MLB Update

As we grow nearer and nearer to the MLB All-Star Game on July 13th in Anaheim, now could be an interesting time to look at how awards’ races and standings are shaping up before players and teams gear up for the 2nd half of the season. Many of the battles for awards and playoff spots are tight, while certain players and teams are standing alone after superb starts. Here is how some of the awards races have played out so far and which players seem to be closer to securing the awards then others:
AL MVP: 1. Robinson Cano, 2B, New York Yankees: Cano has had a phenomenal season so far for the Yankees, leading all of baseball with a .372 average. He’s also had impressive power numbers, 14 homers and 49 RBIs, to go along with Gold Glove caliber play at second base. His Yankees are tied with the Rays for the first place in the AL East, and also show baseball’s best record with the Rays, even with the struggles of Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira thanks, in a large part, to Cano.
2. Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Detroit Tigers: Cabrera is in a close 2nd behind Cano if it weren’t for his batting average plummeting over the past few weeks, and the fact that Cano is usually a better hitter in the 2nd half of the season. Cabrera had been maintaining an average over .350 until as recently as June 6th, but has recently fallen to .332. His power certainly hasn’t been depleted seeing as he currently leads MLB with 19 homers and 59 RBIs. His Tigers are only 1.5 games behind the Twins for first in the AL Central, and they seemed poised to pass them because of Cabrera.
NL MVP: 1. Ubaldo Jimenez, SP, Colorado Rockies: It’s not very common for a pitcher to win MVP. In fact, it hasn’t been done since Dennis Eckersley won both the AL MVP and AL Cy Young awards in 1992. This is due to the fact that many voters believe that the pitchers already have their own award, the Cy Young Award, and shouldn’t be allowed to win MVP. Nevertheless, the combination of Ubaldo’s dominance with the lack of an outstanding hitter in the NL makes the possibility of the trend being broken. Jimenez has mowed down nearly all opposition with ease, going 13-1 with 88 strikeouts, two shutouts, and an outstanding 1.15 ERA. Did I forget to mention that he threw the Rockies first ever no-hitter in April and that in his one loss, he only gave up 1 run on 2 hits. Jimenez is the only thing keeping the Rockies afloat as they sit at 34-32 in 4th place in the NL West. He is the easily the best player in baseball, and barring a gigantic meltdown, he should easily wrap up the NL MVP and NL Cy Young awards.
2. Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds: The fact that Albert Pujols isn’t listed here is probably a shock to most, but Pujols’ wonderful start has shattered. While he still has quality numbers, 15 homers, 49 RBI, and a .308 average, the lack of his former ability has hurt his Cardinals, who are a half a game behind Votto’s Reds for first in the NL Central. Votto has played a huge role in the Reds’ success this season with great stats of his own, 14 homers, 43 RBI, and a .307 average. His stellar hitting along with excellent fielding at 1st base has helped resurrect the sorry Reds club that had dwelled in the bottom half of the division for the last decade. If the voters decide they don’t want a pitcher as MVP, it appears that Votto would have the best shot to dethrone the 2-time defending NL MVP Pujols from his pedestal above the NL.
AL Cy Young: 1. David Price, SP, Tampa Bay Rays: The hype has finally become a reality for 24 year-old sensation David Price, who has finally pitched up to the incredible expectations baseball fans had for him. He owns an impressive 10-2 record to go along with a 2.31 ERA and 64 strikeouts, and his efforts so far have helped the Rays acquire a tie with the Yankees for baseball’s best record at 41-25. If he can maintain this level of performance, the Rays should have no trouble finding themselves playing deep into October.
2. Clay Buchholtz, SP, Boston Red Sox: Another youngster making a successful living in the hitter-laden AL East, the 25 year-old already has already thrown a no-hitter, which was in his 2nd career start in 2007, been sent down to the minors, and worked his way back into the Red Sox rotation. He is now the leader of that rotation, and if he can propel the 3rd place Red Sox into the playoffs, he should definitely deserve consideration for the award named after the former Red Sox great. He is currently 9-4 with 58 strikeouts and a 2.67 ERA. He also threw a shutout this season.
NL Cy Young: 1. Ubaldo Jimenez, SP, Colorado Rockies: As previously stated, Jimenez would need to completely fall of the tracks to lose his grip on the NL MVP and Cy Young awards. Ubaldo has put up ridiculous numbers for a sub-par squad, and despite a lack of run support, he has been the biggest part of making 2010 the year of the pitcher.
2. Adam Wainwright, SP, St. Louis Cardinals: If Ubaldo were to have an unfortunate implosion during the 2nd half of the season, the man most likely to scoop up the Cy Young would probably be Wainwright. He has 97 strikeouts to complement a 9-4 record and a 2.41 ERA. If the Cardinals want to make it into the postseason, Wainwright will definitely have to be the focal point from a pitching perspective. He was a World Series hero before and has the stuff to take the Cardinals back to the Fall Classic once again.

Of course, anything can change over the course of half a season. Anyone can get hot, anyone can go into a slump, and anyone can get hurt. One thing to be sure of is the fact that when it all comes down to it, the true best players will be able to step up in the end and carry their teams to the next level, with a few of them adding a prestigious trophy (or 2 in Ubaldo’s case) to their collections.