MLB MVP 2013: Projecting Finish for National League's Top Stars

It's been quite some time since the National League MVP race was this interesting. 

There's a number of worthy candidates across the board, but only one NL star will emerge victorious after voters have had their say. Stats speak for themselves, but it will be up to a select few to decide which man is worthy of the hardware when factoring in all the information. 

As Fox Sports' Jon Morosi put it earlier this month when posting about the MVP races on Twitter, the bevy of information needed to make a final decision as a voter isn't strictly tied to numbers:

That's especially true this year in the National League. 

At this point, it's still anyone's race. Keeping that in mind, we'll take a stab at some final projections for the MVP voting and which NL stars will finish in the top three. 

Others in the Conversation

• Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds
• Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers
• Freddie Freeman, 1B, Atlanta Braves
• Yadier Molina, C, St. Louis Cardinals
• Matt Carpenter, 2B, St. Louis Cardinals

Projected Top Vote Getters

3. Clayton Kershaw, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

Kershaw will look to duplicate Justin Verlander's 2011 season with a Cy Young-MVP sweep of his own in 2013. Oddly enough, there's a legitimate case to be made that the Dodgers ace could accomplish the task. 

With a 1.88 ERA, 224 strikeouts and a WAR (wins above replacement) of 8.1, Kershaw is a leader in more than enough statistical categories to merit consideration. It certainly helps his case that the Dodgers have 90 wins and ran away with the NL West. 

The only blemish on Kershaw's resume would appear to be his 15-9 record. The Texas product takes the ball every fifth day, pitches heavy innings and generally gives his team a chance to win each time he's on the mound. 

The Cy Young might be in the bag. The MVP, though, will be just out of his grasp. 

Kershaw's WAR and staggering ERA numbers bolster a strong claim. But the Dodgers, as a team, have all carried their weight en route to the playoffs. There are a few other players—including Adrian Gonzalez, listed above—worthy of discussion on Kershaw's own team. 

There's a reason Verlander was the first pitcher in 25 years to sweep the Cy Young and MVP awards (the other being Roger Clemens, in 1986). Pitchers have a tough road to travel to accomplish the feat.

Kershaw is a star, but he falls just short in his pursuit of this award. 

2. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks

The argument against Goldschmidt is simple: He plays on a bad team. 

Arizona is destined to miss the playoffs, sending Goldschmidt toward the back of the line while candidates from winning teams have chances to state their cases.

Lucky for us, Goldschmidt submits his resume for MVP on a nightly basis. After hitting home run No. 35 early this month, Major League Baseball's Twitter account started asking fans their takes on his candidacy:

As noted by the Diamondbacks' official Twitter account, Goldy banged his NL-leading 36th home run of the season on Tuesday night, adding his league-leading 124th RBI in the process:

Sure, the D-Backs have had their struggles in 2013. But without Goldschmidt, where would they be?

If you pay close attention to the information in the tweets below, the answer isn't pretty for Arizona fans:

With a 6.9 WAR and a knack for being at his best when the game is on the line, Goldschmidt has separated himself from the pack this year. Unfortunately, he hasn't separated himself enough to win an MVP award.  

1. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

By all accounts, McCutchen currently has the inside track on winning the NL MVP. CBS Sports' Scott Miller is among those who agree with that theory:

Unless one of the men mentioned above explodes before the calendar flips to October and McCutchen simultaneously implodes, the Pirates will be going to the playoffs and boast the NL MVP, each for the first time since 1992. 

Not since some guy named Bonds was roaming the outfield in Pittsburgh have we seen a player with McCutchen's talent take the city by storm. As noted by ESPN's Stats & Info, no center fielder in the history of the franchise can boast some of the numbers McCutchen has put up:

With a WAR of 7.8 and his team surging to the top of the NL Central, McCutchen has the intangibles that he didn't possess in 2012. Some might forget—McCutchen finished third in the voting last year despite the Pirates finishing below .500 and missing the postseason entirely. 

This year is a different story, and McCutchen is the star that helped make that possible. If his stats weren't enough, the feel-good story surrounding his rise to stardom and the subsequent success of the franchise will resonate with voters. 

By providing irreplaceable value to his team and possessing standout stats to boot, the 26-year-old is the clear choice for the award. 

Follow B/R's Ethan Grant on Twitter.