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.