MLB First Half Awards

The first half of the MLB season has come to a close and teams are about to gear up for the 2nd half. 

Here are my choices for the major awards that are given out at the end of the season; if the season were to end today.

*Batting Stats AVG/HR/RBI

AL Comeback Player of the Year: Adam Dunn, Chicago White Sox

Stats: .208/25/61

As a person who had Dunn last year and this year in fantasy baseball, he’s a no doubt pick for this award. His average is still horrific, but he’s already doubled his homerun total and has 20 more rbi’s than last year and has the White Sox holding a first place lead in the central at the break.

Honorable Mentions: Fernando Rodney, Edwin Encarnacion

NL Comeback Player of the Year: Johan Santana, New York Mets

Stats: 6-5, 3.24 ERA, 99 K’s, 1.17 WHIP

Santana has long been one of my favorite pitchers in the game, and I’m extremely happy to see he is back to his Johan-self. He is having an exceptional year and is helping the Mets stay in contention in the East.

Honorable Mentions: Stephen Strasburg,  Buster Posey

AL Rookie of the Year: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels

Stats:  .341/12/40 with 26 stolen bases.

Trout has improved leaps and bounds over his call up in August of last season. Trout has turned the season around and now has them back in contention. 

Honorable Mentions: Yu Darvish, Yoenis Cespedes, Jarrod Parker, Scott Diamond, Will Middlebrooks

NL Rookie of the Year: Bryce Harper,Washington Nationals  

Stats: .282/8/25 with 10 stolen bases.

I wanted to put Andrelton Simmons, but I can’t ignore Harper’s effect on the Nationals. His hustle and effort has helped the Nationals hold 1^st place in the NL East for most of the season.

Honorable Mentions: Andrelton Simmons, Wade Miley, Lance Lynn

AL Cy Young Award: Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox

Stats: 10-2, 2.19 ERA, 98 K’s, 0.95 WHIP

Chris Sale is what the Red Sox and Yankees hoped Daniel Bard and Joba Chamberlain respectively would be. He has taken the move from closer to starter (and then back to closer for about a week before being put back in the rotation) and ran wild with it. He’s been amazing this year and is on way to becoming a premier pitcher in the league.

Honorable Mentions: David Price, Jered Weaver, Justin Verlander

NL Cy Young Award: R.A. Dickey, New York Mets

Stats: 12-1, 2.40 ERA, 123 K’s, 0.93 WHIP

Dickey has been unreal this year, thus making him the Cy Young winner of the first half of the season. Typically “gimmick” pitchers don’t have the consistent success that he has, but he’s doing it in every game that he starts.

Side Note: Anyone who hasn’t read his book, “Wherever I Wind Up”, you need to. I have started it and he is a great writer who knows how to tell a story.

Honorable Mentions: Matt Cain, Stephen Strasburg, Craig Kimbrel, James McDonald

AL MVP: Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers

Stats: .308/27/75

Since this is a first half award, I have to give it to Hamilton. However, if Trout keeps up his pace then I will be at the forefront of the Mike Trout for MVP campaign. Anyways, Hamilton is one of the greatest baseball players we have ever seen. It’s a shame that he lost many year to his off the field troubles, because we’d be looking at a Hall of Famer if he had those years back. Hamilton is on place to eclipse his career highs in both homeruns and RBI’s and may have his best season of his career.

Honorable Mentions: Mike Trout, Paul Konerko, David Ortiz, Miguel Cabrera

NL MVP: Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates

Stats: .362/18/60 with 14 stolen bases

This was the toughest choice for me, the NL has many people who deserve to win the award, but there isn’t one player who is a standout choice.  My vote goes for McCutchen. He has given Pittsburgh, a city/team who hasn’t seen the playoffs in close to 20 years, hope as the Pirates hold the lead in the division at the All-Star break. McCutchen is a 5-tool player and is only going to get better.

Honorable Mentions: David Wright, Ryan Braun, Joey Votto, Carlos Beltran, Melkey Cabrera, Michael Borun, Giancarlo Stanton