Should a league MVP come from a team that doesn’t make the playoffs?
There’s a good chance that old argument will be reignited this offseason in the National League. Bryce Harper is having a transcendent year, one that would seemingly make awarding him the big prize a cinch. But the Nationals are in a downward spiral with a real shot of missing the postseason. And for some voters, that can be enough to cost Harper a first place vote. But should it?
Consider Harper’s numbers: .331/.464/.627, tops in the league in all categories. He’s first in the league in runs (96), second in walks (104), and third in home runs (31). He ranks in the top ten in nearly every offensive category and is second overall in WAR. Harper is having one of the best offensive seasons in recent memory, made more impressive by the fact that he’s still just 22 years old.
And it’s not like Harper is getting much help. As a team, the Nationals are batting just .251/.319/.402 on the season. Take Harper’s numbers out of the equation and the Nats would probably be dead last in hitting, rather than 11th. Add in the fact that Washington would probably be light years behind the Mets in the division without Harper rather than just six games, and his case is even stronger.
Harper’s even a dangerous player when he doesn’t swing on the bat. On Thursday night against the Braves, Harper saw 20 pitches, swung at zero of them, walked four times, and scored four runs.
But if some voters value a playoff appearance when voting for the MVP, Harper likely faces some stiff competition. Andrew McCutchen is having another great year and has the Pirates in position to make their third straight playoff appearance. Anthony Rizzo has anchored the middle of the Cubs lineup and has put up huge numbers himself. And Zack Greinke has a case to be the second straight pitcher to win the MVP award, putting up numbers not seen since Greg Maddux in his prime.
All of them will likely be in the playoffs too, something that doesn’t look like a given for Harper. And some voters will likely let that fact sway them away from voting for Harper, with the thinking being just how valuable can a player be if his team misses the playoffs?
There are no clear-cut guidelines to what constitutes an MVP, however. Nowhere does it say that the award should go to the player who’s been most valuable to his team, or to the one who has the best stats, etc. It’s up to each individual voter to decide what makes a player most valuable. Nowhere does it say that the player has to be on a playoff team to win the award.
And really, Harper’s numbers are so good this year he should be considered the front runner for the award even if the Nationals were in last place. He’s having one of the best offensive seasons the game has seen in a long time, and the fact that he’s only 22 just accentuates how good he’s been. No one in the league is having the kind of season Harper is having. Not McCutchen, not Rizzo, not Greinke, not Paul Goldschmidt or Buster Posey, no one.
The Nationals would probably be buried in the NL East by now if it wasn’t for Bryce Harper. The fact that they’re still within striking distance of a playoff spot is a testament for how good he’s been and what he’s meant to the team. He’s the clear choice for National League MVP, playoffs or not.
