Now that we’re halfway through the 2015 MLB season, we feel it’s the perfect time to analyze the awards race in all the land.
By Kevin Flynn
After 75 games, give or take few rain-outs, there are already some clear-cut runaways for end of the year awards. At the same time, this is baseball and “anything can happen Suzyn.”
Many of the players can make up ground by getting hot and carrying their respective teams to the playoffs. However, the first half performance of these winners should not be taken lightly. Hence, we should give out some mid-season awards for the first half of the season.
Here are the leaders for our mid-season MLB awards race:
Cy Young Award: Dallas Keuchel, Houston Astros
Would the guy who picked the Houston Astros to be 4.5 games ahead of the Los Angeles Angels please raise your hand and step forward for your Nostradamus pick of the year award?
We won’t hold our breath waiting for that guy or gal to step forward, since we probably would’ve all called him or her crazy back in March, but the Astros indeed are in first and Keuchel is one monstrous reason.
His 10-3 record, 2.03 ERA, 124.1 innings-pitched, three complete games and two shutouts are just flat-out absurd for the American League. His H/9 innings is leading the AL with a 6.4 mark in 17 games started. Most importantly, his Wins Above Replacement (WAR) is 4.7, which truly amazes the pure baseball head.
Second half players to watch: Carlos Carrasco, Sonny Gray, Felix Hernandez and Chris Archer.
NL Cy Young: Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals
I still cannot believe there wasn’t a single general manager who wanted to “over pay” for this guy.
Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer was the top free agent this past offseason. While the Nationals already possessed really good pitching – Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Jordan Zimmerman – adding Scherzer to the mix has put the Nationals atop the National League East and has made them the team to beat come October.
Since losing to the Yankees on June 9, he’s been as good as any pitcher in the history of baseball during his last three-starts. He threw a complete game one-hit shutout against the Brewers on June 14, with 16 strikeouts and followed that one up with a no-hitter against the Pirates which included 10 strikeouts.
Max Money’s numbers look like this: 9-5, 110.1 innings pitched with a 1.79 ERA, 130 Strikeouts and a 0.79 WHIP. Plus his WAR rating is 4.5. He wins this in a landslide
Second half players to watch: Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Michael Wacha and the Mets Four Horsemen in the rotation.
AL Comeback Player of the Year: Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
Say what you want about the biggest lightning-rod for controversy in this era of baseball, he is winning this award right now.
There are those that see this glass as half-full and those that knock over the half-full glasses to see if it’s not a trick glass. A-Rod is batting .280 with 15 Home Runs and 45 RBI’s. He’s on pace for the same batting average, 30 homers and 90-100 RBI.
And you were hoping he’d just go gentle into that goodnight….he’s raging against the dying of the light.
Second half players to watch: Mark Texeira, Josh Reddick, ….but fear not….A-Rod should win this.
NL Comeback Player of the Year: Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds
Votto had terrible number last year: .255, 6 HR, 23 RBI’s. Many people were worried if the former NL MVP would ever return to form after being so badly injured for the 2014 campaign.
Fear not folks, the Canadian Crusher has returned (he’s from Canada, eh?). Votto is batting .282 with 14 home-runs and 39 RBI’s at the midway mark and he’s got this award on lock-down as well.
Second half players to watch: Nobody, lock-down is for real this time around.
AL Rookie of the Year Award: Eduardo Rodriguez, Boston Red Sox
This is a tough one to judge as there are so few players to choose from.
If I had to bet that there’s one award that I’m either off on or will absolutely change by the end of the season, it will be this one. There are other players on the radar to watch, like Toronto Blue Jays Aaron Sanchez and Devon Travis, these two are contributing and either could win the award at the end of the year.
Houston Astros top prospect, Carlos Correa, cannot be denied his star potential either. Other rookie pitchers in the league like Carlos Rodon of the White Sox, Nate Karns of the Rays, and Chi Chi Gonzalez of the Rangers, any of them could go on a run and take it. But Eduardo Rodriguez is 4-2 in 7 starts with a 3.92 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP while averaging 7.8 K/9 innings.
Second half players to watch: All mentioned above.
NL Rookie of the Year Award: Joc Pederson, Los Angeles Dodgers
This one is close, but for all the other reasons.
Any other season, Joc Pederson wins this in a runaway. He’s batting .243 with 20 home runs and 38 RBI’s. Pederson has made some terrific catches in the outfield as well, placing his status over the top of competitors.
Fair warning though, don’t sleep on Maikel Franco of the Phillies. The third baseman has put up some crazy numbers since arriving and could really be the sleeper to win this award at the end of the season. Unlike the AL, we have a favorite for the midway mark MLB Rookie of the Year, and go figure, it goes to another Los Angeles Dodgers player.
Second half players to watch: Maikel Franco, Steven Matz, Noah Syndergaard, Kris Bryant.
AL MVP: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
Mike Trout is the best player in baseball.
There’s nobody more exciting to watch, which is why his legend grows daily. His numbers are a mere technicality of his awesomeness that he brings to the diamond on an everyday basis.
Trout’s batting average is currently .303 to go along with 21 homers, 44 RBI, 57 runs scored and nine-stolen bases. If you turn on the television and go over to the MLB Network, you can see his defensive plays practically on a loop. Good luck to the others that think they have a shot.
Second half players to watch: Albert Pujols, Josh Donaldson, Miguel Cabrera
NL MVP: Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals
The Cardinals have the best record in baseball, but Bryce Harper has finally arrived.
The Washington Nationals will have the pleasure of contending in the playoffs this year because of having a Cy Young candidate and an MVP candidate.
Harper’s numbers are the best of his career and only one other player in the NL comes close at the moment is Arizona’s Paul Goldschmidt. The Arizona Diamondbacks, however, are going to have to get above .500 and contend with the Dodgers and the Giants for Goldy to win this from Harper.
The former first overall pick is hitting .340 with 24 home runs, 58 RBI’s and 53 runs scored. The Nationals needed him to be this kind of player and they finally got their money’s worth.
Second half players to watch: Paul Goldschmidt, Todd Frazier, Adrian Gonzalez, Buster Posey, Andrew McCutchen.
I love the "Finally!" attitude about Harper. Finally?? He won't turn 23 for another three months! Pity the poor Nats, who "suffered" through two 20-homer years and then one injury-decimated year before they "got their money's worth."