Each week, I am participating in the 2008 MLB Blog Poll at RotoJunkie.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.
MVP:
1. 3B Alex Rodriguez, NYY: A-Rod is a big reason why, even though the Yankees have struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness, they’re still in striking distance of a playoff spot.
2. OF Milton Bradley, TEX: Bradley is simply annihilating opposing pitchers to an unbelievable tune of a 1.039 OPS.
3. RF J.D. Drew, BOS: Who’da thunk? Drew has cooled off some, but he’s still hitting and tied with A-Rod and Bradley in HR.
Cy Young:
1. Cliff Lee, CLE: He’s still pitching effectively at 11-1, 2.34 and has a crucial game against John Danks and the White Sox tonight.
2. Justin Duchscherer, OAK: Dude’s got a crazy 1.91 ERA, but the only thing keeping him from the first-place spot is his 8-5 record. (Regardless of how you view the Cy Young: most valuable or best pitcher, I’m voting as how Cys are perceived in reality.)
3. Joe Saunders, LAA: It’s been said before, I’ll say again: Huge to the Angels’ ability to stay afloat until John Lackey got back.
Rookie of the Year:
1. 3B Evan Longoria, TB: He finally qualifies, and at .267/.341/.523 is incredible and clearly instrumental to how well the Rays have done.
2. SP Greg Smith, OAK: No one expected the A’s to content, and a big reason why they are is Smith.
3. CF Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS: He’s in quite the skid, so he drops to third in the rankings. He’s still got a high number of stolen bases, but his overall offensive game isn’t producing.
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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Roy Halladay isn’t getting any mentions? His six complete games just speaks of his ability to dominate and get through games to save his bullpens. His six losses don’t look to good but i credit that to the weak offense.
8-6, ERA not low enough. 6 CG is crazy impressive, but that might catch up with him…
I don’t know if A-Rod is my MVP pick, I would take Bradley or Hamilton before him.
Amen on Hamilton or Bradley. Jacoby was finally unleashed tonight, and he was his old havoc-wreaking self. Watch him rebound, though Longoria is starting to become a mature force himself. If JD keeps hitting, even at the expected cooled down rate, he will qualify. I was actually surprised tonight when neither he nor Mikey bailed us out with a HR. That surprise is a tribute to their ability to carry this team offensively.