The First Halfies!
Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 6:27 pm
It's that time of year again, which means the first half of the MLB season has come and gone. So, it's time to hand out the first half awards to those who will most surely falter in the second half... except for Albert Pujols.
MVPs
NL: Albert Pujols - .336 BA, 32 HRs, 85 RBI, 10 SBs, 71 BBs, 1.202 OPS
This is a no-brainer. Albert has been on a hot streak all season long, wasting no time to take advantage of a hitter friendly home park (which almost all of the NL Central parks are) and faulty pitching all across his division.
AL: Joe Mauer - .388 BA, 15 HRs, 48 RBI, 1.108 OPS
You can make a case for quite a few people in the AL, but Mauer has been an absolute monster since returning from injury on May 1st. Sure, this means he's missed a full month's worth of baseball and his team hasn't exactly improved without him (11-11 without, 32-32 with), but you know that mediocrity wouldn't have lasted without Mauer as the backstop.
Cy Youngs
NL: Tim Lincecum - 10-2, 2.33 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 149 Ks, 34 BBs, 2 SOs, 3 CGs
It still baffles me as to how his arm hasn't broken off his body and smacked the umpire in the face, but he continues to defy all the naysayers and racks up big numbers. He is uber-consistent (recently had his 29 inning scoreless streak end vs. San Diego) and has proven he can get the job done vs. big teams (threw a complete game, 2-hitter vs. St. Louis on June 29th, and even struck out Albert Pujols).
AL: Roy Halladay - 10-3, 2.85 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 106 Ks, 17 BBs, 1 SOs, 3 CGs
I love this man, no matter what he does to the Yankees. I'm hoping he keeps up his tremendous performance (regardless of where he could possibly end up) for the rest of the season and the others start to lag behind (Greinke, Felix, etc.).
ROYs
NL: Colby Rasmus - .281 BA, 11 HRs, 34 RBI, .815 OPS
He still has to learn to walk a bit more, but he's doing exactly what the Cardinals would hope he would: smack the cover off the ball and play solid OF. I will admit, though, that I'm not very well versed in the NL rookies, but he is someone I've been following, being as he's on my fantasy squad.
AL: Ricky Romero - 7-3, 2.96 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 66 Ks, 27 BBs
Another Jays pitcher, but this kid can be something special behind Doc in the rotation. Could make a case for a bunch of other pitchers in the AL: Andy Bailey, Rick Porcello, Jeff Niemann; but, I think Romero will be the one to keep up the consistency to win this award come September.
MOYs
NL: Bruce Bochy, San Francisco Giants
The Giants are 48-38, behind solid young pitching and a batting order that is getting younger, and has a lot of fire beneath it. They're two games ahead in the Wild Card standings right now, behind a surging Rockies squad.
AL: Ron Washington, Texas Rangers
At 48-37, the Rangers are currently the first place team in the west, albeit a half a game ahead of LA. Still, Ron Washington has done a good job of making sure his squad continues it's usual offensive pace, while greatly improving the rotation and bullpen, something that's been missing in Arlington for quite a while.
That'll do it for me. Who are your picks?
MVPs
NL: Albert Pujols - .336 BA, 32 HRs, 85 RBI, 10 SBs, 71 BBs, 1.202 OPS
This is a no-brainer. Albert has been on a hot streak all season long, wasting no time to take advantage of a hitter friendly home park (which almost all of the NL Central parks are) and faulty pitching all across his division.
AL: Joe Mauer - .388 BA, 15 HRs, 48 RBI, 1.108 OPS
You can make a case for quite a few people in the AL, but Mauer has been an absolute monster since returning from injury on May 1st. Sure, this means he's missed a full month's worth of baseball and his team hasn't exactly improved without him (11-11 without, 32-32 with), but you know that mediocrity wouldn't have lasted without Mauer as the backstop.
Cy Youngs
NL: Tim Lincecum - 10-2, 2.33 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 149 Ks, 34 BBs, 2 SOs, 3 CGs
It still baffles me as to how his arm hasn't broken off his body and smacked the umpire in the face, but he continues to defy all the naysayers and racks up big numbers. He is uber-consistent (recently had his 29 inning scoreless streak end vs. San Diego) and has proven he can get the job done vs. big teams (threw a complete game, 2-hitter vs. St. Louis on June 29th, and even struck out Albert Pujols).
AL: Roy Halladay - 10-3, 2.85 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 106 Ks, 17 BBs, 1 SOs, 3 CGs
I love this man, no matter what he does to the Yankees. I'm hoping he keeps up his tremendous performance (regardless of where he could possibly end up) for the rest of the season and the others start to lag behind (Greinke, Felix, etc.).
ROYs
NL: Colby Rasmus - .281 BA, 11 HRs, 34 RBI, .815 OPS
He still has to learn to walk a bit more, but he's doing exactly what the Cardinals would hope he would: smack the cover off the ball and play solid OF. I will admit, though, that I'm not very well versed in the NL rookies, but he is someone I've been following, being as he's on my fantasy squad.
AL: Ricky Romero - 7-3, 2.96 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 66 Ks, 27 BBs
Another Jays pitcher, but this kid can be something special behind Doc in the rotation. Could make a case for a bunch of other pitchers in the AL: Andy Bailey, Rick Porcello, Jeff Niemann; but, I think Romero will be the one to keep up the consistency to win this award come September.
MOYs
NL: Bruce Bochy, San Francisco Giants
The Giants are 48-38, behind solid young pitching and a batting order that is getting younger, and has a lot of fire beneath it. They're two games ahead in the Wild Card standings right now, behind a surging Rockies squad.
AL: Ron Washington, Texas Rangers
At 48-37, the Rangers are currently the first place team in the west, albeit a half a game ahead of LA. Still, Ron Washington has done a good job of making sure his squad continues it's usual offensive pace, while greatly improving the rotation and bullpen, something that's been missing in Arlington for quite a while.
That'll do it for me. Who are your picks?