2014 MLB Picks and Predictions: National League Award Favorites

2014 MLB Picks and Predictions: National League Award Favorites: The 2014 MLB regular season is in the books, and while many of the choices for the major year-end awards in the American League were easy to decide on, the National League wasn’t as easy. In particular, the NL MVP Award was a tough pick, and even the Rookie of the Year Award and Manager of the Year Award weren’t no-brainers. With that in mind, here are my final picks for the top individual awards in the National League for 2014.

National League MVP: Clayton Kershaw, Starter, Los Angeles Dodgers

Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen made a late push, but in the end, the only argument against Kershaw is that he is a pitcher. At the end of the day, Kershaw was the most dominant player at any position this year, and when he took the mound, the Dodgers went 23-4 as a team. Granted, he may not be an everyday player, but his NL-leading six complete games certainly helped out the team as a while by saving the bullpen whenever he took the mound. Not to mention that with his final start already in the books, Kershaw has already clinched his fourth straight ERA title, which is something no other player in history has ever accomplished. I don’t think Kershaw will win in a landslide, but he should become one of the few pitchers to win MVP honors.

National League Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw, Starter, Los Angeles Dodgers

Considering I just predicted that Kershaw will win the NL MVP, it goes without saying that the Cy Young Award is in the bag. He led the NL with 21 wins, a 1.77 ERA, a 0.86 WHIP and six complete games, and his 239 strikeouts were just six off the lead league despite missing a handful of starts at the start of the year because of a bad back. Meanwhile, his .196 batting average against ranked second in the league. Kershaw allowed three runs or less in his final 23 starts of the year, winning eight starts in a row from June 2 to July 10 and winning his final seven starts of the season. Plain and simple, Kershaw was unstoppable on the mound in 2014.

National League Rookie of the Year: Jacob deGrom, Starter, New York Mets

Cincinnati speedster Billy Hamilton looked to have this award wrapped up at the All-Star break, but as his bat has fallen silent, deGrom has been dominant on the mound. While his 9-6 record in 22 starts isn’t overwhelming, playing for a mediocre Mets team has depressed his win total. His other numbers are fabulous. He finished with a 2.63 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and a .226 batting average against, and he struck out 144 batters in 140.1 innings. He also closed the year on a high note, striking out 32 batters in his final three starts.

Comeback Player of the Year: Johnny Cueto, Starter, Cincinnati Reds

Multiple injuries ruined Cueto’s 2013 season, but he rebounded in a big way in 2014. Heck, he would be the frontrunner for the Cy Young if not for Clayton Kershaw having one of the best years in league history. Cueto finished second in the NL in ERA, WHIP and wins. His .193 batting average against and 243.2 innings pitched led the league, and his 242 strikeouts were tied for first. The fact that Cueto has posted Cy Young-caliber numbers a year after being limited to 11 starts makes them even more impressive.

Manager of the Year: Matt Williams, Washington Nationals

Yes, Washington had plenty of talent on its roster, but Williams was a first-year manager taking over a team that massively underachieved a year ago. Early on, he appeared to be over his head, but he stuck with an old-school approach, disciplining star Bryce Harper when need, and eventually guided his team to the best record in the National League despite several big injuries along the way. Williams was basically learning on the job, but he still found a way to not only get the most out of his team but to take his team to the top of the NL.

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