It happens every year about this time – many baseball experts, analysts, radio and television talk show hosts, writers and bloggers begin their annual rant that MLB pitchers are not deserving of Most Valuable Player awards because (and for no other reason than) pitchers already have their own awards – the Cy Young awards.

Poppycock.

As most baseball fans know the Cy Young award came into existence in 1956, and as most Dodger fans know the great Don Newcombe was the recipient of that very first and extremely prestigious award which, at the time, was given to only one pitcher in all of baseball. It wasn’t until 1967 that the Cy Young award began being presented in each respective league. In contrast, the first MVP awards were presented in 1931 with a Kenesaw Mountain Landis trophy going to the MVP of each league.

For 55 years Dodgers legend Don Newcombe was the only pitcher in baseball history to have won a Cy Young award (1956), Rookie of the Year award (1949) and Most Valuable Player award (1956) until Justin Verlander finally accomplished the same trifecta in 2011. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Both the MVP and Cy Young awards are voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA), the same voting body that determines who goes into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

In the 82-year history of the Kenesaw Mountain Landis MVP award, there have been only 12 AL pitchers and only nine NL pitchers to win the award. The last AL pitcher to win the award was Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander in 2011 (when he also won the AL Cy Young Award), but the last NL pitcher to win the MVP award was Bob Gibson in 1968 (when he also won the NL Cy Young award). That was 45 years ago and this is absolute nonsense – especially when you consider that except for nine of the 18 interleague games played each season, American League pitchers stopped batting in 1973 when the Designated Hitter rule was adopted.

Cardinals Hall of Famer Bob Gibson is the last player to win a National League MVP award, having done so in 1968. (AP photo)

In essence what the BBWAA is saying (or has said in the past) is that NL Cy Young award winners such as Tom Seaver, Dwight Gooden, Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson (as a D-back), Pedro Martinez (as an Expo) and even Clayton Kershaw with his alien-like 1.83 ERA in 2013 were not worthy to win both the NL Cy Young and NL MVP awards.

Again, poppycock.

Even though the pitching game has changed significantly since 1968 (five-man rotations versus four, far fewer innings pitched and far fewer complete games), it is ridiculous to overlook the fact that when a pitcher earns upwards of 15 wins in a season while leading the league (or near the top) in ERA and strikeouts that they should not be considered for the National League MVP, just as Verlander was in the American League in 2011. There is certainly no better example of this than Kershaw who, quite frankly, should be working on his fourth consecutive NL Cy Young award instead of only his third in four years. (Yes, the BBWAA actually picked R.A. Dickey and his 2.73 ERA over Clayton Kershaw and his 1.83 ERA  in 2012).

If the BBWAA does not give Kershaw a very serious look for the 2014 NL MVP award, their already tarnished credibility will be completely lost. (Photo credit – Chris Carlson)

Regardless of the BBWAA’s blatant attempt to remove pitchers from MVP award consideration (this in spite of the fact that the voting criteria clearly states “Keep in mind that all players are eligible for MVP, including pitchers and designated hitters,” they are going to have a very difficult time excluding Kershaw from 2014 NL MVP consideration. But knowing their inconsistency in the past, anything is possible with these guys (remember that Ryan Braun/Matt Kemp thing in 2011?).

If the BBWAA truly want to separate pitchers from position players then they should consider going with a Most Valuable Player and a Most Valuable Pitcher award in each league and doing away with Cy Young awards entirely. But since it is extremely unlikely that this will ever happen, the BBWAA needs to look at the big picture and give serious consideration to worthy pitchers as MVP award candidates – and it will never be any easier than in the National League this year.

Come on guys, let’s get it right this time.