MLB AwardWatch Week 22

Editorials and reviews for the modern human

9 September 2009 23 views No Comment

And now to your AwardWatch for Week 22! Things have gotten a whole lot more interesting (well for everyone but El Hombre) thanks to injuries to J.A. Happ and Tim Lincecum. Team records are starting to look more and more important as well. Have a look.

NL:

MVP: Albert Pujols… Nothing new here. Everyone knows that he has been the MVP of the first half and continues to play well. Even as Holliday came back to Earth, Pujols turned on the jets again, and his timely hitting has put St. Louis at the top of the NL discussion (and has them rated as the highest NL team in our Power Rankings). You can pretty much write this one down…

Cy Young: Chris Carpenter… Tim Lincecum's unfortunate injury woes have opened the door for Chris Carpenter to take this year's Cy Young. After not even making the All-Star game thanks to his own missed time, Carpenter has been pretty much the best pitcher in the league since his return. He hasn't lost since June. It's September. He is as hot as his team, and the field of contenders is thinning out.

ROY: J.A. Happ… Tommy Hanson and Randy Wells are nipping at Happ's heals. After two sub-par outings, the rookie was hit with a strain that will keep him out 2 starts. Wells's record won't look great as is (but it will most likely improve) and Hanson hasn't pitched enough innings yet, but things could quickly change next time you read this section.

AL:

MVP: Mark Teixeira… We can't give this award to someone on a team as middling as the Twins. Teixeira, leading the majors in RBIs, deserves it. The Yanks have to be happy with their free agent acquisition, who has put them at the top and will be the best player on that offense in the postseason.

Cy Young: Zack Greinke… Greinke has been far and away the best pitcher in the AL this year. His ERA and strikeout totals are off the charts, and he has simply been the most effective player to take the mound for any team on the Junior Circuit. If you were a smart fan, you wouldn't care about that win total.

ROY: Jeff Niemann… Jeff Niemann has solidified his ROY lead with several good outings, and some help from Ricky Romero, who put together a string of average ones. The Rays have a good young pitching staff, and Niemann is going to continue to be good.