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NEW YORK, N.Y. - Everyone expected Clayton Kershaw to pitch a shutout, and he did — a unanimous choice for the NL Cy Young Award.Corey Kluber edging out Felix Hernandez for the AL pitching prize, that was no sure thing.Now, the big question: Is Kershaw the Most Valuable Player, too?I cant even really fathom it happening, Kershaw said on a conference call Wednesday, shortly after winning his third Cy Young in four seasons.Kershaw led the majors in victories and ERA and threw a no-hitter, going 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA for the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers.The 26-year-old lefty with a wicked curveball will find out Thursday if hes the first NL pitcher to sweep the MVP and Cy Young honours since Bob Gibson in 1968.I think a lot of things probably have to go right, Kershaw said, adding, there are so many people out there who dont think a pitcher should win.Pittsburgh centre fielder Andrew McCutchen, who won the NL MVP last year, and Miami slugger Giancarlo Stanton are competing against Kershaw for honour.Everybodys going to have an opinion on the position player-vs.-pitcher debate, Kershaw said.His thought? I dont really have an opinion either way, he said, diplomatically.I think most valuable is such a tough thing to assess, he said.Kershaw won the Cy Young for the second year in a row, getting all 30 first-place votes in balloting by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.Johnny Cueto of Cincinnati was second with 112 points, followed by Adam Wainwright of St. Louis (97) and World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner of San Francisco (28).Voting was completed before the post-season began. Kershaw went 0-2 with a 7.82 ERA in a Division Series loss to St. Louis, leaving him at 1-5 with a 5.12 ERA in his playoff career.For me, personally, the season didnt end the way I wanted to, Kershaw said.Klubers dominant second half helped him draw 17 of 30 first-place votes and 169 points, while Seattle ace King Felix got 13 firsts and 159 points. Chris Sale of the Chicago White Sox was third with 78 points.I think Im definitely surprised, said Kluber, who just assumed Hernandez would win.Nicknamed Klubot for his stoic demeanour, his plans after the announcement were far from flashy.Probably go home and give my daughters a bath, he said.A 28-year-old righty, Kluber went 18-9 to tie for the AL lead in wins. He had a 2.44 ERA in his first full major league season and 269 strikeouts, two behind league leader David Price.Kluber had consecutive 14-strikeout games in September, not done since Arizonas Randy Johnson in 2004. He became Clevelands fourth Cy Young winner, joining Gaylord Perry (1972), CC Sabathia (2007) and Cliff Lee (2008).To have your name mentioned along with theirs in certain categories is humbling, Kluber said.Hernandez, who won the AL award in 2010, went 15-6 with a league-leading 2.14 ERA. He struck out 248 in 236 innings.I dont know what to say. That was tough, Hernandez said. A little disappointed.Kershaw won the major league season opener in Australia on March 22, then a strained upper back put him on the disabled list for the first time in his seven-year career.Once he returned, he kept looking more and more like his friend, Dodgers Hall of Fame lefty Sandy Koufax.Kershaw joined Koufax as one of nine pitchers with at least three Cy Youngs. Roger Clemens leads the list with seven.The previous pitcher with a unanimous win was Detroits Justin Verlander, who took the AL Cy Young and MVP in 2011. A year earlier, Philadelphias Roy Halladay unanimously won the NL Cy Young.Verlander is among six AL pitchers to take the Cy Young and MVP since Gibsons NL sweep nearly a half-century ago.Kershaw became the first pitcher to lead the majors in ERA for four straight years. He topped baseball this season in complete games and was best among starters in strikeouts per nine innings and WHIP (walks plus hits per inning).He struck out 239 in 198 1-3 innings, three behind NL co-leaders Stephen Strasburg and Cueto.Kershaws crowning achievement was the first no-hitter of his career, at Dodger Stadium against Colorado on June 18. Soon after, he was picked for his fourth All-Star team.Kershaw came within one Cy vote of being unanimous last year. Tim Lincecum had been the last NL pitcher to win back-to-back Cys, in 2008-09 for the Giants.The Cy Young was first awarded in 1956. Up through the 1966 season, there was only one selection from both leagues.Kershaw earned a $1 million bonus and Kluber got $10,000. MLB Jerseys 2020 Online . Sundays race will be held at the Sepang circuit, adjacent to Kuala Lumpurs main airport where the ill-fated flight took off earlier this month. Authorities now say it is almost certain it crashed in the Indian Ocean, killing all 239 people aboard. Stitched Nike MLB Jerseys . PETERSBURG, Florida – Heading into Thursday nights action, Dioner Navarro had caught 14 innings combined from starters Drew Hutchison and Mark Buehrle. https://www.mlbjerseys2020.com/. But its also a smart game. Theres more to the Kings than banging bodies. They take a toll mentally on their opponents. MLB Jerseys 2020 . Old times for a defence that has looked just plain old recently? "No," safety Ryan Clark said. "We used to be much better than that. Nike MLB Jerseys For Sale . His chance at winning a Stanley Cup in Philadelphia is over. Same with Jeff Carter. And Brian Boucher. Throw in Ville Leino and Dan Carcillo.ATLANTA -- Tommy La Stella is making an impression on Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez. Since coming to the big leagues in late May, La Stella is 6 for 7 with the bases loaded, driving in 13 runs in those at-bats. "When we got him from Triple-A, all our minor league and player development people said that this guy can hit," Gonzalez said after Sundays 8-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. "He can find the barrel with the ball. He sure has done that. Hopefully, that continues." La Stella drove in three runs and Chris Johnson hit a two-run homer to back Alex Wood. The Braves have won of five of seven and remained second in the NL East, one percentage point back of Washington. Wood (7-7) allowed one run and three hits in six innings with eight strikeouts to win for the first time four starts. He retired his last 13 batters. The first five innings were played in a steady drizzle before heavy rain caused a 1-hour, 39-minute delay in the middle of the sixth. Philadelphia took a 1-0 lead in the second when John Mayberry Jr. homered, but the Braves went up 2-1 in the bottom half on Johnsons seventh homer. Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick (4-10) got in trouble in the third, walking B.J. Upton, hitting Freddie Freeman with Justin Upton with pitches and forcing in a run with a bases-loaded walk to Jason Heyward that make it 3-1. After Johnson lined out, the Braves went up 6-1 on La Stellas three-run double. La Stellas latest big hit came two days after the second baseman he replaced, Dan Uggla, was released. La Stella relishes getting a chance to bat with runners in scoring position. "Youre going to find yourself in those situations whether you want them or not," La Stella said. "I think it goes a long way to see yourself in those situations and see yourself succeeding." Kendrick gave up six runs, five hits and two walks in five innings, dropping to 1-4 with a 6.dddddddddddd99 ERA in his last six starts. "Its been a tough year for me," he said. "I dont know why. Its just been a bad year. Guys have bad years. So far, thats how its been. Just keep pitching." Wood, who returned to Atlantas rotation on June 25 after nearly seven weeks in relief, improved to 4-6 with a 2.95 ERA in 12 starts. "It felt pretty good when (Johnson) hit that two-run homer, so that was definitely a big confidence booster for me," Wood said. "After he did that, I felt like I could kind of take the game over, and thats what I was able to do." After the rain delay, Phillies reliever Mario Hollands gave up two runs in the sixth on Andrelton Simmons bases-loaded walk and Freddie Freemans RBI single. Philadelphia has lost four of five and dropped 11 games back in the NL East. Just 9-42 when scoring three runs or less, the Phillies missed a chance to score with the bases loaded in the eighth when Jimmy Rollins grounded into a double play and Chase Utley popped up. Marlon Byrd hit his 19th homer in the ninth off David Carpenter. NOTES: When Mayberry misplayed Kendricks pickoff attempt nf B.J. Upton in the third, it was Philadelphias first error in 78 innings. ... Phillies LHP Cliff Lee is expected to return from the DL Monday at home against San Francisco after missing nine weeks with a strained left elbow. In six career starts against the Giants, Lee is 5-0 with a 0.88 ERA. ... Braves C Evan Gattis, sidelined since June 29 with a bulging disk in his lower back, is expected to end a rehab assignment and return to the lineup for Mondays home game against Miami. He went 2 for 6 with two RBIs Sunday as designated hitter for Triple-A Gwinnett. ... RHP Julio Teheran starts Monday for the Braves and is 4-0 with a 2.50 ERA in six career starts against the Marlins. ' ' '