If this writer was a betting man he would be placing all of his AL Cy Young dollars on Corey Kluber. How did a former fourth-round pick of the Padres become a legitimate candidate? Let’s review.
He recently passed King Felix in WAR and his curveball is as wicked as they come, registering an opposing .094 batting average. We call it the Klurveball here at MaxBall. Yes, the Indians are packing up for the off-season but it does not mean they leave empty handed. Kluber deserves the trophy.
Baseball America polled big-league managers on the best tools in the league, Kluber’s curveball came in second only behind the serpentine nastiness of Dellin Betances. Kluber does not describe it as a curveball, he actually calls it a breaking ball because it does not have the same movement as an ordinary curveball. As we all know, one pitch does not make a pitcher, it is the knowledge of hitters and the entire portfolio that brings ultimate success. In only his third full year of MLB service, his growing confidence on the mound allows him to tap into a wealth of hitter tendencies, especially those from the AL Central.
According to Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal when speaking to Kluber’s teammate Jason Giambi “He remembers things – ‘The last time I faced this guy, it might have been four starts ago, he did this and this,” says Giambi. Kluber’s savant level of recall comes from one place, “Maybe it’s because I’m very locked in and focused when I’m out there,” Kluber said. “I kind of retain what happens.” You couple that with the wicked curve and you have yourself a blossoming ace in Cleveland.
With one start left this season, Saturday against the Rays, Kluber has the opportunity to reach 18 wins and over 260 Ks (118 off the Klurveball). Take that and match it with a lean 2.53 ERA, and he should get all the writers punching their chads and voting Kluber this October.