MLB Mid-Season Awards

It's hard to believe we are actually at the half-way point of the 2010 baseball season. This has been a first half unlike any other, featuring an unprecedented two perfect games and two no hitters. Pitching in baseball is back, and unlike in past years where we have lacked 20 game winners throughout the league, by the September we might have five already. That's not all though: we have a player who has a legit shot for the first triple crown since Carl Yastrzemski, and a rookie that got almost as much hype as LeBron James's free agency period. Anyway, without further ado here are our Mid-Season MLB awards at NextGen Sports.

John's Mid-Season Awards

American League MVP: Miguel Cabrera. Though Josh Hamilton, Vlad Guerrero, Justin Morneau, and Robinson Cano are all having monster years, Miggy gets the slight edge. He is tied for the AL's highest batting average (.346), second in homers (22) and the leader in RBI (77). Also if the season ended today, he would also be pacing the league in slugging percentage and OPS. Cabrera is a real threat for the triple crown, and invaluable to the Tigers' lineup.

National League MVP: Joey Votto. Yes, I know it might be blasphemous to put a NL Central first baseman not named Pujols here, but Votto deserves it. The soft spoken Reds slugger is changing Cincinnati's recent baseball losing culture and one of the main reasons why his team is leading the division. He is tied for first in the Senior Circuit with 22 dingers and sixth in RBI with 60. Votto is also sporting a very respectable .314 batting average and leading the league in on base percentage.

American League Cy Young: Jon Lester. Lester has been the constant on a Red Sox team that has struggled with injury and inconsistency throughout the year. The hard throwing lefty is on pace for a career year, with 11 wins, 124 strikeouts, and a 2.78 ERA. Though he doesn't lead the American League in any specific pitching category, he is in the top six in almost every one. 

National League Cy Young: Adam Wainwright. This pick might be a mild surprise to some people, considering Josh Johnson and Ubaldo Jimenez are getting most of the hype for this award. Wainwright, though, has been quietly one of the best pitchers in baseball all season with his 13 wins and miniscule 2.11 ERA. Looking at statistics specifically, he is in the top 3 in almost every major pitching category, except strikeouts where he ranks fourth with 127. 

American League Rookie of the Year: Brennan Boesch. Boesch has just been on fire since he was called up in April by the Tigers. The 25 year old is batting .345 with 12 home runs and 49 RBI. You would be hard pressed to find many other outfielders, especially rookies, who are outputting that type of production.

National League Rookie of the Year: Jason Heyward. J Hey has exceeded the hype he had coming into the season. With 11 homers and 45 RBI before he went on the 15 day Disable List, Heyward was on pace to duplicate numbers that we saw Albert Pujols put up in his rookie year. Coming of his injury stint after the All Star Break, expect him to be well rested and just as productive as before with his first place Braves team.

American League Manager of the Year: Ron Washington. Coming off a very tough offseason where he failed a drug test that showed cocaine in his system, Washington has bounced back in a big way, leading his team to first place in the AL West. With the Rangers finally having quality pitchers, and Josh Hamilton's and Vlad Guerrero's offensive resurgences, credit must be given to Washington

National League Manager of the Year: Bud Black. Black might have one of the lesser talented teams in the National League, but that doesn't make much of a difference to him, as he's lead the San Diego Padres to first place in the NL West and one of the best records in baseball. Despite having Adrian Gonzalez, Black literally has no offense to post runs nightly, and a largely unproven yet talented pitching staff (Featuring Mat Latos, Jon Garland, and Clayton Richard). Black has created a winning environment in San Diego, a town that has never had one in baseball.

Daniel's Mid-Season Awards

American League MVP: Miguel Cabrera. Maybe he should speak to children about the negative effects of alcohol. Since he went through a rehabilitation program last off season, Cabrera has evolved into the American League's best hitter. It is a fallacy that the first baseman will not start in the All-Star Game. Cabrera has literally dragged the Tigers into contention for the AL Central, and he looks to be Triple Crown contender, a feat not achieved since 1967.

National League MVP: Joey Votto. His statistics are ridiculous. Votto ranks among the top 6 National League players in every relevant offensive category. Most impressive, the Canadian first baseman has an OPS over 1.000, which sits in the baseball stratosphere alongside Babe Ruth's career mark of 1.164. Votto, furthermore, plays Gold Glove-caliber defense. I know this award has become synonymous with Albert Pujols, but Votto is the sole reason why Cincinnati remains in first place in the NL Central.
  

American League Cy Young: David Price. Drafted first overall in 2008, he has skyrocketed from heralded rookie to top of the line starter. Price, in my opinion, is the clear cut choice, having the most wins and the lowest ERA in the American League. Expect the former Vanderbilt star to start the All-Star Game for Joe Girardi's squad.

National League Cy Young: Ubaldo Jimenez. To be mentioned in the same sentence as Bob Gibson's mythical 1968 season, you have to pretty special. Jimenez certainly qualifies for the discussion, sporting a 15-1 record with an ERA of just 2.20. Clearly, the 26 year old. has shaken off the label as a talented yet wild hurler in 2010, developing improved mechanics to think around hitters. In all honesty, if Jimenez continues to dominate, more people may compare him to Denny McClain in 1968. The Tigers' star pitcher won 31 games that season.

American League Rookie of the Year: Neftali Feliz. He entered the major leagues with high expectations. To relieve a bit of pressure, manager Ron Washington penciled the organization's top prospect in the closer role. 23 saves later, and the decision looks to be the spot on. All season, Feliz has anchored an inconsistent bullpen, earning himself an All-Star appearance.

National League Rookie of the Year: Mike Leake. Oddly enough, Stephen Strasburg was not the best selection in the 2009 MLB Draft. Leake, who skipped the minor leagues entirely, now fronts the Reds' rotation. To date, he is 6-1 with a 3.53 ERA, while playing in the launching pad of Great American Ballpark. The largest contributor to Leake's success is refined mechanics, which allow the former Arizona State star to pick his spots in the strike zone.

American League Manager of the Year: Terry Francona. Perhaps the choice is quite obvious. The Red Sox have the 3rd best record in the American League. Yet, Francona has managed to win without 7 of 9 opening day starters. He has helped mature Clay Buchholz into a star pitcher, and his laid-back atmosphere allows young players to thrive in fill-in situations. I predict that once Beckett, Pedroia, Youkillis, and Victor Martinez return to the team, Boston looks to contend for the AL East crown.

National League Manager of the Year: Bobby Cox. In his last season as a professional manager, he leads a first place Atlanta Braves team. Cox brought Jason Heyward along nicely, and his presence clearly factored into the right fielder's great first half. Additional credit should be relayed for the rebirth of Troy Glaus at the plate, and the breakout performance by second baseman Martin Prado. Nevertheless, Cox's biggest strength is managing pitching rotations. 2010 is no different, as the Braves look dangerous come playoff time, armed with a talented trio of Tommy Hanson, Tim Hudson, and Derek Lowe.


-John Stoller, Daniel Radov 

The All-Star Should Have Beens

Update: Due to injuries, Latos, Hernandez, Bosch and Gonzalez all have very good chances to play in the 2010 All-Star Game.  The reasoning behind why these players didn't get in starts an argument over the game itself, namely is the Mid-Summer Classic for the fans, in which the most popular players should play, or is it a reward for baseball's best players in the 1st half of the season.


In the Mid-Summers classic, the combination of fan voting and managers' player picks annually produces rather agreeable final rosters. Not this year. Several of baseball's best young player's were looked over in the selection process by both America's popular vote, and AL and NL managers Joe Girardi and Charlie Manuel. Manuel made perhaps the most puzzling All Star pick of the past five years by picking Brave's 29 year old infield utility man Omar Infante. Sure, the Venezuelan batted a solid .309, but showed now production otherwise (1 home run, 22 RBI). He isn't exactly a Gold Glove contender in the field either, most attributed to the wide variety of positions he plays, ranging across the infield and outfield. Girardi made sure the American League had an arguable pick as well: veteran right hander Fausto Carmona. Carmona, the Indian's ace, had a 19 win season back in 2007 but since then has failed to produce at a high level. This year, his record stands at 7-7 with a decent 3.69 ERA. These are decent numbers but by no means worthy of an All Star trip. 

Here at NextGen, we picked four players (all under the age of 26) who were snubbed from the All Star rosters. This could be attributed to them being newer players to the league and the priority veterans get occasionally over youths. Either way, these are players who Girardi and Manuel will wish they had the opportunity to coach in this game in years down the road.

American League

Felix Hernandez: King Felix's record, standing at 6-5, probably isn't worthy of making the Mid-Summer classic in itself. When one looks beyond the wins and losses, they will see a strikeout total at 116 that ranks third in the American League. His 3.03 ERA isn't shabby, and the three complete games he's pitched is good enough for second in the league. The Mariner's ace, in his last eight starts, has given up two earned runs or less. One of these outing was a two-hit complete game versus Girardi's Yankees. If this doesn't make an All Star manager pick a guy I don't know what will. He should absolutely be in over Carmona.

Brennan Boesch: The 25 year old Tiger's outfielder has been on a tear since being called up in April. He is batting .345 with 12 homers and 46 RBI (better numbers than Brave's phenom and All Star Jason Heyward). The fact about Boesch is that he is only a rookie, and perhaps should have gotten consideration to make the squad over the Blue Jays' Vernon Wells.

National League

Carlos Gonzalez: Gonzalez is having a monster year in his first season of full playing time. The Rockies' 24 year old outfielder has 14 home runs, 52 RBI, and 12 stolen bases, while sporting of .295. He is a legitimate threat to join the elite club of 30 home run, 30 steal players if he continues playing at this pace. Gonzalez still has a chance to make the All-Star game through the Fan's "Final Vote" this week. He absolutely deserves to make the National League squad over Marlon Byrd, Matt Holliday, Michael Bourn, and Infante (All of whom made the cut).

Mat Latos: Overcoming a rough start to the season, Latos has been electric in his second year in the big leagues. He is the ace of a San Diego Padres' staff that leads the league in ERA. He has a record of 9-4 with a very impressive ERA of 2.62. Latos also leads the entire MLB in opponent batting average, keeping the opposition hitting a miniscule .193.

-John Stoller