First pitch: 3 things to explain about my National League MVP ballot

Why Blake Snell received an MVP vote from me

I know that pitchers don't often get MVP votes, especially in such a much-discussed race as was this season in the National League, but this was the year that Snell deserved some recognition for what he did to keep the San Diego Padres in the hunt for the postseason.

And remember this ... on May 1, Snell was 1-4 with a 5.28 ERA. The fact that he finished the season with a 2.25 ERA tells you just how dominant he was after that opening stretch. Over his last 14 starts, Snell allowed just 44 hits in 82.0 innings. Simply put, he was overpowering on his way to winning the Cy Young Award.

Snell was also a stalwart for a San Diego rotation that suffered through numerous injuries in 2023. Snell made his 32 starts last season, and was someone that the Padres could count on in a season where little went right for the Friars.

In terms of players who were valuable to their team, Snell certainly fit into that category and earned a vote from me.