Early Award Candidates

[Il Mago50]

Am I crazy to think that this is still a wide open race. Hamilton, after his ridiculous week when he hit 7-8 homers, has largely fallen off and even struggled to an extent here and there. Miguel Cabrera really isn't setting himself apart. Pujols has been a huge disappointment.

Hence my thinking on this one.

Evan Longoria is due back for the Rays by Wednesday or Thursday. Before he got hurt, he was hitting well above .300 and putting up top 10 production in every category. Furthermore, guys like Zobrist and Pena were playing much better with his presence in the lineup. If he comes back and has the effect he's capable of and puts together a huge rest of the year and is the catalyst for that run starved team, I really think that combined with his Gold Glove D further aiding that great pitching staff could push him to the MVP in the AL.

Dustin Pedroia showed it was possible without having to put up massive numbers.

What do you guys think

[Jeffy25]

Would you have a problem with me making this one thread of all early award candidates? Would rather have that than have 4 different threads with each league and Cy Young/MVP etc.

[popo85]

As an Angel fan watching Trumbo save our offense with the help of Trout. Pujols, Aybar, Kendrick, Hunter and Morales are hitting much lower then there career averages. While Trumbo's hitting has won us many games.

In the AL he ranks
3rd in batting avg .321
8th in home runs 15
10th in rbis 41
2nd in sluggling
4th in OPS

The only reason he doesn't have more home runs and rbi's is in the first weeks of the season Scioscia didn't play him everyday.

[Jeffy25]

To this point, Josh Hamilton is your deserving MVP with Paul Konerko second, Mark Trumbo third and Adam Jones in the top 5.
1st - Hamilton
2nd - Konerko
3rd - Trumbo
4th - Ad. Jones
5th - Ortiz


In the NL, it's Votto. I don't think there is any denying that.
1st - Votto
2nd - Wright
3rd - Braun
4th - Cargo
5th - Ruiz

Cy Young - AL
1st - Verlander
2nd - Sale
3rd - Price

Cy Young - NL
1st - Greinke
2nd - Gio Gonzo
3rd - Cain

NL Cy Young is hardest to separate at this point, the MVP races are pretty easy to this point.

[TrueYankee]

Paul Konerko first...

[popo85]

You guys think with Cargo's road averages , his MVP voting should be much lower?
He is hitting .100 points lower on the road with 5 home runs while he has 12 at Coors.

[Jeffy25]

You guys think with Cargo's road averages , his MVP voting should be much lower?
He is hitting .100 points lower on the road with 5 home runs while he has 12 at Coors.

That's never changed for him. It still matters, but he is still producing, even if the majority of it is at home. That's why we have park adjusted numbers.

[Jeffy25]

Paul Konerko first...

He is hitting just slightly worse than Hamilton and he plays first, while Hamilton is a CF/LFer

[popo85]

For NL i got Votto then Braun.

[fadedmario]

Votto >>>>>

[Il Mago50]

In the NL, I'm not sure how you don't give it to Cain. He's got the lowest WHIP, OBA, and is top 3-5 in every category. If he had an offense that was respectable, he would be at 10-12 wins already because they really costed him early on.

MVP wise, atm I think it's a two horse race between the Joey Votto and Ryan Braun. Braun is statistically superior to Cargo in most categories and has no where near the support or hitter friend park that Cargo has.

In the AL, I really think that David Price pulls out a strong stretch down the line here and snatches the CY Young since it's totally wide open. Verlander might not get it based on fact that people might not vote for him after he set such a high bar for himself last year. Sale will most likely get roughed up at some point once the book gets passed around about him.

FInally MVP wise, I'm not sure Hamilton stays healthy. He has not been the dominant hitter we saw in the early few weeks and because of that, I think it's wide open too.

Can Trumbo or Trout win it? Potentially.

Could Longoria win it in my scenario? Potentially.

Could Konerko win it? Possible

It's really a toss-up

[Jeffy25]

Dickey wants his name in the NL Cy Young argument (back to back one hitters)

[Carlznerson]

Strasburg is probably out of the race due to his inning limit.

[Agar81]

R.A Dickey deserves consideration for Cy Young for the NL...

Edit: I see your post now, nevermind.

[Boston-Born]

Am I crazy to think that this is still a wide open race. Hamilton, after his ridiculous week when he hit 7-8 homers, has largely fallen off and even struggled to an extent here and there. Miguel Cabrera really isn't setting himself apart. Pujols has been a huge disappointment.

Hence my thinking on this one.

[B]Evan Longoria[/B] is due back for the Rays by Wednesday or Thursday. Before he got hurt, he was hitting well above .300 and putting up top 10 production in every category. Furthermore, guys like Zobrist and Pena were playing much better with his presence in the lineup. If he comes back and has the effect he's capable of and puts together a huge rest of the year and is the catalyst for that run starved team, I really think that combined with his Gold Glove D further aiding that great pitching staff could push him to the MVP in the AL.

Dustin Pedroia showed it was possible without having to put up massive numbers.

What do you guys think

Evan Longoria pulled himself out of Monday's rehab game with Triple-A Durham because he felt discomfort in his left hamstring.
Uh-oh. Longoria began his rehab assignment Saturday and was slated to play a full game Monday, but he left in the third inning. His rehab is now officially on hold, as he'll rejoin the Rays in D.C. while the injury heals.

Not so fast...