Week 20 of awards Wednesday:
AL MVP
1. Alex Rodriguez, Yankees. 2. Magglio Ordonez, Tigers. 3. Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners. A-Rod has 42 homers, 121 RBIs and 115 runs with just under a quarter of a season left. Would you like to know the list of Yankee righty hitters that have reached those totals in a full season? That would be Joe DiMaggio in 1937 and A-Rod in 2005. (Previous leader: Ordonez).
AL ANTI-MVP
1. Nick Punto, Twins. 2. Josh Barfield, Indians. 3. Juan Uribe, White Sox. It is not Nick Puntoâs fault that the Twins keep giving him regular plate appearances, but that decision is as big as any to explain why the Twins have fallen out of contention. In the organizationâs history, the lowest batting average for a player who qualified for the title was Zoilo Versalles, .200 in 1967. Punto is at .201. (Previous leader: Ivan Rodriguez, Tigers).
NL MVP
1. Prince Fielder, Brewers. 2. Albert Pujols, Cardinals. 3. Matt Holliday, Rockies. Chase Utley was the front-runner for this award when he was injured and now he is due back soon. Is there still enough time for him to push his way back into consideration? (Previous leader: Fielder).
NL ANTI-MVP
1. Marcus Giles, Padres. 2. Stephen Drew, Diamondbacks. 3. Juan Pierre, Dodgers. There have been a lot of days this year when the Padre starting infield included Giles (.294 on-base percentage) at second, Khalil Greene (.277 OBP) at short and Kevin Kouzmanoff (.289 OBP) at third. (Previous leader: Giles).
AL CY YOUNG
1. Erik Bedard, Orioles. 2. Dan Haren, Aâs. 3. Johan Santana, Twins. That franchise-record 17 strikeouts suggests Santana wants to defend this award. (Previous leader: Bedard).
AL ANTI-CY YOUNG
1. Mike Mussina, Yankees. 2. Jose Contreras, White Sox. 3. Odalis Perez, Royals. More and more, Mussina looks like David Cone from 2000, a once-star pitcher trying â and failing â to survive with a significant downgrade in his stuff. (Previous leader: Horacio Ramirez, Mariners).
NL CY YOUNG
1. Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks. 2. Jake Peavy, Padres. 3. Brad Penny, Dodgers. There are two starting pitchers in the majors who have worked at least 120 innings and have a batting average against of under .200: San Diegoâs Chris Young (.184) and the Metsâ Orlando Hernandez (.195). (Previous leader: Webb).
NL ANTI-CY YOUNG
1. Livan Hernandez, Diamondbacks. 2. Dontrelle Willis, Marlins. 3. Jeff Suppan, Brewers. Suppan, coming off his superb Cardinal postseason, was supposed to be Milwaukeeâs rock, especially for a $42 million package. But he is 8-10 with a 4.89 ERA and opposing hitters are batting .302 against him. (Previous leader: Adam Eaton, Phillies).
AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
1. Daisuke Matsuzaka, Red Sox. 2. Hideki Okajima, Red Sox. 3. Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox. A clean Boston sweep, though the Kansas City pair of Brian Bannister and Joakim Soria plus Baltimoreâs Jeremy Guthrie all deserve serious consideration. (Previous leader: Matsuzaka).
NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
1. Ryan Braun, Brewers. 2. Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies. 3. Tim Lincecum, Giants. Braun has 24 homers, but is not the rookie leader, that honor goes to Arizonaâs Chris Young, who has 25 homers and 21 steals, but also 97 strikeouts and just a .289 on-base percentage. (Previous leader: Braun).
SPECIAL AWARD OF THE WEEK
FIVE BEST LEFTY SET-UP MEN
1. Hideki Okajima, Red Sox. 2. Rafael Perez, Indians. 3. C.J. Wilson, Rangers. 4. George Sherrill, Mariners. 3. Scott Downs, Blue Jays. Eric Gagne has struggled since heading to Boston, but his replacement in Texas, Wilson, has graduated from set-up man to go 6-for-6 in closing games.
FIVE BEST TEAMS
1. Red Sox. 2. Angels. 3. Yankees. 4. Mets. 5. Mariners. It is about that time that we start giving some love to the Mariners, who refuse to go away. (Previous leader: Red Sox).
FIVE WORST TEAMS
1. Devil Rays. 2. Pirates. 3. Reds. 4. Nationals. 5. White Sox. Stunning fact: Two teams in the AL East are over .500 in one-run games: Toronto, which is 22-20 and the Devil Rays, who are 15-14 in one-run games and 32-64 otherwise. (Previous leader: Devil Rays).
