November 23rd, 2013 at 6:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka By now most baseball fans are aware that WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon is sending custom made WWE Championship-type belts to 2013 Cy Young Award winners Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer and to MVP Award winners Andrew McCutchen and Miguel Cabrera. And though these championship belts are… well… interesting, are they really something that we want in our beloved 137-year-old national pastime?
2013 NL and AL Cy Young Award belts.
As we all know it is nearly impossible to channel surf these days without stumbling across some type of boxing, wrestling or mixed martial arts bout on TV (usually on the higher numbered channels) and I have to confess that I will occasionally pause my surfing to watch them for a minute or two (but rarely longer than that). And even though it is generally accepted that most of these so-called wrestling matches are staged, you have to admit that their respective championship belts are kind of cool – but again, are they appropriate for Major League Baseball?
2013 NL and AL MVP Award belts.
(Photos courtesy of @MLB)
For the most part baseball has remained unchanged since 1876; however, there have been a few significant changes made along the way – perhaps none greater than the addition of the designated hitter in the American League in 1973. And though any changes to the game are extremely slow to come about (due primarily to the Collective Bargaining Agreement between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players’ Association), they do occasionally happen – most recently (and unfortunately) in the area of performance enhancing drug testing and increased penalties for violators.
I would imagine that even the oldest of old-school baseball purists will have no problem with these new WWE-style Championship belts, with one very large stipulation – that Major League Baseball continues to present the traditional trophies for these very prestigious and coveted awards.
The Dodgers proudly display the trophies of all of their former MVP, Cy Young and Gold Glove Award winners at Dodger Stadium. Pictured are 6 of the 12 Dodger MVP Award winners: Jake Daubert (1913), Dazzy Vance (1924), Dolph Camilli (1941), Jackie Robinson (1949) and Roy Campanella (1951, 1953, 1955).
(Click on photo to enlarge)
What’s your take on these new wrestling-style belts? Do the belong in the MLB or should they remain in the ring or octagon?
Posted in 
I think the most important thing to most fans is who won the award. What ever type of trophy is given to the winner is not imprtant to the fan, at least to most fans, in my opinion. Personally I never was aware of what type of item the player received.
I think that anyone who has ever seen a Cy Young or MVP trophy in person not only realizes and appreciates just how prestigious these awards are but also how beautiful they are. I also believe that most true fans of the game actually do care about them.
I must admit that I am not aware of what the Cy Young or MVP awards look like. I’m sure I have seen them but just don’t recall seeing them.
I think the awards will continue to hold fast to the traditional look they have had, which in my opinion is appropriate.
The belts will never replace them nor are they intended to. I just don’t watch wrestling but any time I have surfed by there always seems to be a wrestler with the belt slung over his shoulder. I have a difficult time separating the belt from that image. However, if MLB and the players have no problem with it then I don’t see it can cause any damage. I do wonder what’s in it for Vince McMahon and the WWE – publicity or something more.
That was my very thought, Harold.
Clayton’s Belt