Clayton Kershaw Wins 2014 NL MVP

For the first time in 46 years a National League pitcher has won the MVP award. The BBWAA announced Thursday that Clayton Kershaw has won the 2014 National League Most Valuable Player award. No other player was as deserving as he was. The BBWAA finally got it right. Kershaw joins Sandy Koufax, and Don Newcombe as the only Dodger pitchers ever to win an MVP award. Kershaw becomes the fifth Dodger in Los Angeles history to win the MVP, and the thirteenth time a Dodger has won the MVP in franchise history. Eleven Dodgers overall have won the NL MVP.

Kershaw received 18 first place votes, 9 second place votes, and one third place vote, finishing with 355 total votes. Second place finisher Giancarlo Stanton finished with eight first place votes, ten second place votes, 12 third place votes, and tallied 298 total votes. It wasn’t even close, as Kershaw finished 57 votes ahead of Stanton.

Rounding out the top five, Andrew McCutchen the Pirate’s center fielder picked up four first place votes, ten second place votes and 271 total votes. Milwaukee catcher Jonathan Lucroy finished fourth with 167 votes, and Anthony Rendon of Washington finished fifth with 155 votes.

The Dodgers also had three other players finish in the top 25 in MVP voting. Kershaw’s teammate Adrian Gonzalez finished seventh with 57 votes. Gonzo received one fourth place vote, and two sixth place votes. Yasiel Puig finished 20th in voting, with eight total votes. And Dee Gordon, the Major League leader in stolen bases in 2014, finished 25th in voting with one vote.

What an incredible magical season for Kershaw. Congratulations Kersh!  You’ve earned this amazing honor.