Mid Season MVPs and Cy Youngs - American League

by Matt Minucci

God bless the American League!

The 2009 baseball season is more than half over - and some of you are saying, "Thank God!" Not me though. I love baseball. And since I swore I wouldn't start doing my football articles until at least August, I figured I'd take a look at some of the better seasons that are being had by the creme of baseballs hitters and pitchers. At least so far. August tends to have a way from separating the contenders from the pretenders.

Separating the men from the boys in the AL.

Let's take a look at the best hitters after 90 games first, then we'll vet the pitchers.

Several teams can be dismissed out of hand. The Oakland Athletics (38-52, 14 games back), Kansas City Royals (37-54, 11 1/2 gb), Cleveland Indians (36-57, 13 gb) and Baltimore Orioles (41-50, 14 gb) are all having horrendous years. What's more, no one on those teams is having such an amazing year as to warrant consideration for the MVP.

Adam Jones (.304-13-50) and Luke Scott (.297-18-51)are the best Orioles this year, and while both are having solid years, they're nothing special. The Indians are even worse, with Victor Martinez (.290-14-59) and Shin-soo Choo (.287-13-54) being worthy of a passing notice.

Both the Royals and Athletics are so unbelievably pathetic, offensively, that not a single player even comes within a whisper of MVP consideration.

Just a bunch of turds.

Of the remaining ten teams, nine are still right in the thick of their divisional or wild card races - or both. And the race for MVP is incredibly close.

Toronto Blue Jays (46-47, 10 GB)

The Blue Jays started out strong this year but have faded badly of late. Still, they have a slugging OF and a slugging 2B that have put up fantastic numbers this year:

Player           BA  HR RBI 2B SLG TB Runs SB

Aaron Hill      .286  20 60 16  .477 190 52  3

Adam Lind     .305  20 61 28  .556 195 51  1

With 20 HR each and 60+ rbis, Hill and Lind have been the core of a solid Blue Jay lineup, picking up the slack for Vernon Wells and Alex Rios, both having down years.

They both have great numbers, but with the Jays fading and other players on contenders having solid seasons as well, it's unlikely either Jay will net the MVP this year.

Lind's been a hit machine for the Jays this year.

Tampa Bay Rays (51-41, 4 1/2 GB)

The Rays trail the AL East leading Red Sox by just 4 1/2 games with 70 left to play. Part of the reason for the Rays continuing to hang tough has been the stalwart play of two expected all stars and two unexpected heroes.

Player                BA  HR  RBI  2B SLG  TB  Runs SB

Evan Longoria  .283  18  69 27 .534  172  49    2

Carl Crawford   .310   8  40 16  .438  158  61  45

Jason Bartlett  .343   8  40  17  .528  134 45   19

Ben Zobrist     .302  17  52  15  .592  151 52   11

What a quartet! Longoria provides the pop with 18 bombs and a whopping 69 runs batting in. While Zobrist, a former part time player given a chance to play every day thanks to the injury to Ray 2Bman Akinori Iwamura, isn't far behind in HR or RBI and has added a .300 BA and double digit steals. If stolen bases are your thing, Carl Crawford has a league leading 45 swipes and has scored 60 runs. Jason Bartlett is probably the most shocking of all these Rays, with his .343 average.

If the Rays stay in contention deep into September, any one of these four could make a case for MVP, but the guess here is that Evan Longoria will ultimately emerge as the biggest threat, with a probably 30 HR 110 RBI season. Longoria is a threat, but I don't believe he'll ultimately win the award.

Evan rips the ball for the Rays...or do I have the wrong Longoria again?

Seattle Mariners (49-43, 4 GB)

The Mariners are a surprising 4 games behind the division leading Angels and are doing it with solid team play. It's doubtful that any Mariner hitter will finish with a strong enough season to win the MVP, but Ichiro Suzuki is always a favorite of the voters and can always be considered a threat. Ichiro's average is where it always is - at the top of the league, but his other numbers aren't overwhelming. It's actually been a shocking season by journeyman Russ Branyan that has really helped keep the Mariners close -but even his terrific season is unlikely going to be enough to earn him the award.

Player            AVG  HR  RBI  2B  SLG  TB  R  SB

Ichiro Suzuki .359  6  25   18   .474  173  45  19

Russ Branyan .275  22  50  17  .560  167  49  0

There's no shortage of silly Ichiro pics out there.

Minnesota Twins (47-45, 2 GB)

The Twins have a mediocre record, but luckily, play in a mediocre division, so they're right in the middle of things, just two games back of the slumping Detroit Tigers. The Twins lineup is made up of really two main cogs, and both of them can lay a valid claim to the MVP award:

Player                  BA  HR  RBI 2B  SLG  TB  R   SB

Joe Mauer            .367  15  49  13 .609  151  50  1

Justin Morneau     .317  21  71  24  .578  197  61  0

Joe Mauer: Half-man, half machine.

One look at the numbers can tell you that not only is it an incredibly tough call between them as to who is the Twins MVP, but also, which of them has a better shot at the league MVP.  Mauer has an all world .367 average, incredible stats, especially for a catcher, while first baseman Joe Mauer is once more solid, hitting over .300, with a ton of HRs and RBIs.  There's so much time left, it's pointless to predict between these two, but both are top candidates for the MVP right now. I think Mauer will slump, and Morneau has to be the early favorite to be the AL MVP

Of course, Justin Morneau attributes his great season to Satan.

Chicago White Sox  (47-44, 1 1/2 GB)

The White Sox, once thought dead in the AL Central this year, have suddenly woken up to find themselves right in the thick of a pennant race. They've been led by slugger Jermaine Dye and a resurgent Paul Konerko. Both have been solid but not overly spectacular.

Player              BA  HR  RBI  2B  SLG  TB  R SB     

Jermaine Dye   .302  21  58   16  .574  171  58  0

Paul Konerko   .303  17   61   18  .519  166  41  0

Solid numbers for both sluggers but neither can compete with Morneau, Mauer and a few others that are to be mentioned soon.

Jermaine Dye: The Deerhunter

Texas Rangers  (49-41, 3 GB)

The Rangers have been shockingly good this year. They only recently fell out of first place, trailing the Angels now by 3 full games. But they are still right in the middle of things, thanks mainly to Nelson Cruz Jr. and Michael Young.

Player               BA  HR  RBI  2B  SLG  TB  R  SB

Nelson Cruz      .266  23   54  15   .548  167  50 13

Michael Young   .307  11   37  27   .483  170  48  6

Despite a lower batting average, Nelson Cruz has been a hometown as well as a press favorite and could have seriously contended for an MVP award, but he recently broke his finger. It remains to be seen how much time he will miss, but it will definitely hurt his chances in any event. The ageless Michael Young has been solid once again this season, but his overall numbers, will solid, likely won't be good enough to garner him much MVP notice.

Nelson Cruz can rake. Or do I have the wrong Nelson again?

Detroit Tigers (48-42, 1st place)

The Tigers are leading the AL Central, but only barely, over the Twins and White Sox. But with Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson, they are the odds on favorite to win that division. And as such, they automatically get players noticed for the MVP. Here are my two most likely choices:

Player             BA  HR  RBI  2B  SLG  TB  R  SB

Miguel Cabrera  .322 18  51  17   .538  177  52  1

Brandon Inge    .262  21 58   9   .505  154  51  2

Cabrera will contend for the MVP and could easily win it as it looks like he'll compile a .300 avg with 30 HR and 100 RBIs again this season. But my MVP for the Tigers is Brandon Inge, who leads the team in HR and RBI and is batting a respectable .262. He won't get any league MVP notice, but he's really bailed the Tigers out offensively this season.

That's...disturbing.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (52-38, 1st place)

The first place Angels will garner some MVP votes, but there is a stigma attached to the Angels, that their lineup is weak - and it is. But they still have their share of top hitters and four of them - Bobby Abreu, Kendry Morales, Torii Hunter and Juan Rivera are all hitting with authority, but it is Torii Hunter who really stands out as a potential MVP:

Player               BA   HR  RBI  2B  SLG  TB  R  SB

Torii Hunter     .305  17   65   19   .558  159  56  13

Nothing says MVP like cheap shotting Ivan Rodriguez.

New York Yankees (54-37, 1 GB)

Holders of the 2nd best record in the AL and just one game back of the Red Sox, the Yankees are surging out of the break, and it's thanks mainly to Mariano Rivera, solid starting pitching and the hitting of Mark Teixiera, Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano.

Player                 BA  HR  RBI  2B  SLG  TB  R  SB

Mark Teixiera      .280  23  67  24  .550  190  58  1

Derek Jeter         .325  10  37  18  .462  162  57  17

Robinson Cano    .310  13  46  25   .492  179  62  4

You can never tell how the NY voters will go, and Robinson Cano, having a terrific bounce-back season, could get some notice if he continues his season with a strong second half. Derek Jeter is also having a bit of an offensive resurgeance at the age of 35. Leading the Yankees in hitting and with double digit steals and HRs, he's having a terrific season. But it's Mark Teixiera that has been the Yanks MVP, leading the team in HR, RBI, slugging and total bases. He's a shoe-in to finish in the top 5 in MVP voting and could easily win the award. He would have to be one of the early favorites for AL MVP.

Big Tex has come up huge for the Bombers this year.

Boston Red Sox (55-36, first place)

The Red Sox have the best record in the American League, but they're in a tight dog-fight with the Yankees, leading them by just one game. Jason Bay has been the anchor of the lineup, picking up the slack for both the departed Manny Ramirez and the aging wildebeast, David Ortiz.

Player                  BA  HR  RBI  2B  SLG  TB R  SB

Jason Bay          .258  20   72   20  .522  166 57 10

Kevin Youkilis    .298  17  55   22   .574  156 58  4

Kevin Youkilis is also having a solid season for the Sox, but Jason Bay and his AL leading 72 RBIs is their clear cut MVP. Only his low batting average could keep him from winning the award.

Screw you Pirate fans.

So, there you go, the early favorites for the AL MVP.

If I had to rank the top ten, this is how I would rank 'em:

1. Joe Mauer

2. Mark Teixiera

3. Justin Morneau

4. Jason Bay

5. Evan Longoria

6. Miguel Cabrera

7. Torii Hunter

8. Nelson Cruz

9. Derek Jeter

10. tie - Adam Lind/ Jermaine Dye 

Tune back in tomorrow, when we run through the AL Cy Young candidates, then later in the week, we'll tackle the National League.