Which ace do you take: Clayton Kershaw or Madison Bumgarner?
Jun 29, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) throws in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Given the choice, which left-hander are you going to build your team around: Clayton Kershaw or Madison Bumgarner?
I’ve been asked a few times who I would go with. While at first you might think the choice is obvious, you have to look at what you want from your pitcher.
Kershaw is regarded as the best pitcher in the game. I’m not going to sit here and deny that. We’re all aware of the sheer dominance he has brought to the game within the last 4 or 5 years, compiling three Cy Young Awards in the last four years and adding a MVP in 2014. He’s been superb in every aspect and no one can match him. He’s led the league in nearly every statistical category for the past four years and it doesn’t look like its going to stop.
Kershaw is the only player in MLB history to lead the Majors in ERA for four straight seasons. Hall of Famers Sandy Koufax and Lefty Grove are the only pitchers to lead their respected leagues in ERA for four straight seasons. After his unbelievable 2013 campaign, Kershaw somehow got better, posting four more wins, a lower ERA, and more strikeouts this past season. Since 1969, no starting pitcher has a lower career ERA with at least 1,000 innings pitched than Kershaw’s 2.48 ERA.
With all his regular season success, Kershaw does have one blemish in his career and that has to do with the playoffs.
In his postseason career, Kershaw has posted a 1-5 record with a 5.12 ERA. Four of his losses have come against the St. Louis Cardinals within the past two years. In 2013, the Cardinals got after Kershaw in NLCS Game 6 for 7 runs in which in only lasted 4 innings. 2014 was no better. In Game 1 of the NLDS, St. Louis scored 8 runs and ran Kershaw out of the game after 6.2 innings. He also pitched Game 4 of the NLDS in St. Louis and lasted only 6 innings, giving up 3 runs.
Sep 6, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner (40) pitches against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Bumgarner is no stranger to the mound. Since joining the league in 2009, Bumgarner is 67-49 with a 3.06 ERA. He’s been a workhorse just like Kershaw has, throwing at least 200 innings each season since becoming a main starter in 2011. In 2014, Bumgarner went 18-10 with a 2.98 ERA and 219 Ks. The tall, hard throwing lefty throws from a 3/4 arm slot which gives a unique type of movement on any pitch he throws. He’s been effective his whole career and seems to be getting better, steadily increasing in both wins and strikeouts throughout the years.
Bumgarner doesn’t have the regular season accolades that Kershaw has, but he does have one thing on him, and that happens to be success pitching in the playoffs. If you watched any of the 2014 postseason, you witnessed Bumgarner dominate like we’ve never seen before. His performance will go down as one of the best ever. He has a career playoff record of 7-3 with a 2.14 ERA. His 0.25 ERA in the World Series is the lowest ever among qualifying pitchers (min. 20 IP or 4 decisions).
So you have regular season perfection from Clayton Kershaw. From Madison Bumgarner, you have very good numbers in the regular season and an amazing pedigree in the playoffs. Who do you take?
If you ask me, I’m going with Madison Bumgarner. I’ll tell you why.
Oct 29, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; MLB commissioner Bud Selig presents San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner with the MVP trophy next to the Commissioners Trophy after game seven of the 2014 World Series against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charlie Neibergall/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports
You play to win championships. If you have someone that can do that and be dominate at the same time, then its insurmountable. Bumgarner brings this exact presence.
He’s getting better every season and is already dominate. You aren’t going to get the dominating numbers you get from Kershaw, but you get enough to win, and that’s all you can ask from your pitcher. On top of that, you get the postseason play that you don’t get from Kershaw.
Also, Bumgarner has a nice, fluid windup that is going to suit him best for the long haul. He’s not jerky with his delivery and that will help a lot with wear on his arm. Kershaw on the other hand, has a very peculiar delivery that takes a lot to get going. I personally don’t see it helping him in the long run. If I’m building my team around someone, I want longevity to be a key part.
Is it appropriate to make assumptions and jump to conclusions after watching just one little snippet of Bumgarner in the playoffs? For 95% of the season you have Kershaw dominate on every single level, but fall short in the playoffs. On the other hand, you have Bumgarner who doesn’t perform as well as Kershaw but outperforms him in 5% of the season: the playoffs.
With that being said, I don’t think its entirely fair to judge Kershaw off of his postseason performance. He’s only really pitched against the Cardinals and maybe they are just his weakness. He has more than enough time to change his playoff legacy into whatever he wants it to be. Until then, I would have to go with Madison Bumgarner to build my team around. It’s a tough decision and you really can’t go wrong with either one.
It all comes down to rings. At the end of the day, you’ll be judged by the championships you won, not complete games or Cy Young’s won.