5th inning, but was stranded there. John Jay's sacrifice fly gave the Cards a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the inning, but it looked like Wacha's magic had ended when the Dodgers loaded the bases in the 6^th.

Kershaw and Carl Crawford reached on back to back singles and one out later Adrian Gonzalez was given an intentional free pass. Wacha battled phenom Yasiel Puig to a full count before he struck out his fellow rookie for the second out. Wacha then got veteran Juan Uribe swinging at a third strike to escape the jam. Wacha was pulled after he allowed a 2-out hit in the 7th, but once again the rookie pitched deep into the game and the Cardinals held on for a 1-0 triumph.

The Cardinals held a 3 games to 2 advantage when Wacha and Kershaw met for a rematch in a crucial Game 6. If you had no knowledge of the outcome and just heard the statistics, you would have been crazy not to think the Dodgers had evened the series up and forced a seventh and decisive game. But you would have been wrong.

Wacha may have been even better than in his first two post-season appearances. Crawford reached on an infield single to start the game, but was quickly erased by a double play. Outside of a 4th inning walk, no Dodgers’ batter would reach safely via a base hit until Ellis led off the 6th with a double. He was stranded there of course, and Wacha retired the next six hitters to finish with seven innings of 2-hit, shutout baseball.

The Cardinals jumped all over Kershaw and went on to a 9-0 win though they probably would have won the game had they managed just one run, thanks to Texas' Michael Wacha.

World Series Game 2 Note

Wacha faces John Lackey with the Cardinals in desperate need of a good performance after Game 1's poor pitching, poor hitting, and poor fielding performance. The rookie has allowed one earned run in 21 innings pitched (0.43 ERA), with 9.4 K's per 9 innings, a 0.57 WHIP and just eight hits allowed.