Los Angeles Dodgers: 2019 is The Year of Cody Bellinger
By Jamaal Artis
Cody Bellinger becomes the first Los Angeles Dodgers player to win the NL MVP since Clayton Kershaw in 2014, and the first position player since Kirk Gibson in 1988. Bellinger garnered 19 first-place votes over the defending MVP, Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers who received 10.
Bellinger adds the MVP trophy to his Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards for this year becoming the first Dodger to garner all three awards in the same season. He also joins an elite company in Dodgers history joining Jackie Robinson and Don Newcombe as the only players to be named NL Rookie of the Year and then going on to win an MVP award in their career.
After a hot start, Bellinger put together as complete a season as any in Dodgers history. Bellinger led all of baseball in WAR (9.0), total bases (351), and intentional walks (21). While setting career highs in batting (.305), home runs (47), and RBI (115).
He was just as good in the field playing Gold Glove caliber defense at multiple positions and leading all NL rightfielders in assists (10) and field percentage (.990).
Bellinger’s career year helped fuel the Dodgers to a franchise record 106 wins and their seventh division title in a row.
Bellinger’s win is a validation for the Dodgers development system that had to be rebuilt after the debacle that was the McCourt era of Dodgers ownership. Bellinger the son of former major league utility man Clay Bellinger was drafted in the fourth round of the 2013 Amateur Draft out of high school.
Bellinger has grown into one of the Dodgers all-time best homegrown players. Since his call-up, in April of 2017, the Dodgers have been one baseball’s elite team.
With Bellinger in the lineup, the Dodgers have won over 100 games twice in three years something they had never done in Los Angeles. The Dodgers ended a 29 year World Series drought in Bellinger’s first season when he set a rookie record with 39 home runs and when he struggled in his sophomore season Bellinger still was able to help the team return to the World Series after winning the 2018 NLCS MVP thanks to game-winning RBI’s in games four and seven the clincher.
Now that Bellinger has been named league MVP he has not only solidified himself as the best player on the Dodgers but as one of the great players in all of baseball.