My Picks
Ok, here are my end-of-year picks for all of the hardware that will handed out over the next couple of weeks.
AL MVP: Joe Mauer - I should probably give it to Dustin Pedrouia, but I just can't see giving it to a member of the Sox. Besides, it's not like Mauer didn't have a monster year. The man is the class of MLB catchers. A .330 batting average, a .415 OBP and an .869 OPS land him in first place on my ballot.
NL MVP: Ryan Howard - A lot of people are probably going to go with Albert Pujols for this award, but Howard has his team in the playoffs and Pujols doesn't. Pujols leads Howard in the Slugging and OPS departments, but look at Howard's 48 home runs, .339 OBP and 146 RBIs and you'll see why he gets my vote.
AL Cy Young: Cliff Lee - I'd really like to vote for Mike Mussina for this one, as I'm a Moose fan. Winning 20 games for the first time in his career is a BIG accomplishment and one that will no doubt land him in the Hall of Fame. But Lee went 22-3. It's hard to argue with that, especially when you look at his 170 K's and miniscule 1.11 WHIP. No doubt about this one.
NL Cy Young: Tim Lincecum - This one is a little bit closer, what with Brandon Webb and Johan Santana having such monster years. But Lincecum wins it because of 252 strikeouts, a .223 opponent's batting average, and because he plays on a team that stinks, and he still went 17-5. Can't argue with that.
AL Rookie of the Year: Evan Longoria - Not only does he have a cool name, but I heard this name night after night after night during the regular season. His team won the AL East for the first time ever, and even though he was out for 30 games and still leads all AL rookies in in RBI's and total bases. Not only that, but he didn't even make the team in Spring Training! Now no one will ever forget his name, and not because of the actress, either.
NL Rookie of the Year: Geovany Soto - I can't believe this guy is a rookie. He plays like he's been in the majors for years. Having satellite tv I am able to watch WGN a lot and I have taken in more than a couple Cubs games. Soto's 23 dingers and his start in the All-Star game land him in the ROTY seat on my ballot.
AL Manager of the Year: Joe Madden - Is there really any question about this one? If Madden doesn't win this there ought to be an investigation. He's got the Rays playing like they could win it all, and you know what? They just might. A first-time AL East championship and a great young nucleus will have them around for many years. The Rays are for real and Madden is a major reason why.
NL Manager of the Year: Lou Piniella - I'd actually like to give this award to one of the Manuel "brothers", Charlie and Jerry. But the Mets are out and the Cubs are in. Not only are they in, but they have as good a chance of winning the whole thing as they've had in more than 100 years. Literally. Piniella has kept this team believing through injuries, cold spells and a Chicago summer, and not only that, but he's ex-Yankee. Gotta love Sweet Lou for that.
Comeback Player of the Year: The only guy I'm voting for for this award this year, in both leagues, is the Moose. Maybe I should say, 20-game winner, Mike Mussina. How does that sound, Mike? Written off at the beginning of the year, Moose went on to have the best season of his career. Good for you, Mike. I hope you come back next year, but if you don't, I'll understand. Go home to PA and coach you son in Little League. That sounds like a great time. Enjoy it. And thank you for keeping the Yanks in the picture for so long this year. It would not have been nearly as good without you.
AL MVP: Joe Mauer - I should probably give it to Dustin Pedrouia, but I just can't see giving it to a member of the Sox. Besides, it's not like Mauer didn't have a monster year. The man is the class of MLB catchers. A .330 batting average, a .415 OBP and an .869 OPS land him in first place on my ballot.
NL MVP: Ryan Howard - A lot of people are probably going to go with Albert Pujols for this award, but Howard has his team in the playoffs and Pujols doesn't. Pujols leads Howard in the Slugging and OPS departments, but look at Howard's 48 home runs, .339 OBP and 146 RBIs and you'll see why he gets my vote.
AL Cy Young: Cliff Lee - I'd really like to vote for Mike Mussina for this one, as I'm a Moose fan. Winning 20 games for the first time in his career is a BIG accomplishment and one that will no doubt land him in the Hall of Fame. But Lee went 22-3. It's hard to argue with that, especially when you look at his 170 K's and miniscule 1.11 WHIP. No doubt about this one.
NL Cy Young: Tim Lincecum - This one is a little bit closer, what with Brandon Webb and Johan Santana having such monster years. But Lincecum wins it because of 252 strikeouts, a .223 opponent's batting average, and because he plays on a team that stinks, and he still went 17-5. Can't argue with that.
AL Rookie of the Year: Evan Longoria - Not only does he have a cool name, but I heard this name night after night after night during the regular season. His team won the AL East for the first time ever, and even though he was out for 30 games and still leads all AL rookies in in RBI's and total bases. Not only that, but he didn't even make the team in Spring Training! Now no one will ever forget his name, and not because of the actress, either.
NL Rookie of the Year: Geovany Soto - I can't believe this guy is a rookie. He plays like he's been in the majors for years. Having satellite tv I am able to watch WGN a lot and I have taken in more than a couple Cubs games. Soto's 23 dingers and his start in the All-Star game land him in the ROTY seat on my ballot.
AL Manager of the Year: Joe Madden - Is there really any question about this one? If Madden doesn't win this there ought to be an investigation. He's got the Rays playing like they could win it all, and you know what? They just might. A first-time AL East championship and a great young nucleus will have them around for many years. The Rays are for real and Madden is a major reason why.
NL Manager of the Year: Lou Piniella - I'd actually like to give this award to one of the Manuel "brothers", Charlie and Jerry. But the Mets are out and the Cubs are in. Not only are they in, but they have as good a chance of winning the whole thing as they've had in more than 100 years. Literally. Piniella has kept this team believing through injuries, cold spells and a Chicago summer, and not only that, but he's ex-Yankee. Gotta love Sweet Lou for that.
Comeback Player of the Year: The only guy I'm voting for for this award this year, in both leagues, is the Moose. Maybe I should say, 20-game winner, Mike Mussina. How does that sound, Mike? Written off at the beginning of the year, Moose went on to have the best season of his career. Good for you, Mike. I hope you come back next year, but if you don't, I'll understand. Go home to PA and coach you son in Little League. That sounds like a great time. Enjoy it. And thank you for keeping the Yanks in the picture for so long this year. It would not have been nearly as good without you.
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