MLB awards thread, 2011

Are all four major ones already decided?

AL MVP: Adrian Gonzalez
AL Cy: Justin Verlander
NL MVP: Ryan Braun
NL Cy: Roy Halladay

With Cy No. 3, Halladay punches his Cooperstown ticket even if he never throws another inning after this season, correct?

 

There is way too many games left on the schedule to call it yet. I wouldn't even put Ryan Braun as MVP of his own team. NL MVP has to be shaping up as Prince Fielder's race to loose. As far as AL CY I think if Verlander begins to falter CC can still make a solid case for it.

 

Jered Weaver might have something to say about that, too.

 

He should, since he has been the best pitcher in the American League so far this season. A 1.78 ERA in the American League is damn impressive and more than a run better than Sabathia's.

It's not like this is Felix Hernandez from 2010 we're talking about, either. Weaver has 14 victories.

It should be a race between Weaver and Verlander, with Sabathia a solid, but relatively distant, third.

 

sounds right to me. i also agree that all the individual 'races' are too close to call right now and may well depend upon where teams finish (like the mvp race in the al, where the bosox and the yanks each have a couple of candidates, though if their paces continue, gonzalez will be tough to beat). be interesting to see if the breakout year ellsworth is having will take votes from gonzo.

 

Who's Ellsworth?
I know you meant Ellsbury, no biggie, but who did you combine him with to get Ellsworth?
The bigger problem for the Sox players going after MVP is they're playing fairly meaningless games the rest of the season. If someone from Cleveland, Detroit, Texas or Anaheim gets crazy hot and carries their team to the postseason, I could see one of them winning, a la Mo Vaughn over Albert Belle.
Verlander, Weaver and Beckett are my top three in the AL
Hamels, Halladay and Kershaw in the NL.
NL MVP I have no idea.

 

Granderson is making a case for AL MVP. I think the AL East champ decides the MVP winner: Red Sox=Gonzalez, Yankees=Granderson.

 

My votes:

AL MVP: Cabrera
NL MVP: Victorino
AL CY: Sabathia
NL CY: Halladay

 

AL MVP: Jeter
AL Cy Young: Jetes
NL MVP: Captain Calm Eyes
NL Cy Young: Mr. November

 

Now, i didn't pick him as MVP but there is precedent for using the MVP as a lifetime achievement award (see Stargell in '79 as an example).

 

Stargell wasn't the best player in the National League that year, but he was still damn good, the best player on the World Series champions. Jeter hasn't been the best player on his own team for a while.

 

I'd go with Matt Kemp for NL MVP