In the Cy Young era, just ten pitchers have won the MVP award, including Justin Verlander in 2011. Today's Lineup Card will focus on either 1) one of these pitchers and the position-player alternative who would have had the most compelling case to win the award instead, or 2) a pitcher who didn't win the MVP award but should have.
1) Dennis Eckersley, 1992
To find a more deserving candidate than Dennis Eckersley in 1992, you don’t have to go any further than his own Oakland A’s. The A’s of that year were a strong offensive team, driven by some key offensive performances from Rickey Henderson and Mark McGwire. Rickey missed 45 games (still far fewer than the 93 games Eckersley “missed” by being a short reliever) but made up for it with a superb .334 TAv and 48 stolen bases. McGwire, of course, was not so productive on the basepaths, but he was one of the top hitters in the league with a .349 TAv.
One hitter in the AL edges out McGwire, how...
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