The decline of smallball and its impact on the game

The Mets' Matt Harvey has unquestionably had a great season, but the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw is the obvious choice for NL Cy Young. He leads the majors in

Joe Lemire | Aug 12, 2013

The decline of smallball and its impact on the game /

Carlos Beltran's successful sacrifice bunt last week re-ignited a debate about the value of bunting. — Carlos Beltran's successful sacrifice bunt last week re-ignited a debate about the value of bunting :: Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images

The Royals are last in the AL in home runs and Alex Gordon's modest total of 13 leads the team. — The Royals are last in the AL in home runs and Alex Gordon's modest total of 13 leads the team :: Colin E. Braley/AP

The Mets' Matt Harvey has unquestionably had a great season, but the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw is the obvious choice for NL Cy Young. He leads the majors in innings (182 1/3) and ERA (1.88), proving quantity and quality. Even after adjusting for his league and pitcher-friendly home ballpark, Kershaw's ERA+ is 190, which means he is 90 percent better than the average pitcher. If he finishes the season that way, it would only be the third such season in 10 years, joining Roger Clemens in 2005 and Zack Greinke in 2009.

Published Aug 12, 2013

JOE LEMIRE

Staff Writer, Sports Illustrated Staff writer Joe Lemire is in his seventh year at Sports Illustrated and his fourth season covering baseball full time. Lemire writes features and analysis for SI and SI.com and is responsible for the website's weekly MLB Power Rankings. He has profiled Pirates star Andrew McCutchen and Braves rookie sensation Evan Gattis for the magazine. Lemire's penchant for covering America's pastime is to be expected considering his inspirations, Tom Verducci and Peter Gammons, are among the most well-known writers in the sport. Before his current role, Lemire spent his first three years with SI oscillating between baseball, college basketball, high school football and sports business. This came on the heels of a summer internship with the magazine in 2004 and a tenure as a stringer with SI: On Campus. Born in Richmond, Va., and raised in Lowell, Mass., Lemire graduated from the University of Virginia in 2005 with a B.A. in government and a minor in economics. Before joining SI he covered high school and college sports for the Daily News-Record in Harrisonburg, Va. He earned two Virginia Press Association awards for his work, one while a student writing at University of Virginia's Cavalier Daily and one at the Daily News-Record.