Each week, I will be participating in the 2008 MLB Blog Poll, put together by 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 Monday.
MVP:
1. 2B Chase Utley, PHI: The man already has 10 homers and the month isn’t even over yet. He’s well on his way to making it the third straight Phillie to nab the award.
2. 3B Chipper Jones, ATL: What does it say about Utley that someone hitting .433 ranks No. 2? Age isn’t slowing down Larry at all.
3. 1B Albert Pujols, STL: He’s getting on base over half the time and is a big reason (obviously) why the Cardinals are surprising in the NL Central.
Cy Young:
1. SP Brandon Webb, ARI: I challenge anyone to defend to me not picking a 6-0, 1.98 ERA, 41.0 IP.
2. SP Jake Peavy, SD: Okay, maybe you have a valid point. Peavy’s pitched more than two innings than Webb, but gets demerits for pitching in a pitcher’s park and checking in at 2.09 ERA, 3-1 record (thanks, offense).
3. SP Carlos Zambrano, CHC: Zambrano has a 4-1 record en route to leading the Cubs to top of the NL Central. He checks in at a 2.21 ERA, eighth in the NL but is fourth in innings pitched. The innings total gave him the nod over Edison Volquez and Tim Lincecum.
Rookie of the Year:
1. C Geovany Soto, CHC: The 25-year old has gotten off to a hot start and has a .959 OPS. Can he keep it up? Based on him being the PCL’s (AAA) MVP last year, it’s possible.
2. SP John Lannan, WAS: Lannan can’t possibly keep this up due to his 14/24 BB/K ratio in 30.2 IP, but the fact of the matter is that he has a low 2.64 ERA and has pitched absolute gems the last two times out.
3. RF Kosuke Fukudome, CHC: The Japanese import is still hot and is providing the Cubs with the lefty bat they so desperately coveted these last few years.
