One heartening aspect of sports is that, for all the nauseating tribalism on display, most fans are still capable of standing up and saluting greatness when they see it.
Only the most blinkered of New York Knicks fans would deny the experience of watching Michael Jordan in his prime was something special. For all his strutting and preening, Cristiano Ronaldo is a sight to behold in full flight.
Baseball is seeing just such a display of greatness from Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw. The left-hander has been dominant this season while leading the Dodgers into the play-offs.
It is difficult to overstate just how overwhelmingly good Kershaw has been. At the least, he has rendered the vote for the National League Cy Young Award all but academic – the only remaining intrigue is whether he will receive all 22 first-place votes, making him the 22nd unanimous winner since the award began in 1956, or if some hometown hack opts for Cincinnati’s Johnny Cueto or Adam Wainwright of St Louis.
In a world without Kershaw, Cueto or Wainwright would have good cases to win the Cy Young. In this plane of existence, they have no chance.
Kershaw leads the majors in wins (20), earned-run average (1.80), complete games (six) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.6). Had he not sat out April with a back injury after the Dodgers opened their season in Australia, he likely would lead in strikeouts and innings pitched as well.
He is 17-1 in his past 20 starts, with the only loss in a complete game in which he had 11 strikeouts. The Dodgers are 22-4 when Kershaw starts.
This is more than a one-season wonder. Kershaw is set to become the first pitcher to lead the majors in ERA for four straight seasons. With this kind of form at 26 years old, Kershaw may well prove good value for the seven-year, US$215 million (Dh789.7 million) contract extension he signed before the season.
If there is a question over Kershaw – other than if the Dodgers can make good on their massive payroll and win the World Series – it is whether he can match Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander, who won the American League Cy Young and Most Valuable Player honours in 2011. The main argument against Kershaw is that he is a pitcher, a player who will appear in 200 of the 1,500 or so innings the Dodgers will play this season.
Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton and Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy have good stats but look set to miss the play-offs. Even if Andrew McCutchen carries the Pittsburgh Pirates into the play-offs, his numbers pale compared to the competition.
Voters on the fence need only ask this – which player would give equal value in a trade for Kershaw?
pfreelend@thenational.ae
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