As of August 25, with five weeks left of the regular season, the National League Cy Young of 2018 is certainly gaining traction. The National League possible front runners are the Mets’ Jacob deGrom, Phillies’ Aaron Nola, and the reigning winner, Max Scherzer. So far, Scherzer is 16-6 with a 2.13 ERA and a league leading 244 strikeouts in 181.2 innings. Nola is 15-3 with 169 strikeouts, all while matching Scherzer’s ERA. deGrom is currently has 214 strikeouts and is leading the NL with an immaculate 1.77 ERA. However, deGrom only has a .500 record (8-8). His lack of wins looks bad to the eye, but his minimal ERA contradicts the stat. In an age where Sabermetrics matter and people want to “kill the win,” deGrom has a better chance of winning this year than past decades. Scherzer is a better candidate than Nola because Scherzer has more innings under his belt, more strikeouts, and more wins while sustaining an identical ERA. So, the National Cy Young is up for grabs between Scherzer and deGrom.
Tag: NL
2017 NL MVP Report
In a very crowded list of National League MVP candidates with players such as Nolan Arenado and JD Martinez being omitted, the final possible MVP candidate race is very tight. Marlins’ right fielder Giancarlo Stanton fell just one home run shy of the immortal 60 home run club, also picking up a league leading 132 RBIs along the way. Rockies center fielder Charlie Blackmon lead MLB in runs (137), hits (213), and triples (14) to go along with 37 home runs and 104 RBIs. Joey Votto completed the rare feat of playing every game of the 162 game season, collecting 147 walks and posting an insane .454 on base percentage. Paul Goldschmidt put up yet another consistently great season posting 36 home runs, 120 RBIs, 117 runs, and swiping 18 bags. The two main contenders are Joey Votto and Charlie Blackmon. Despite Blackmon leading the league in traditional categories, Votto’s dependability and outrageous ability to get on base makes him a lethal weapon for the Cincinatti Reds. Overall, Charlie Blackmon looks like the MVP front runner as his stats are a can’t miss with most traditional baseball fans.
2017 NL MVP Breakdown
| Stats | Giancarlo Stanton | Paul Goldschmidt | Joey Votto | Charlie Blackmon |
| Games | 159 | 155 | 162 | 159 |
| At Bats | 597 | 558 | 559 | 644 |
| Hits | 168 | 166 | 179 | 213 |
| Doubles | 32 | 34 | 34 | 35 |
| Triples | 0 | 3 | 1 | 14 |
| Home Runs | 59 | 36 | 36 | 37 |
| RBIs | 132 | 120 | 100 | 104 |
| Runs | 123 | 117 | 106 | 137 |
| Stolen Bases | 2 | 18 | 5 | 14 |
| Walks | 85 | 94 | 134 | 65 |
| Strikeouts | 163 | 147 | 83 | 135 |
| Batting Average | .281 | .297 | .320 | .331 |
| OBP | .376 | .404 | .454 | .399 |
| Slugging | .631 | .563 | .578 | .601 |
| OPS | 1.007 | .967 | 1.032 | 1.000 |
| WAR | 8.8 | 6.9 | 9.6 | 6.3 |
| All Star | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Quick Review: All-Star Week
The 2017 All-Star week was fun with festivities, but the game itself was on the slow side. It was a game of pitching dominance, allowing one run on both sides in the ninth. The only home run for National League was Yadier Molina and the American League was Robinson Cano’s game winning blast in the tenth inning. Craig Kimbrel collected the win, Andrew Miller the save, and Wade Davis the loss. Cano was named the All-Star Game MVP for going 1 for 2 with said home run.
The night before was the energetic Home Run Derby. The defending champ Giancarlo Stanton lost in the first round to the eighth seed Gary Sanchez. Mike Moustakas lost to Miguel Sano, Cody Bellinger won over Charlie Blackmon, and Aaron Judge came up from behind a 22 home run mark set by opponent Justin Bour. In the semifinals, Judge won against another rookie sensation, Cody Bellinger. Gary Sanchez fell to Sano. Sano did end up losing to Aaron Judge, who is your 2017 Home Run Derby champion.
What is the All Star Game?
The All Star Game is a game usually in August where all of the best players in baseball play on their respected league team. Each year, the All Star Game and all of its festivities are moved to a different ballpark. The fans vote exclusively online. The winner of the All Star Game gets home field advantage in the World Series. An MVP is selected after the game by fans. The night before the All Star Game is the Home Run Derby.
2016 National League MVP Breakdown
| Player/Stats | Nolan Arenado | Kris Bryant | Daniel Murphy |
| Team | Rockies | Cubs | Nationals |
| Games | 160 | 155 | 142 |
| Batting Average | .294 | .292 | .347 |
| Hits | 182 | 176 | 184 |
| Doubles | 35 | 35 | 47 |
| Triples | 6 | 3 | 5 |
| Home runs | 41 | 39 | 25 |
| RBIs | 133 | 102 | 104 |
| Runs | 116 | 121 | 88 |
| Stolen Bases | 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Walks | 68 | 75 | 35 |
| Strikeouts | 103 | 154 | 57 |
| OBP | .362 | .385 | .390 |
| Slugging Percentage | .570 | .554 | .595 |
| OPS+ | .932 | .939 | .985 |
| WAR | 6.5 | 7.7 | 4.6 |
2016 National League MVP Considerations
2016 saw three stars have fantastic seasons; Kris Bryant, Nolan Arenado, and Daniel Murphy. Murphy was batting over .350 for most of the season while Nolan Arenado quietly piled up 133 RBIs for the Colorado Rockies. Bryant helped the Cubs earn their 103 wins to clinch a playoff spot with two weeks left on the season. Bryant played his part by leading the National League in runs with 121. Bryant and Murphy put up career highs in home runs and doubles. Arenado played Gold Glove defense only committing 13 errors the entire season. All three of these players are suited for the NL MVP Award.