MIDSEASON has arrived with Seattle dominating the AL West with a touch of the Far East (Ichiro Suzuki), Barry Bonds chasing Mark McGwire and, suddenly, Luis Gonzalez chasing Bonds, and the Devil Rays reminding folks of the 1962 Mets while the 2001 Mets cannot remind anyone of the 2000 Mets.
It has been an interesting season, to date, so let’s take a look at who has been half good – and half bad:
NL MVP – Gonzalez, Diamondbacks. An extremely tough choice, considering Bonds is not only chasing the homer record, but doing it in a down year for Jeff Kent, who hits behind him. But Gonzalez is near Bonds in homers plus has more RBIs and extra-base hits for a first-place team. 1. Gonzalez. 2. Bonds. 3. Sammy Sosa. 4. Cliff Floyd. 5. Lance Berkman.
NL ANTI-MVP – Pokey Reese, Reds. Rey Ordonez, the worst offensive player in the majors, would be an easy choice. But little is expected from him. Reese seemed on the star path, but is among the bottom five now in slugging and on-base percentage.
AL MVP – Manny Ramirez, Red Sox. Like Gonzalez in the NL, Ramirez is challenging for the Triple Crown and, like Bonds, he is doing much to carry a team by himself with Nomar Garciaparra out all season and Carl Everett and Pedro Martinez disabled recently. 1. Ramirez. 2. Juan Gonzalez. 3. Bret Boone. 4. Suzuki. 5. Jason Giambi.
AL ANTI-MVP – Johnny Damon, A’s. Brady Anderson has been the AL’s worst player. But everyone saw the 37-year-old’s fade coming. Damon’s acquisition was supposed to energize Oakland to a title. Except he has shown no ability to play under great pressure/attention.
NL CY YOUNG – Randy Johnson, Diamondbacks. In a toss-up over teammate Curt Schilling. The duo are either first or second in wins, innings pitched and strikeouts. But Johnson has a better ERA and batting-average against. 1. Johnson. 2. Schilling. 3. Greg Maddux. 4. Chan Ho Park. 5. Jon Lieber.
NL CY OLD – Livan Hernandez, Giants. After a 17-11 campaign in which he led the NL in innings, Hernandez appeared an ace. Instead, he has been as mysterious in his fall (6-11, 6.20 ERA, .308 batting average against) as his half-brother, Orlando. Steve Trachsel and Scott Elarton were worthy challengers.
AL CY YOUNG – Roger Clemens, Yankees. This assumes Pedro Martinez’s injury is serious enough that it costs him a chunk of the season because when he pitched he was still the game’s most dominant player. Clemens, still a workhorse/strikeout pitcher at 38, barely beats Joe Mays, the most consistent of Minnesota’s strong trio. 1. Clemens. 2. Mays. 3. Tim Hudson. 4. Andy Pettitte. 5. Tim Wakefield.
AL CY OLD – Albie Lopez, Devil Rays. Dave Mlicki was the league’s worst pitcher, but was traded out of the AL (Detroit to Houston). Lopez (3-11, 5.81 ERA) has not won since April 24 after 11 wins last season indicated promise.
NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – Albert Pujols, Cardinals. The only candidate here who can make a legitimate MVP claim. 1. Pujols. 2. Ben Sheets. 3. Jimmy Rollins. 4. Bret Prinz. 5. Luke Prokopec.
AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – Suzuki. Have you been watching? 1. Suzuki. 2. Josh Towers. 3. David Eckstein. 4. C.C. Sabathia. 5. Chris Michalak.
NL MANAGER OF THE YEAR – Excellent work by Jim Tracy, Don Baylor and Dusty Baker. But let’s acknowledge a guy (Bobby Cox) who has his team in familiar contention without the familiar strength in his rotation and with a weak offense. 1. Cox. 2. Tracy. 3. Baylor. 4. Baker. 5. Bob Brenly.
NL ANTI-MANAGER – Bobby Valentine, Mets. Tony La Russa’s Cardinals are underachieving dramatically, but not in the same world as the Mets.
AL MANAGER OF THE YEAR – Lou Piniella, Mariners. Alex Rodriguez joined Ken Griffey and Randy Johnson out the door, yet Seattle is better than any time in its history. 1. Piniella. 2. Tom Kelly. 3. Mike Hargrove. 4. Joe Torre. 5. Jimy Williams (though his players hate him).
AL ANTI-MANAGER – Tony Muser, Royals. He conned some folks for a while with his gruff, treat-’em-all-like-dogs drill-sergeant act. But he insulted his best player (Mike Sweeney) and has shown no ability to assemble a pitching staff, particularly a bullpen.
