Did Madison Bumgarner Deserve SI's 2014 Sportsman of the Year Award?

 By Andy Dougherty (@AndyDougherty10)

Since 1954, Sports Illustrated has presented the “Sportsman of the Year” award to “the athlete or team whose performance that year most embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement.”

Earlier this week, Sports Illustrated chose Madison Bumgarner as 2014’s winner. Bumgarner won the honor because of his historic playoff run, in which he led the San Francisco Giants to a championship and won the World Series MVP award.

However, Bumgarner was not among the 26 players who received votes for the National League MVP award. He did not finish in the Top-10 in the National League in ERA or Wins Above Replacement (WAR). His year as a whole was far from perfect, leaving the door open for another athlete to take this award. Here are the other eight nominees Sports Illustrated named for its fan poll.

2014 MLB Postseason Recap: Bumgarner Ushers in a Giants Dynasty

By Andy Dougherty (@AndyDougherty10)

Tim Hudson became the oldest starting pitcher in World Series Game 7 history when he took the mound on Wednesday night, but another Giants’ starter quickly overshadowed his accomplishment.

A performance for the ages by Madison Bumgarner capped a memorable postseason run for the San Francisco Giants. Bumgarner, the NLCS and World Series MVP, led the Giants to their third title in the last 5 years. This unique five-year up-and-down run alternating between winning a championship and missing the playoffs has never been matched in professional sports. The Giants, it would seem, have established a new kind of dynasty.