The Cardinals won the pennant, finishing a couple of games ahead of the Giants. In the World Series, they were swept by the mighty Yankees in four games. The Brooklyn Dodgers didn't have a very good team, but they had the best pitching staff in the league, and the best pitcher, too, a man named Dazzy Vance.

         In the MVP vote, Burleigh Grimes led all pitchers in voting, followed by Larry Benton and Vance. This was Grimes' first season in Pittsburgh; he was with his third team in three years. The Giants had acquired him for the 1927 season, then sent him packing after one year. They did the same with Roger Horsnby, who also spent 1927 with the Giants, but was sent to Boston. The Giants were still being managed by legendary John J McGraw, who seemed to be growing erratic. I don't know what he thought he was doing, but it wasn't helping the team. McGraw finally retired in 1932, after which the Giants immediately won the World Series.
         Despite the MVP results, I'm fairly confident that Dazzy Vance was the best pitcher in the league. His won-lost record was as good as anyone's, despite the fact he played for a mediocre team. He led the NL in ERA by a large margin; he also led the league in strikeouts for the seventh consecutive season. Dazzy was 37, but still had a lot of gas left in him.
        After Vance and Grimes, I'll take Benton, who had what was really his only good season. After Benton, it's a toss-up between Billy Sherdel and Sheriff Blake. I'll take Sherdel, though Blake may have pitched a little better. It's tough to choose between the two. You could also make a case for Pat Malone, who had a very fine rookie year for the Cubs.