Jul
12
2011

First Half Awards – MMO Staff Weighs In

An article by XtreemIcon

While the All-Star Break doesn’t occur after exactly 81 games, it’s routinely thought of as the halfway point. The first half is over and the second half is about to begin. So just as we were polled at the start of the season, the staff here at MMO was asked to give out their first half awards. Let’s see how they stacked up to the early-season predictions.

The National League looks like this:

Not one of the four players picked at mid-season for the MVP was picked at the start of the season, although Ryan Braun was picked early and is putting up MVP-caliber numbers.

As for the Cy Young Award, several people picked Roy Halladay, although Jair Jurrjens made nobody’s ballot at the beginning of the year, yet comprised all but one of the votes not cast for Doc at the break.

Five different players were supported for the Rookie of the Year Award, with Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa garnering the most votes. Dillon Gee followed, then Freddie Freeman and Craig Kimbrel. The future is bright for the National League East.

Manager of the Year by consensus goes to Clint Hurdle. What he’s done with that Pirates team is nothing short of mind-boggling. Our own Terry Collins fell just one vote short.

Moving on to the American League:

Jose Bautista edged out Adrian Gonzalez 7-6 for the MVP award, but Bautista got zero votes at the start of the season. He’s proving literally everyone wrong.

Jered Weaver did not get anyone’s pre-season vote, but Verlander and Sabathia were represented. Verlander is the run-away favorite, garnering more than half the votes cast.

The AL Rookie of the Year goes to Michael Pineda in a landslide, with honorable mention going to MarkTrumbo.

Manny Acta was as decisive a win for Manager of the Year as was Pineda in his category. Joe Maddon saw some votes for keeping the Rays in the hunt despite losing Carl Crawford, Carlos Peña and Rafael Soriano in the off season.

Let’s also revisit some of the statistical categories the staff weighed in on and see where we stand.

In the NL, Dan Uggla, Albert Pujols and Joey Votto were the hopefuls for the home run crown. Pujols ranks tied for 6^th, but Uggla and Votto rank 19^th and 21^st, respectively.

For the batting crown, predictions were made for Pujols, Votto, Troy Tulowitzki, Buster Posey, Carlos Gonzalez and Ryan Braun. Props to the Votto fans, as he ranks second behind you-know-who. Honorable mention to Dave for his Braun pick. Ryan ranks 5^th in the league.

Stolen bases was a two-horse race between Michael Bourne and Jose Reyes. As expected, they are 1-2 in the standings, with Reyes trailing the Astros centerfielder by five.

Moving back to the American League, votes were cast for Alex Rodriguez, Miguel Cabrera, Adam Dunn, Josh Hamilton and Adrian Gonzalez for the league leader for home runs. Cabrera is alone in 9^th place and Gonzalez is tied for 10^th.

The batting race was wide open, as seven players received votes. Props to Satish , the lone Miguel Cabrera supporter. Even though Cabrera ranks only eighth, no one else’s pick ranks in the top 15.

Six of the fastest guys in the AL were all given support for the most stolen bases and mostly they didn’t disappoint. Jacoby Ellsbury, Elvis Andrus, Rajai Davis and Brett Gardner all rank in the top five.

Let’s put those comment hats on. Who are your first half award winners?

About the Author: Jesse Elgarten

23 Comments + Add Comment

alex68 July 12, 2011 at 4:06 pm

lance berkman MVP of the National league???? is that guy serious?????? people, check mr jesseP award and see exactly what i’ve been saying all alone, this guy is not a mets fan or do this to create argument and controvercy.. freeman ROY?? only a braves fan would think that, espinosa and kimbrell or even gee are having better season!!!!!!!!!!!

please mr, give us exactly why you pick berkman as your MVP instead of REYES who is the obvious choice here, and freeman who’s hitting 274 11 43 ahead of espinosa who’s line is 245 16 52 and playing good defense 6 errors to freeman’s 5 in 8 more games? or even kimbrall who got 27 saves??
please explain!!!!
Satish Ram July 12, 2011 at 4:15 pm

I would be really pleasantly surprised if Reyes wins the MVP for a few reasons.

The main one is that usually, making the playoffs or not (the team the player is on) tends to matter into the decision unless the numbers are that AMAZING.

If Reyes continues his numbers throughout the rest of the season, I see no reason to take him out of the MVP conversation, however.

I might have blown it on the Manager of the Year for NL, though. Heh.
Annie Savoy July 12, 2011 at 4:27 pm

Jessep – Yes, my MVP is Derek Jeter who has given more time to his team than anyone I know – particularly since he was named Captain which is a 24/hour job. Also during the last years of George Steinnbrenner’s life, Derek took on some of his responsibilities.
- Satish Ram July 12, 2011 at 4:32 pm
  
  Annie,
  
  I have to disagree as well.
  
  Being captain is a hard job, yes, but I’m sure the 15 million makes a convincing case for anybody to be happy with that job.
  
  I also think if he got any kind of MVP consideration based on character, it should be taken away for dropping the ball on the AS game.
- Donal July 12, 2011 at 4:46 pm
  
  Why is being “The Captain” a 24 hour job? What does he do other than get more photo ops? Does he put in extra time with new Yankees or guys struggling on the field? What does he do that veteran players on other teams don’t do? What does it do other than sell more merchandise?
  
  And how does it translate in the 2011 MVP race, when he hasn’t been the best on his team or at his position? Hell, he hasn’t been the best on his team at his position.
- jessep July 12, 2011 at 4:29 pm
  
  Oy… Annie I’m sorry but you are way. way off base.
  
  Derek Jeter gets paid $15million a year to wear that C. You don’t get an MVP Award simply because your on the yankees and it’s a hard job.
jessep July 12, 2011 at 4:17 pm

Why I picked Lance Berkman:

Leads the entire NL in OPS
Leads the entire NL in HR
4th in the NL in RBI
3rd in NL in OBP
3rd in Runs Created per 27 outs
24th in Batting Average
Plays for a team currently leading it’s division (tie)
Plays for a team that relies heavily on Pujols who has had a below par year and was out for 2 weeks. Berkman helped keep them afloat during that time.

I think it’s a perfectly acceptable argument. Why is he less valuable than Reyes? I also counted Braun against Prince otherwise I would have given it to Prince. Berkman’s 1st half was too good.
- alex68 July 12, 2011 at 4:27 pm
  
  reyes leads the LEAGUE in BA
  leads the league in HITS
  Leads the league in TRIPLE
  2nd in Runs
  lead a team filled up with triple A player and to quote you “players who don’t represent the future” to a 1 win less than the cardinals. please bro, your statement is to create an argument you can’t win!!!!!!!!
  i will once again say it, YOU ARE NOT A METS FANS, IS OBVIOUS FOR YOU SIMPATHY FOR OTHER TEAM AND PLAYERS FROM OTHER TEAMS when the players in our team are doing good and helpings right the ship till wright and co come back from injuries, yet if other team do it you praised them yet the mets are not even contender, you praise berkman for having a season of ages, yet he’s also a free agent to be and never mention a word, he’s playing for a contract, yet reyes is having an all world season and assuming you, he’s doing it for the money… go figure!!!!!!!!!
  - jessep July 12, 2011 at 4:35 pm
    
    Runs Scored: 3rd
    Hits: 6th
    Triples: 4th
    
    So really if Michael Bourn improves his .285 batting average then he’s got a chance for MVP also?
    
    I’m not saying Reyes wouldn’t finish top 3 or 4. I’m saying Lance Berkman was most valuable to a team that would make the playoffs. He is a run producer, and playing on a team where he was expected to do almost nothing and sit back and watch Albert run the show.
    
    If Berkman doesn’t have that season, St. Louis isn’t tied for the Division
    If Reyes doesn’t have that season, the Mets are still out of the wildcard race.
    
    Weren’t you the one who told me playoffs are valuable? Reyes is most valuable to a 3rd place team. Berkman most valuable to a 1st place team.
    
    I’m not saying a vote for Reyes isn’t valid. You’re the one saying a vote for Berkman isn’t valid, and you’re wrong.
    - Nester July 12, 2011 at 5:42 pm
      
      If you considered WAR, which takes all aspects of defensive and offensive performance into one reliable measure, nobody in the NL is better than Reyes. I believe Berkman ranks 17th. In fact, Carlos Beltran is having a better season than Berkman. Top 3 NL – Reyes, McCutchen, Kemp
      
      http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=nl&qual=y&type=8&season=2011&month=0&season1=2011&ind=0
      - XtreemIcon July 12, 2011 at 5:50 pm
        
        Nester, I disagree. I don’t think WAR is reliable at all. First of all, there are three different calculations and three different results. Strike One. Strike Two is the inclusion of UZR into the calculation, which is an unreliable stat in and of itself. You need three full seasons for UZR for it to be at least a decent measurement. Strike Three is that WAR says McCutchen is just as valuable than Reyes. Ask yourself if McCutchen and Reyes are in the same ballpark.
        
        Nester July 12, 2011 at 6:04 pm
        
        I wouldnt say WAR is perfect, it has flaws like all metrics new and old. But it is reliable and if you look at the WAR leaders year by year and compared them to MVP and Cy Young rankings, you will see how remarkably adept it is. As to your UZR argument, it’s a fact that the more data you have the more accurate UZR becomes, but even in small one yer sample sizes it’s not as far off as some suggest. Lance Berkman earns every bit of his -6.5 UZR which should be considered in the overall performance when comparing players. Some WAR calculations use UZR/150 which is a slight improvement. Regarding McCutchen versus Reyes that’s where common sense comes in and you consider their value and scarcity based on position. Reyes wins in a landslide.
        
        Off topic – I see Hurdle is getting much credit for Pirates success why not McCutchen too?
        
        XtreemIcon July 12, 2011 at 7:10 pm
        
        I give McCutchen a lot of credit. I just don’t see how a metric that uses UZR can be used to guage half a season. Career WAR, now that’s another story.
        
        Trufan July 13, 2011 at 1:13 pm
        
        “Ask yourself if McCutchen and Reyes are in the same ballpark.”
        
        their wOBA (or OPS if you prefer that) are close enough, and even by conventional scouting McCutchen is considered an excellent CF. Plus McCutchen has played 8 more games than Reyes, so to say that they are not in the same ballpark is nonsense.
      - jessep July 12, 2011 at 6:04 pm
        
        Nester, yah sorry I’m not using WAR. I don’t remember an MVP winner who won because of his WAR do you?
        
        Again I’m not saying Reyes isn’t a legit candidate. For me though, I’m taking the run producer on a division winning team that was without its best hitter for 2 weeks and he was expected to do NOTHING this year.
        
        Nester July 12, 2011 at 6:09 pm
        
        How many weeks have the Mets been without Wright and Davis? Reyes could easilly have 15-20 more runs without Bay, Murphy and Paulino logging time at cleanup. Reyese has clearly had more of a disadvantage than Berkman and if they swapped park factors this debate vanishes like Jimmy Hoffa.
        
        jessep July 12, 2011 at 7:08 pm
        
        Park Factors? You mean the ones that say less runs are scored at Busch than Citi? Barely as many HR hit at Busch than Citi? Busch which surrenders the least amount of hits? Citi being Top 10 in triples?
        
        If you want to tell me Reyes is more deserving than Berkman. I’m fine with that. I’m not saying you’re wrong. I’m saying you’re wrong for not giving a nod to Berkman as a legitimate candidate. But do NOT use “park factors” as your defense because Busch Stadium certainly wasn’t built for Lance Berkman like Citi was built for Jose.
        
        Have you ever seen Berkman’s home/road splits?
        
        .273 avg 6hr 25 rbi compared to .305 on the road with 18 hr and 38 rbi
        
        jessep July 12, 2011 at 7:12 pm
        
        In fact when you mention home ballparks in comparison of Reyes to Berkman… you are begging for Reyes’ major stats to be discounted!
jessep July 12, 2011 at 4:20 pm

My few questions

Can somebody explain to me how you’d vote Collins over Hurdle?

By the way Annie. Your MVP Derek Jeter?

Really?
- XtreemIcon July 12, 2011 at 5:22 pm
  
  Jessep, Collins is doing an outstanding job. Not a bad choice. I gave Hurdle the nod, and Gibson and Collins followed.
  - jessep July 12, 2011 at 5:24 pm
    
    I agree.
    - jessep July 12, 2011 at 5:37 pm
      
      Does saying Collmenter is a better Rookie candidate than Gee mean I hate Gee also?
      
      I picked Espinosa because he has the high power #s. I’d prolly expect it to go Espinosa/Kimbrel/Collmenter top 3. Not sure why Gee is a better rookie than Kimbrel or Collmenter?
      - XtreemIcon July 12, 2011 at 5:42 pm
        
        Because he plays for the METZ!!11!
        
        If Gee isn’t the Cy Young, ROY and front runner for the Nobel Peace Prize, you hate the Mets and kick small puppies.

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