Our MLB Monday miniseries is getting closer to its (temporary) finale, just as we enter the Division Series round of the 2024 postseason. We had two “clean” pennant winners this year, too, as far as we can tell. Always a good sign, just like how the 2024 playoffs are now “clean” thanks to the elimination of the cheating Houston Astros. Thank you, Detroit! Now, on with the 2020 show (cut short by Covid, though) …

2020 World Series MVP: Corey Seager, SS, Los Angeles (NL) (original); Clayton Kershaw, SP, Los Angeles (NL) (revised)

After being cheated out of World Series titles by Houston in 2017 and Boston in 2018, the Los Angeles Dodgers got some revenge by winning the 2020 Fall Classic in six games against the Tampa Bay Rays. This was the Dodgers’ first title since 1988, while this was the Rays’ second AL pennant overall (2008). L.A. shortstop Corey Seager won the MVP vote at the time, something we really disagreed with in real time.

How do we feel now, four years later? Well … Seager did have a great series, hitting .400 with a 1.256 OPS. He topped his teammates in batting average, home runs (2), and walks (6), while also throwing in a stolen base for good measure. Meanwhile, starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (2-0, 2.31 ERA, 0.857 WHIP, 14 Ks in 11 2/3 IP) was pretty good, too, in notching victories for his team in Game 1 at home and Game 5 on the road.

Our issue with Seager is that four players in the L.A. lineup posted .898 OPS marks or higher, so he was just one of many doing a lot of damage here. Third baseman Justin Turner and right fielder Mookie Betts also had two HRs each, while first baseman Max Muncy drove in six runs himself, etc. Meanwhile, Kershaw was the only Dodgers pitcher to reach double-digit IPs, and he topped the staff in strikeouts, too. We choose him.

[Like then, this choice has nothing to do with Seager’s current issues, which we explored last year this time.]

2020 ALCS MVP: Randy Arozarena, LF, Tampa Bay (original, confirmed)

The Rays did the nation a favor by dropping the Trashstros in a seven-game series that saw Tampa take a 3-0 lead before hanging on to win Game 7 at home against a Houston team that had gone just 29-31 in the regular season—and making the expanded playoffs by the grace of greed. Rays left field rookie Randy Arozarena (four HRs, 1.152 OPS) win the LCS MVP vote at the time, after just 64 regular-season at bats.

Tampa Bay had three regulars with .900+ OPS marks in this series, while SP Charlie Morton (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 11 Ks, 10 2/3 IP) distinguished himself on the mound. But we have an issue with Morton, in regards to his years with the Trashtros (2017-2018)—which coincide with some years there next to Justin Verlander, who we are convinced was doping after his trade from the Detroit Tigers. Morton’s stat lines are fishy here.

In eight seasons prior to joining the Houston organization at age 33, Morton posted a 4.52 ERA across 875 2/3 IP. Then suddenly, in two seasons combined at the start of traditional declining years, he improved to a 3.36 ERA in 313 2/3 IP with the Astros. Did he suddenly learn how to pitch after all these seasons? Because if so, the Houston organization would not have let him go after 2018. He was now too pricey, really. Strange.

Tampa doubled his salary, and in 232 2/3 IP with the Rays combined in 2019-2020, Morton lowered his ERA even lower during his age-35 and age-36 seasons. This was not natural, at all, nor is the fact he was still pitching at age 40 in 2024—and making $20M per season. So, to recap, after eight seasons of stinkage, he suddenly got a lot better at age 33 with Houston … and made over $100M more in salary instead of being done.

Morton’s a cheater; we have all the statistical and circumstantial evidence we need. We will just confirm Arozarena’s vote win right here without much more discussion. We owe it to the honest guy to celebrate him.

2020 NLCS MVP: Seager (original); Julio Urías, P, Los Angeles (revised)

The Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves in seven games to win their third NL pennant in four seasons, and Seager (5 HRs, 11 RBI, 1.230 OPS) won the MVP vote. Oddly, however, his WPA was in the negative for the series, due to crappy defense even though he was never charged with an error. No other hitter really can top those stats, although a few other guys finished with positive WPA marks. So, what about the L.A. pitchers?

Well, swingman Julio Urías (2-0, 1.13 ERA, 0.625 WHIP) looks the best on paper, and he did get the win in Game 7 as he finished the final three innings in scoreless relief. He also got the victory in a must-win Game 3 start on the road, after the Dodgers had lost the first two games of the matchup at home. Overall, L.A. overcame 0-2 and 1-3 deficits in this series to win, and Urias had a lot to do with that. We give him the nod.

It’s hard to just overlook Seager’s offense, but … it’s context. He went 3-for-4 in Game 3, when the Dodgers won the game, 15-3, for example. Stat padding in blowout wins is not his fault, but it does contextualize value. Seager also went 0-for-5 in Game 7, which is weird: it’s like the voters already made up their minds about the MVP vote before he disappeared in the decisive game—and let his teammates “win” the series.

2020 AL MOTY: Kevin Cash, Tampa Bay (original, confirmed)

Tampa Bay Manager Kevin Cash (plus-4 PPP) posted the best effort in the league, and his team won the AL East by seven games in a 60-game season. That’s an impressive achievement for any skipper, let alone one with the limited payroll resources that the Rays were providing him. He won the vote, and we will confirm that choice. Only three managers made the playoffs with positive PPP marks this season; he was the best.

2020 NL MOTY: Don Mattingly, Miami (original, confirmed)

The Miami Marlins posted just the seventh winning record in team history (since 1993), and this resulted in only the team’s third postseason berth ever. As a result, Manager Don Mattingly (plus-5 PPP) won the vote—and perhaps deservedly so. Only one other manager of a winning team posted a positive PPP mark, and Mattingly’s effort ranked as the best in the senior circuit, by far. We confirm this vote, too. Well done, sir!