Clayton Kershaw first to win three MLB Players Choice Awards in single year

Clayton Kershaw, bowled over with honors. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

Citizen Kershaw has been honored thrice over by the Major League Baseball Players Association. Here’s how the press release sums it up …

Clayton Kershaw on Monday became the first player to ever win three Players Choice Awards in a single year as he was recognized by his fellow players as the NL’s Outstanding Pitcher and the overall Player of the Year as well as the Marvin Miller Man of the Year, which goes to the player in either league who most inspires others through his efforts on and off the field.

The 26-year-old left-hander’s career-low 1.77 ERA marked the fourth straight season he has won the NL ERA title and was the lowest in baseball since Pedro Martinez posted a 1.74 ERA for the Red Sox in 2000. The four-time All-Star also led NL pitchers with a 7.5 WAR and highlighted his season with a June 18 no-hitter against the Rockies in which he struck out 15 batters and didn’t allow a walk. He ranks first among active players with a 2.48 career ERA.

Kershaw was named the Marvin Miller Man of the Year by his peers in part because of his dominance and leadership on the mound but primarily for the efforts he makes in the community. Inspired by their relationship with a malnourished, HIV-infected girl in Lusaka, Zambia named Hope, Clayton and his wife, Ellen, began Kershaw’s Challenge in 2011. The idea of the “Challenge” is to use whatever you have been blessed with – talent, passion or purpose – to give back to others.

“To get something like this that recognizes you not only as a pitcher, but as a player, too, it’s amazing,” stated Kershaw during his Player of the Year acceptance interview. “It’s something that you really got to take a step back and think about. Obviously, all of the other candidates are amazing players and just to be associated with those names is pretty awesome … to have the guys respect not only what you do on the mound, but just as a player is pretty awesome and something that I definitely don’t take lightly.” …

Balloting for the 2014 Players Choice Awards was conducted in all Major League clubhouses on September 16, under the supervision of accounting firm KPMG.

Including this year, Kershaw has won the Players Choice NL Pitcher of the Year Award three times. Kershaw told MLB Network today that having it come on a vote by the players is “the coolest thing about the award.”