A little project I'm thinking of doing (HGM's Historical MVP/Cy Young Choices)

1890:

MVP: Bill Hutchinson
Cy: Bill Hutchinson

Hutchinson, again, dominated the league in innings. Billy Rhines posted a 184 ERA+, 50 above Hutchinson's mark of 134, but Hutchinson started 20 more games, and added some relief appearances. Without a standout position player, he also garnered the MVP award.

1889:

MVP: John Clarkson
Cy: John Clarkson

Try this on for size - John Clarkson led the league in ERA+ by 10 points, and led the league in innings by 200.

1888:

MVP: Roger Connor
Cy: Tim Keefe

The 1888 MVP was the hardest yet of the 19th century choices. I had 6 contenders - Roger Connor, Jimmy Ryan, Cap Anson, Dan Brouthers, King Kelly, and Buck Ewing. After looking through a handful of information, I've concluded that Roger Connor was the most valuable player, with a 176 OPS+ in 134 games. As for the Cy Young, Tim Keefe led the league with a 156 ERA+ and pitched 434.1 innings.

1887:

MVP: John Clarkson
Cy: John Clarkson

His 1887 wasn't quite the huge degree of value he had in 1889, but it's up there. He placed 2nd in the league in ERA+, just two points behind the leader, and led the league by nearly 50 innings. Only Tim Keefe was particularly close in innings.

1886:

MVP: King Kelly
Cy: Lady Baldwin

Dan Brouthers led the league with a 206 OPS+, but Kelly wasn't far behind at 191. Kelly led him in on-base percentage, the more important of the two stats that make up OPS, while also playing half his games behind the plate and half in the outfield, compared to Brouthers position of first base. The positional difference gives Kelly the edge. Lady Baldwin had a 147 ERA+ in 487.2 innings, edging out Tim Keefe who had an innings advantage.

1885:

MVP: John Clarkson
Cy: John Clarkson

It's the third time that Clarkson's pulled off the feat of winning both awards. Oddly enough, he's done it in an "every-other-year" fashion in 1885, 1887, and 1889. As with the previous years, dominance in innings (not quite as much as 1889, but more than 1887) and a high level of excellence gives him both awards.

1884:

MVP: Charley Radbourn
Cy: Charley Radbourn

I doubted this in my statement prior to embarking on the 19th century, but it works out like this. I hadn't looked at anything besides his innings before making my previous statement, so I didn't see that he had a 205 ERA+ in those 670+ innings. Pud Galvin was relatively close to him in innings, but trailed him by 50 points in ERA+.

1883:

MVP: Dan Brouthers
Cy: Charley Radbourn

Dan Brouthers had a 187 OPS+ to lead the league, and only Roger Connor was particularly close at 171. Radbourn had another 600+ inning season, this time with a 152 ERA+, but he placed 2nd in innings.

1882:

MVP: Dan Brouthers
Cy: Jim McCormick

McCormick trailed Larry Corcoran and Charley Radbourn in ERA+ but had a huge advantage in innings, as he led the league by over 100. Dan Brouthers led the league in OPS+ again, a feat he accomplished 7 times in his career in the National League (and he also added one OPS+ title in the American Association).

1881:

MVP: Cap Anson
Cy: George Derby

Anson led the league with a 191 OPS+. Dan Brouthers was the only player within shouting distance of him at 179, but played 20 less games. George Derby had a 132 ERA+ and threw 494.2 innings.

1880:

MVP: George Gore
Cy: Jim McCormick

Gore led the league with a 183 OPS+. McCormick had a 127 ERA+ in 657.2 innings.

1879:

MVP: King Kelly
Cy: Will White

Kelly led the league slightly in OPS+ with 184 while manning third base, catcher, and the outfield. Will White had a 118 ERA+ in 680 innings.

1878:

MVP: Orator Shaffer
Cy: Tommy Bond

Orator Shaffer, good name there, had a 186 OPS+, leading the league. Tommy Bond tossed 532.2 innings with a 114 ERA+.

1877:

MVP: Deacon White
Cy: Jim Devlin

Easy calls here.

1876:

MVP: Ross Barnes
Cy: Jim Devlin

And here, as well. Barnes had an awesome 231 OPS+, while taking advantage of the fair-foul hit rule.