Major League Baseball through the ASB: A Retrospecticus!
I have returned, friends.
And I have done so to give you my take on the columnist cliché of mid-season rewards. What better way to genuflect at the alter of small samples!?
American League MVP: Alex Rodriguez – NYY, 3b
With a nod to Magglio Ordonez, ARod’s white-hot April’s and June’s out pace the Tiger. Plus, there is a good chance that despite his gaudy batting average, and many doubles, that Magglio isn’t even the most valuable Tiger since a very good argument could be made for Gary Sheffield. If the gods were smiling upon me, they would have the Yankees finish last and ARod win the MVP, so he can be the first player to win two MVP’s on last place teams.
Runners up: Magglio Ordonez, Vlad Guerrero, Gary Sheffield
National League MVP: Chipper Jones – ATL, 3b
I think this one is much closer than the American League one. Chipper has a .329/.417/.594 line, which puts his line only behind Barry Bonds. Jones’s name doesn’t appear on the home run leader board, while his main competition, Prince Fielder sits a top it. However impressive Fielder’s .620 slugging is…it’s only about 30 points higher than Chipper’s despite hitting 14 more homers than the Brave. Prince is also a completely immobile first baseman (unless he’s playing in the Metrodome), and Jones at least plays a passable third base.
Runners up: Prince Fielder, Barry Bonds, Chase Utley
American League Cy Young: Danny Haren – OAK
Before this off season, we wrote (or tried to write) a season preview for every team. I drew the Athletics both years and both years, I made mention of the fact that Haren looked like he had done a lot of heroin. Last night, at the All Star game, I was vindicated, as he actually looked like he was shooting up in dugout. He’ll get the help he needs.
Runners up: Johan Santana, John Lackey, Justin Verlander
National League Cy Young: Chris Young – SDP
Yes he plays in a ballpark that just completely destroys all chances of scoring runs, but he’s got an ERA about twice as good as average, and he’s striking out a batter an inning without walking many. He was also traded for Einar Diaz, which makes Diaz on the bad side of two disaster trades…Texas traded him to Montreal for Young (which they blew…not the point) and Texas acquired Diaz for an unknown named Travis Hafner.
Runners up: Jake Peavy, Brad Penny, John Maine
AL Rookie of the Year: Dustin Pedroia – BOS, 2b
There are five guys that could be ROY in the AL this year and they all have “something” going against them. Reggie Willits has no power. Hideki Okajima is a reliever. Jeremy Guthrie is doing it with smoke and mirrors. Daisuke Matsuzaka has been pretty good, but inconsistent, and he hasn’t pitched better than Guthrie anyway. Pedroia had the cold month of April, but since then has pretty much been the best second baseman in the American League. He’s been a major bright spot in a Red Sox offense that has been sputtering for the last 45 days or so. Plus, he’s the only guy that is a “young” rookie, with Guthrie being 28, Daisuke and Willits, 26, and Oki being an AARP-ready 31.
Runners Up: Hideki Okajima, Jeremy Guthrie, Daisuke Matsuzaka.
NL Rookie of the Year: Hunter Pense – HOU, CF
“Hey Hunter, how about we call you up, you smash the shit out of the ball, make some nice catches on the hill, and then never, ever walk, under penalty of being traded to Pittsburgh with that anonymous Canadian fellow?”
“Ok coach, I can do that!”
Runners Up: Troy Tulowitzki, Matt Chico, Peter Moylan
All American League Team:
I’m giving myself a starter and a backup, a five man rotation, and a six man bullpen (min 25 games), for a very svelte 29 man roster.
C – Jorge Posada, NYY (Victor Martinez, CLE)
1b – Justin Morneau, MIN (Carlos Pena, TAM)
2b – Brian Roberts, BAL (Dustin Pedroia, BOS)
3b – Alex Rodriguez, NYY (Casey Blake, CLE)
SS – Carlos Guillen, DET (Derek Jeter, NYY)
LF – Manny Ramirez, BOS (Hideki Matsui, NYY)
CF – Torii Hunter, MIN (Curtis Granderson, DET)
RF – Magglio Ordonez, DET (Vlad Guerrero, LAA)
DH – Gary Sheffield, DET (David Ortiz, BOS)
SP – Danny Haren, OAK
SP – Johan Santana, MIN
SP – John Lackey, LAA
SP – Justin Verlander, DET
SP – Josh Beckett, BOS
RP – Pat Neshak, MIN
RP – Hideki Okajima, BOS
RP – JJ Putz, SEA
RP – Jonathan Papelbon, BOS
RP – Scott Shields, LAA
RP – Eric Gagne, TEX
Among the more controversial picks (I’m talking about Boston here…), park affects mean a lot. Mike Lowell and Casey Blake are essentially even as the #2, but Blake is doing it in a run environment that is a bit more hostile. Same with Roberts over Pedroia.
Manny Ramirez might be a surprise because of his power outage this year, but it’s a really down year for American League left fielders, to the point where he really does float to the top.
All National League Team:
The NL has to go with a 27man roster. Suckers!
C – Russell Martin, LAD (Brian McCann, ATL)
1b – Prince Fielder, MIL (Albert Pujols, STL)
2b – Chase Utley, PHI (Kelly Johnson, ATL)
3b – Chipper Jones, ATL (Miguel Cabrera, FLA)
SS – Hanley Ramirez, FLA (J.J. Hardy, MIL)
LF – Barry Bonds, SFG (Matt Holliday, COL)
CF – Hunter Pence, HOU (Carlos Beltran, NYM)
RF – Ken Griffey, CIN (Brad Hawpe, COL)
SP – Chris Young, SDP
SP – Jake Peavy, SDP
SP – Brad Penny, LAD
SP – John Maine, NYM
SP – Brandon Webb, ARI
RP – Takashi Saito, LAD
RP – Billy Wagner, NYM
RP – Trevor Hoffman, SDP
RP – Heath Bell, SDP
RP – Brad Lidge, HOU
RP – Jason Isringhausen, STL
I’d take Jose Reyes over Hanley and Hardy, but not in a fight.
I’d stick Ichiro in CF over Torii and Grandy. 137 OPS+…yowza.
You are both wrong. Reyes is a very exciting player…really, one of the most fun guys to watch…but Hanley and Hardy are both better with him at the plate and Hardy is a better fielder. Reyes was probably 4th on my list behind Renteria also.
Ichiro is right in line with Hunter and Granderson. I’m giving the other two the nod because of the power they bring over the singles Ichiro does.