Tigers ace Justin Verlander secured 17th win of the season Thursday night going 7 innings, allowing 3 runs on 3 hits while walking 3 and striking out 10.
With tonight’s win he now has 100 career and leads the MLB in a few different pitching categories including wins (17), winning percentage (.762), games started (25), innings pitched (188), strikeouts (188) and WHIP (.872). With these numbers and with less than two months left in the season he is well on his way to securing his first career Cy Young Award.
However what Verlander is doing this season for the Tigers, he is deserving of something more than just the American League Cy Young Award, he should be getting some serious consideration for the American League MVP.
Verlander is by far and away the Tigers’ best and most valuable player this season. In fact thirteen of those wins Verlander has under his belt this season have come after a Tigers loss. This means that when called upon he’s been able to come in an and stop the bleeding. This also means that without Verlander in the Tigers’ rotation, there’s a VERY good chance that the Tigers are in third place in the American League Central.
If you take the presumed leader for the AL MVP in Adrian Gonzalez of the Boston Red Sox you can make a strong argument that without Gonzalez in that lineup, Boston still goes wins the AL East or the AL Wild Card. This is especially considering that Boston may have two other contenders for AL MVP in Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury. But isn’t having two other potential MVP candidates on a team contradictory to the MVP Award itself? Again more evidence as to why Gonzalez isn’t a TRUE MVP.
Unfortunately for Verlander baseball rarely elects thee most valuable player to win the MVP Award. Instead baseball often goes after the most exceptional player.
Source: Smitty on Baseball, Baseball Reference