TEAMS are reaching the breaking point.
The All-Star break is still more than a week away, but over this weekend clubs will begin to reach the statistical midway of 81 games. So here is our attempt to tell you who has been half-good and half-bad with our annual mid-season awards:
AL MVP – From the outset, this has been a two-man race between Derek Jeter and Manny Ramirez, so I pick Pedro Martinez. Normally I stay away from pitchers for MVP. But in this season of offense, Martinez is making like it is 1968. His dominance has set the tone for the surprising, pitching and-defense Red Sox. How do you get more valuable than that? Ramirez, Jeter, Nomar Garciaparra, Ken Griffey, Rafael Palmeiro and .400-flirter Tony Fernandez accentuate the point about offense in 1999, making them worthy candidates.
AL ANTI-MVP – Gregg Jefferies, Tigers. Never able to field, he was asked to only hit as the DH. He is on the DL with a .211 average.
NL MVP – Arizona’s Matt Williams, enjoying a superb rebound season, edges Jeff Bagwell, Sean Casey and Larry Walker.
NL ANTI-MVP – How do you beat a guy who is a distraction, automatic out and woeful fielder? Take a bow, Bobby Bonilla.
AL CY YOUNG – Martinez. The race for the award is as close as the strikeout race, where no AL team’s top two K-men combined have as many whiffs as Martinez. David Cone and Mariano Rivera are battling for second.
AL ANTI-CY YOUNG – Jeff Fassero was hot in spring trade talks. Those are sighs from the Mets and others who did not acquire him. The Mariner lefty is on pace to allow a record number of homers while pitching to a 7.21 ERA. Baltimore’s Scott Erickson, Texas’ Mark Clark and Kansas City’s displaced closer Jeff Montgomery all deserve discredit, as well.
NL CY YOUNG – Randy Johnson wins because of his high strikeouts, low ERA and 9-5 record. But the most valuable pitchers of the first half have been the Mets’ Armando Benitez and Cincinnati’s Scott Williamson, two fireballing set-up men/closers who have established the tone for awesome bullpens on contenders.
NL ANTI-CY YOUNG – Carlos Perez proved more dangerous to dugout drink containers than NL hitters. Got a three-year, $15.5 million Dodger contract before the season and has gone 2-8 with a 6.92 ERA and a .309 batting average against. Other contenders included Jim Abbott, Gregg Olson and Steve Trachsel.
AL MANAGER OF THE YEAR – Boston’s Jimy Williams is getting more from less for a second straight year. Actually even less than last year because Mo Vaughn is gone and Garciaparra, Tom Gordon and Bret Saberhagen have spent considerable time on the DL. Joe Torre’s value was expressed in the discomfort in the Yankee clubhouse while he was gone. White Sox skipper Jerry Manuel is showing a wonderful nurturing side.
AL ANTI-MANAGER OF YEAR – What a race! Baltimore’s Ray Miller and Anaheim’s Terry Collins are overseeing two disasters. The good thing about their candidacies is that you know it is no fluke because these guys have been awful before. OK, we’ll go with Collins because at least Miller attempted to stand up to Albert Belle.
NL MANAGER OF THE YEAR – Buck Showalter has taken disparate talent and melded second-year Arizona into the NL-West leader. San Francisco’s Dusty Baker and Cincinnati’s Jack McKeon merit consideration.
NL ANTI-MANAGER OF THE YEAR – There are no bigger names in the industry than Davey Johnson, Tony La Russa and Jim Leyland. Johnson’s Dodgers are the biggest flop, so he gets the nod.
AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – A terrific crop. Kansas City’s Carlos Beltran’s all-round excellence edges teammate Carlos Febles and pitchers Freddie Garcia, Billy Koch, Brian Rose, Jeff Weaver and Jeff Zimmerman.
AL ANTI-ROOKIE – Eric Chavez of the A’s was the front- runner for the real award. He started terribly before playing better recently.
NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – Williamson has emerged as a late-game nightmare for Reds opponents. Marlin shortstop Alex Gonzalez and Pirate starter Kris Benson are contenders, and watch out for Benny Agbayani.
NL ANTI-ROOKIE – The real award was conceded to J.D. Drew in the pre-season, but injuries and ineffectiveness have curtailed him.
