Andrew McCutchen: 2013 N.L. MVP

Sep 13, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen (22) prepares to bat in the on-deck circle against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Baseball Writers Association of America revealed their selections for the A.L. and N.L. MVPS tonight, choosing Miguel Cabrera and Andrew McCutchen in their respective leagues. While there’s room for debate on the A.L. selection, McCutchen crushed the competition, taking a reported twenty-seven of thirty first place votes in the award.

Cutch was nothing short of a dominant force this season, and that’s been well documented, here and elsewhere, but there are still questions to be asked. Can he maintain this level of play for the next several years, as the cornerstone of the Pirates contending chances? Has Cutch peaked already? Obviously the answers to those questions won’t come immediately, all we can do is watch, but based off what we’ve seen so far, why not? Why couldn’t he keep this up? While the “five tool player” moniker may have been placed on him inappropriately (his arm is wildly mediocre), Andrew McCutchen is the image of a complete baseball player, who has as much to offer his team if not more than any other player in the game, save one or two (Mike Trout being the only one who comes immediately to mind).

As the Pirates dive into the hot stove portion of this offseason with a lot of potentialities swirling about, it’s comforting to know that (barring some catastrophic injury) that when the Pirates take the field next March 31st against the Cubs, the best player in the National League will be in centerfield, capable of performing at the same level as he’s maintained these last several years. Whether or not the Pirates are able to coax A.J. Burnett into a return, whether or not they find a filler for their rotating door in right field, whether or not they fill the hole that’s been at first base as long as can be remembered, they can rest assured that they’ll have an incredible talent in centerfield, ready to take the Pirates to new and greater heights.

No one player can make a baseball team good, it is by nature a team sport. But if there’s one player in the whole National League who can do that, it’s Andrew McCutchen. Congratulations to him on winning the award, and we look forward to seeing him dominate again in 2014.