It seems like we blinked our eyes and all of a sudden...we're less than a week from the All Star Break. This is good for a few reasons, most notably, because it means we're seven days away from not having to watch that awful All Star game commercial. Secondly, it means in about two weeks, the season will start to get real interesting with the trade deadline approaching.
Like with most leagues, it's fun to see where things stack up if the season ended today. I mean, this is a rather historic season so far. If the season ended today, the Cubs and Phillies win their divisions with St. Louis as a Wild Card. Arizona and LA are locked in a heated battle to be the team that sucks the least (since both are under .500 currently--hell, the Giants are only 5 games out. Can't we just give the Marlins or Brewers the finals spot instead of a team from the NL West?). In the AL, NOBODY saw Tampa making the run that they are currently making. Same goes for Minnesota (1.5 games out of the division lead behind the White Sox). If the season ends today, Tampa, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston are in. Imagine if these teams hold on and make the playoffs...two Chicago teams, maybe two Los Angeles teams, two teams nobody expected in the playoffs in the first place (St. Louis and Tampa Bay).
So how did we get here in the first place? Who are the movers and shakers in the first half? Let's rundown the midseason awards (including two potential award winners that were traded for each other before the season began):
AL MVP: Josh Hamilton, Rangers- Hamilton's comeback story has been one of the great storylines over the last two years or so. For those that don't know, Hamilton was the first overall pick in the 1999 draft and proceeded to be suspended by baseball altogether when he developed a drug problem. He wouldn't play any baseball between 2002 and 2006.
This year though, Hamilton was named a starter to the All Star Game while putting him up numbers to the tune of .308, 19 HR, 85 RBI in, assuming he stays healthy, his first full season in the Majors.
NL MVP: Lance Berkman, Astros- It would be interesting if these two players did win MVP considering both teams have very slim shots to sniff the playoffs. But that should be a testiment to how great both players are playing. Berkman is making a run at the Triple Crown batting . .348, 22HR, 70 RBI. This is the toughest award to decide right now, as Chipper Jones and Hanley Ramirez could both have cases made.
AL CY YOUNG: Cliff Lee, Indians- Another great story from the first part of the season. Lee was sent down to the minors last season to work on his control (see Cubs fans, there is hope for Rich Hill). This season, he's 11-2 with a 2.43 ERA and 99k. Arguements could be made for Joe Saunders who is leading the AL in victories and Oakland's Justin Duchscherer who has come out of nowhere to lead the AL with a 1.96 ERA.
NL CY YOUNG: Tim Lincecum, Giants- Lincecum leads the NL in strikeouts with 122, second in ERA with 2.49 and is doing pretty good for himself with a 10-1 record. Edinson Volquez is another guy I think gets a strong look from voters but could end up with Rookie of the Year instead.
AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Evan Longoria, Rays- The Rays are looking quite smart after locking up Longoria with a long term contract before his first big league game. Longoria has been just about as solid as you can ask a rookie to be batting .283 with 16 HR, and 52 RBI.
NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Geovaney Soto, Cubs- As tough as it might be to give Soto the nod over the previously mentioned Edinson Volquez, Soto's Cubs are in the thick of the playoff race right now. Soto has put up almost identical numbers to Longoria this season batting .289, 15 HR, 52 RBI.
AL MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Joe Maddon, Rays- You know what? I think this race is closer than it appears (Minnesota's Ron Gardenheire is a close second) but I have to give it to the manager of the team that has been the biggest story in major league baseball thus far. Nobody expected Tampa to be leading the Red Sox by 4 games at this point in the season.
NL MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Tony La Russa, Cardinals- Heading into this season, the National League Central was supposed to be a two team race between the Cubs and Brewers. How dumb of us to count out a Tony La Russa run ballclub. The Cardinals are currently in second place and if the season ended today--they would be your Wild Card winners. All this without a pitching staff. Well played Mr. La Russa. Well played.
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