2012 MLB First-Half Awards
The second half of the Major League Baseball season is set to begin on Saturday so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to give out awards for the first half of the season.
American League MVP:
Choices:
1. Josh Hamilton (TEX) – .308/27HR/75RBIs/1.016OPS. Hamilton is having a monster year on a great team. After hitting .395/9HR/25RBIs in April and .344/12HR/32RBIs in May he cooled off significantly in June to .223/4HR/16RBIs but he still leads the league in home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage and OPS.
2. Mike Trout (LAA) – .341/12HR/40RBIs/26SBs. At only 20 years old, Trout is off to an amazing start to his career. A 5-tool talent, Trout has almost single-handedly resurrected the Angels season. Before being called up on April 28th, the Angels were 6-14 and in last place in the American West. With Trout in the lineup, the Angels are 42-24.
3. Robinson Cano (NYY) – .313/20HR/51RBIs/.953OPS. Through May, Cano had only hit 8 home runs and driven in 23 runs. But since June, Cano has hit .345 with 12 homers and 28 RBIs while continuing to play gold glove defense at second base.
Selection:
Mike Trout. Since he was called up on April 28th, there has not been a player more valuable to his team than Trout. He is on pace to hit almost 30HR, drive in 100 runs and steal 50 bases. The Angels will make a serious run at Texas for the AL West crown and Trout will be the one leading the charge.
American League Cy Young:
Choices:
1. Justin Verlander (DET) – 9-5/2.58ERA/128Ks. Verlander is coming off one of the most dominating seasons in history and it has carried over to this season. While his 9-5 record is more of an indication of the Tigers sub par first half, Verlander has been a workhorse. He leads the American League in strikeouts and innings pitched (132.2).
2. Jered Weaver (LAA) – 10-1/1.96ERA/0.90WHIP. Weaver is having an incredible season. With a 10-1 record, he is leading the American League in ERA, has thrown a no-hitter and has accomplished all of this while still serving two weeks on the disabled list. While his strikeout totals are down from where they normally are (73Ks in 96.2 innings), he has become more of a complete pitcher (only 65 hits allowed / almost 4:1 strikeout to walk ratio).
3. David Price (TAM) – 11-4/2.82ERA/105Ks). After a lackluster 2011 season, Price is back at the top of his game. On a team that has been hurt by injuries and a general inability to score runs, Price is leading the American League in wins, 5th in ERA and is 7th in strikeouts.
Selection:
Jered Weaver. Verlander and Price are having great season and each deserves this award but I think Weaver takes the award because he is flat out dominating. Looking at the wins and ERA only tells you so much. His 0.90 WHIP is filthy and the fact that he has given up 31 fewer hits than innings pitched wins him the award.
American League Rookie of the Year
Choices:
1. Mike Trout (LAA) – .341/12HR/40RBIs/26SBs. Like I mentioned in the MVP discussion, Trout is having a phenomenal rookie season. With Pujols having a below normal first season in the American League, Trout has picked up the slack and ignited the team.
2. Yu Darvish (TEX) – 10-5/3.59/117Ks. With all the hype that surrounded the Darvish signing, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. As it turns out, Darvish has flourished in the American League West and has helped lead the Texas staff which was hurt by the loss of CJ Wilson to the Angels.
3. Jarrod Parker (OAK) – 5-4/2.86ERA/6.9H/9. The final selection came down to either Jarrod Parker or Matt Moore from Tampa Bay. Ultimately, Parker won out because his ERA is 1.5 runs per game less than Moore. Also, Oakland is not nearly as good as Oakland so for Parker to have an above .500 record with a 2.86 ERA is impressive.
Selection:
Mike Trout. Easy decision. Darvish comes in second and Parker is a distant third. Trout could become the first rookie to win the MVP and ROY since Fred Lynn in 1975.
National League MVP:
Choices:
1. Andrew McCutchen (PIT) – .362/18HR/60RBI/.625SLG. People have always said that McCutchen was raw a talent and that he would need time to mature as a player. This year is his coming out party. McCutchen is leading the league in batting average and slugging percentage and is the main reason the Pirates are in first place and are on the cusp of making the playoffs for the first time since 1992.
2. David Wright (NYM) – .351/11HR/59RBIs/.441OBP. No one in baseball expected the Mets to do anything this year but Wright’s career year has helped propel a mostly anemic offense to second place in the NL East. If Wright’s bat can stay hot, the Mets have a legitimate shot to stay in contention deep into September and perhaps win the division or grab one of the wild card slots.
3. Joey Votto (CIN) – .348/14HR/48RBIs/.471OBP. Votto is one of the best hitters in baseball and the 2010 NL MVP. His OBP is off the charts and his power number should increase as the season goes on. He is a consisten 30HR/100 RBI guy.
Selection:
Andrew McCutchen. The last time the Pirates played in October, Bonds, Bonilla and Van Slyke were the stars. McCutchen is the face of this franchise and he is the real deal. Wright is a close second but McCutchen has more home runs and slugging percentage is higher and that gives him the edge.
National League Cy Young:
Choices:
1. R.A. Dickey (NYM) – 12-1/2.40ERA/123Ks. The season that R.A. Dickey is having is nothing short of amazing. On paper you assume he’s a Verlander-esque type pitcher, but once you realize that he is a knuckleball pitcher his stats are mind-blowing. He is having arguably the greatest season EVER by knuckleball pitcher.
2. Matt Cain (SFG) – 9-3/2.62ERA/118Ks. Finally, the stats that Cain is putting up are matching his talent. Having thrown a perfect game this year, Cain has been absolutely fantastic.
3. Gio Gonzalez (WSH) – 12-3/2.92ERA/118Ks. Considered to be a solid # 2 behing Strasburg, Gonzalez is having a season on par with the young phenom. With 17 more strikeouts than innings pitched and 30 less hits than innings pitched, Gonzalez has risen to the occasion after coming over from the Athletics in the off-season.
Selection:
R.A. Dickey. The season he is having is absolutely incredible. He is the winner in a landslide in my opinion
National League Rookie of the Year:
Choices:
1. Bryce Harper (WSH) – .282/8HR/25RBIs/10SB. With all of the hype that Harper has received since high school, it would have been understandable for him to falter in his first season in the big leagues. Instead, Harper has helped inspire the Nationals and if one of the reasons they are in first place.
2. Lance Lynn (STL) – 11-4/3.41ERA/105Ks. Lynn was St. Louis’s first-round pick in 2008 out of Ole Miss and he has been lights out this year. He has more strikeouts than innings pitched, he has given up 15 less hits than innings pitched and he is sitting at a 3:1 strikeouts to walk ratio. How he does in the second half will determine whether or not St. Louis can make it back to the playoffs.
3. Wade Miley (ARZ) – 9-5/3.04ERA/70Ks. Miley is another product of the deep 2008 draft class, having been selected in the first-round out of Loranger HS in Loranger, LA. Not an overpowering pitcher but he knows how to hit his spots and has pitched very well for a below-.500 Diamondbacks team.
Selection:
Lance Lynn. Harper is going to be the popular choice here but I believe Lynn is having the better season. Harper’s .282 batting average and 25RBI’s are unspectacular and while Lynn’s 11-4 record is impressive. Harper might end up having the better career but Lynn is having the better season.
There you have it, my 1st half award winners. We’ll see how the season plays out and if these guys can continue to produce. One thing is for sure, we are in for an exciting late spring and early Fall.
baseballaficionado 