Each week, I will be participating in the 2008 MLB Blog Poll at BaseballHappenings.com. Below are my current votes for the Most Valuable Player, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards. These votes will be tabulated among other votes from other blogs to create a running master list of voting as the year progresses. This week is the N.L. voting. Votes were asked to be turned in by the end of Wednesday.
MVP:
1. 1B Lance Berkman, HOU: Perhaps the sole reason why the Astros are surprisingly hanging around in contention has to do with Lance Berkman and his obscene 1.226 OPS.
2. 3B Chipper Jones, ATL: There’s certainly no way he ends the year with a .400 average, much less .418, but boy, this guy is turning in quite the year.
3. 2B Chase Utley, PHI: The best offense in the NL is anchored by Utley, who has a very real possibility of winning a third straight MVP for a Phillie, especially since Berkman and Jones are unlikely to keep this up.
Cy Young:
1. SP Edison Volquez, CIN: For as long as Volquez has a microscopic 1.31 ERA, he has to be taken seriously. How is Cincy not winning with Volquez and Votto on their team?
2. SP Brandon Webb, ARI: A rough stretch has taken a little bit of luster off his fast start, but a 9-2, 3.04 record is still nothing to sneeze at.
3. SP Tim Lincecum, SF: For a team that can’t score offense, they certainly get Tim wins — seven of them — but most of that’s due to Tim’s 2.33 ERA.
Rookie of the Year:
1. C Geovany Soto, CHC: Soto looks to be the next great young catcher to hit the NL, as he has a .304/.403/.573 line.
2. SP Jair Jurrjens, ATL: The relevation has a 2.86 ERA for the Braves, who will build their future, younger rotation around Jurrjens for years to come.
3. 1B Joey Votto, CIN: With the release of Scott Hatteberg, the young first baseman .284/.347/.535 has been handed the starting job with no risk of being Dusty Baker’d.
What do you think? Did I do a good job picking the award winners if the season was to end today?
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Here are today’s starting lineups:
Red Sox
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, RF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Manny Ramirez, LF
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. Sean Casey, 1B
7. Coco Crisp, CF
8. Kevin Cash, C
9. Julio Lugo, SS
SP – Dr. Jekyll
No Youk again tonight, and Drew is sitting with a tough lefty on the mound. Bottom of the order does not look promising.
Mariners
1. Ichiro Suzuki, CF
2. Miguel Cairo, 1B
3. Jose Vidro, DH
4. Raul Ibanez, LF
5. Jose Lopez, 2B
6. Adrian Beltre, 3B
7. Wladimir Balentien, RF
8. Jamie Burke, C
9. Yuniesky Betancourt, SS
SP – Erik Bedard
Not to sound like a cheerleader, but I think Votto has been the most impressive rookie. His average is now over .300, and he’s leading all rookies in homers. Soto is still a good pick though, sky’s the limit for both guys.