MLB Mid-Season Awards Thread

Managers do seem to go for wins. Duke has more wins than Vazquez on a weaker team. Not saying I agree, but that's probably what did it.

Is Mauer a contender? Sure. Not close? Come on.

Mauer missed about a third of the season so far. The Twins wouldn't even make the playoffs if the season was over today. There is a strong argument to be made that he isn't even the most valuable player on his own team so far given the production Morneau has given the Twins and the fact that he has been there all season.

 

Rick Porcello is another candidate for AL Rookie of the Year.

He's had a couple tough starts the last week or two, which probably lowered him on the list a bit. But he does have eight wins and until recently, his ERA was in the mid 3s.

Obviously, he will have to bounce back a bit after the All-Star break, but the possibility is there.

 

AL/NL MVP: Whoever has the most RBIs on a pennant contender
AL/NL Cy Young: Whoever has the most wins on a pennant contender

 

So Tim Wakefield for ALCY?

Seriously though . . . No takers for Brad Penny AL COMEBACK?

 

OOP,

Mauer is much better than Mourneau, who is very good.
But Mauer is the best hitter in the AL and a stellar defensive catcher. He's the only player in baseball right now that can even make an argument that he's more valuble than Pujols, mostly because he plays a position where even the most meager offense (Russell Martin, for example) is considered a huge bonus.

Pujols should be a unanimous pick in the NL. And Mauer, if the season ended right now, should be a unanimous pick in the AL.

But, of course, that's just my opinion. And what do I know from good baseball after watching the last month of the Mets. UGHHH!

 

AL ROY - Has nobody been paying attention to Ricky Romero (7-3/3.00/1.26)? Better numbers than Porcello, and much better than David Price (?) who somebody mentioned.

I also have a problem with "Lesbian Action" Jones as CPOY. Because all he really came back from was sucking.

 

If it makes you feel better, Orestes Destrade was talking up Romero over Porcello on ESPN Radio yesterday.

 

We'll have to agree to disagree. I'm a big fan of Mauer, but I can't see how he would be MVP of half a season when he missed a month and his team is in third place.

Would I give him the full-season award if he hits the rest of the way like he has so far this season? Yeah, I would because of the impact he makes behind the plate. But right now that's just a lot of projection.

 

Regarding A.L. MOY:

Can someone explain why/how Ron Washington has done a better managing job than Don Wakamatsu?

Most Mariners fans would KILL for 1/3 of the hitters in the Texas lineup.

Given Seattle's injuries ---- and its shitformance last season ---- the fact that a first-year manager like Wakamatsu has the team four games over .500 ---- and smack-dab in contention in the A.L. West ---- makes him a more persuasive pick for MOY.

 

And the Rangers would kill to have the Mariners' pitching. You have to give their coaching staff at least some of the credit for the way Washburn has pitched, but I take points off because they kept sticking Felix Hernandez with Kenji Johjima until Johjima got hurt. I posted it on one of the baseball threads a month or so ago. Hernandez has an ERA around 1.00 with Johnson catching him, but that number is over 7.00 with Johjima.

The Rangers have had injuries as well, particularly Josh Hamilton and Frank Francisco. Both teams have some major holes, but the Rangers are ahead of the Mariners in the standings so I give Washington the nod.

 

A very fair take.

Although I'd still argue that the Mariners have dealt with MORE key injuries. And I'd suggest (without much proof; call it a hunch) that Johjima's presence behind the plate, and on the team, is an ownership decision, not a management one.

Good point on Johjima though. The team's starting ERA as a whole is much better with Rob Johnson behind the dish.

 

It would be even better if Doug Flutie was back there.