(08-15-2017 09:23 AM)stever20 Wrote:  But for folks that look at things not from advanced metrics, but normal metrics, he's having a great one, not a historic year. I mean right now he's 14-4 with a 2.51 ERA. That's great numbers, but Kershaw has had better ERA's in 6 of the last 7 years(and the one that Sale's ERA is better than was 2.53). The year Kershaw won the NL MVP he was 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA. THAT would transcend the traditional voters. And guess what- there are far more guys that vote based on traditional metrics than they do on advanced metrics. So unless Sale can get his ERA down far lower than 2.51, he's going to have a really difficult chance- unless everyone implodes- and that would include Trout(because if it's Sale vs Trout- Trout's lower games number won't be as big of a deal).

I don't think K and B % are very advanced. Based on those simple numbers he's putting up a season for the ages. We've come back into an offensive era and yet his WHIP (not an advanced stat) leads the league at .879, which is very impressive. Also, his 2.51 ERA is coming not only in an era of increased offense, but in Fenway Park + the American League. I'm not asking voters to drill down too deeply, just take a little bit of context into consideration