Who likes to win things? Baseball players and managers certainly do. Here’s my take on the 2013 Major League Baseball postseason awards:

NL MVP: Andrew McCutchen, OF | Pittsburgh Pirates

For the first time since 1992, the Pirates had a winning season. For the first time since 1992, the Pirates went to the playoffs. A major part of that success was McCutchen’s .317 batting average, 21 home runs, and 84 RBI. For the first five months of the season, Pittsburgh posted a lackluster lineup (with no Justin Morneau or Marlon Byrd). All the while, McCutchen routinely carried his team and avoided a feared collapse. That is grounds enough for an MVP award for a future star of the game.

AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera, OF | Detroit Tigers

No triple crown, no problem. Cabrera still wins another MVP, this one in a landslide. The numbers speak for themselves: .348 average, 44 home runs, 137 RBI. Unreal. This is all for a team that hit .283 with 176 home runs in a cavernous park (Comerica Park). Detroit has some solid pitching (see below), but much of their current success is owed to Cabrera.

NL Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw | Los Angeles Dodgers

Sure, the Dodgers got a nice boost from outfielder Yasiel Puig, but Kershaw put together another monster season at Chavez Ravine. His 1.83 earned run average led the majors by 36 points. With 16 wins, Kershaw ranked in a tie for third in the National League. How about strikeouts? Kershaw racked up 232 of those, the best in the National League. There is no competition in this category.

AL Cy Young: Max Scherzer | Detroit Tigers

Scherzer entered the 2013 season an obvious second fiddle to Justin Verlander in the Tigers’ rotation. He ended 2013 on top. Scherzer led the majors in wins with 21. In fact, it took until July 13 for Scherzer to take the first of his three losses. His 240 strikeouts were second-best in the Major Leagues. Scherzer also ranked fifth in the American League in ERA at 2.90. Once again, the numbers give this one away in a landslide.

NL Rookie of the Year: Jose Fernandez | Miami Marlins

In the most controversial category yet, this one goes to the 20-year old Cuban phenom, not the 22-year old Cuban phenom. Fernandez and the Dodgers’ Puig both have impressive resumes, but this is one category where pure numbers will win the award. Fernandez’s numbers do not lie. The right-handed pitcher ranked second in the majors with an ERA of 2.19, and opponents only hit .182 off of him. His 12-6 record does not leap off the page until you consider that the Marlins won only 62 games all year. Fernandez appeared in the All-Star Game on July 16 and worked a perfect inning, striking out two. For a Miami franchise that needs a boost, Fernandez is it.

AL Rookie of the Year: Wil Myers | Tampa Bay Rays

The much-hyped Myers arrived in the Major Leagues in July and provided an immediate boost to the Tampa Bay Rays. Myers hit .293 with 13 home runs down the stretch to push the Rays to an American League Wild Card berth. In a weak year for rookies in the American League, Myers takes this one.

NL Manager of the Year: Clint Hurdle | Pittsburgh Pirates

Just like McCutchen above, this one has a lot to do with the fact Pittsburgh reeled off its best season in over two decades. The glue that held the ragtag Pirates together all season was Hurdle, who won a National League pennant with Colorado in 2007. The Pirates took a chance on Hurdle, and he rewarded them.

AL Manager of the Year: Terry Francona | Cleveland Indians

Another close one, as John Farrell of Boston gets a look as well. However, Francona was returning to managing after previously leading a tanking Red Sox team in 2011. All Francona did in his first year was take an old, underrated Cleveland team to the American League wild card game. Francona gets an award for his work.