2010's National League MVP Is...

The Bison! Matt Kemp!

That's his real nickname...can't get cooler than that. 

Let me talk a bit first about line-up protection. Some people say it doesn't mean anything. If you're a good hitter, you'll put up quality numbers no matter where you are in the line-up. I couldn't agree more. However, it is common sense that if you bat behind someone with a high On-Base Percentage, you're going to drive in more runs, and if you hit in front of a guy with a high batting average and slugging percentage, you're going to get driven in more and score more runs. 

Here are some numbers for thought: Matt Kemp hit for a .297 clip last season, while knocking in 101 RBis, 26 HRs, scoring 97 runs while swiping 34 bases. The last time a 6 foot 220 pounder moved that fast, he was in a white Bronco. 

These numbers might look hard to repeat, but recognize that Kemp accomplished while spending most of his time batting in the bottom 3rd of the order, followed most often by Casey Blake (.266 lifetime hitter) or Juan Castro (.230 lifetime hitter) and then the Dodgers pitchers. With line-up protection like that who needs enemies? 

Joe Torre would be foolish to not push Kemp up the order a little bit. Perhaps hit him right before or after Manny Ramirez? Here's what Manny has done for the people hitting around him in the past. 

In 1999 (arguably Manny's best season where he hit 44 HRs, scored 131 runs, drove in 165 RBIs and hit for .333), Robert Alomar hit in front of him. That season, Alomar set his career highs in RBIs (120), runs (138, lead the league) and HRs (24) and finish 3rd in the AL MVP voting. 

In 2005, (Manny's best year with Boston) David Ortiz was lucky enough to hit in front of him for 123 games. How did Ortiz fare? He hit 47 HRs, 148 RBIs (career high), scored 119 runs (career high.) That year he finished 2nd in the MVP voting. This is just one season of Ortiz's improvement from hitting in front of Manny. Prior to joining the Red Sox and batting in front of Manny, Ortiz's career high in HRs was only 20. Take a look at what Ortiz did after Manny left: 28 HRs, a .238 average, and 77 runs in Manny's first full season with the Dodgers. 

So lets take a look at the most recent beneficiary of Manny's presence: Andre Ethier. Ethier hit both in front and behind Manny in the Dodger's 2009 line-up. From 2008 to 2009 Ethier's numbers from 2008 to 2009 jumped. He went from 20 HRs in '08 to 31 in '09 and from 77 RBIs in '08 to 106 in '09. He placed 6th in the MVP voting.

Now I'm not saying that these three hitters weren't great on their own, I'm just saying that with Manny batting around them they were bumped into MVP level. With Kemp's numbers as amazing as they already are...I expect he will win the 2010 National League MVP Award.