2008 Season Preview - Part 2

2008 Awards

AL MVP: Contenders (Alphabetical) – Miguel Cabrera, Vladimir Guerrero, Travis Hafner, Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez, Vernon Wells.
Winner: Rodriguez

NL MVP: Contenders – Prince Fielder, Matt Holliday, Hanley Ramirez, Alfonso Soriano, Chase Utley, David Wright
Winner: Fielder

I’ve split the Cy Young contenders into 3 categories, C1 – The usuals, C2 – If only they could stay healthy (or are starting the year hurt), C3 – Young arms ready to break out or have yet to show it for more than one season

AL Cy Young:
C1 – Josh Beckett, Roy Halladay, C.C. Sabathia, Justin Verlander
C2 – Erik Bedard, A.J. Burnett, Rich Harden, Scott Kazmir
C3 – Fausto Carmona, Felix Hernandez, Dustin McGowan, Jered Weaver
Winner – Felix Hernandez

NL Cy Young:
C1 – Dan Haren, Roy Oswalt, Jake Peavy, Johan Santana, Brandon Webb, Carlos Zambrano
C2 – Tim Hudson, Ben Sheets
C3 – Matt Cain, Cole Hamels, Aaron Harang
Winner – Carlos Zambrano

I don’t make ROY predictions b/c I haven’t seen enough of them play to make a judgement of my own.

For manager of the year it is really based on how the team does and since the manager has little effect on that (I say + or – 5 wins net in a season) is it worth picking. Just because a team finishes in last place doesn’t mean the manager is bad. Who is to say that the manager on the worst team didn’t actually help them on a net basis win a couple games, whereas the manager on the best team may actually have cost his team a couple games.

Now for the less commonly predicted awards at the beginning of the season.

Gold Gloves – These are how I would vote for them, not necessarily who I think will win as we all know offence is taken into consideration as well as reputation.
Note: I pick my OF’s by their actual position rather than a general OF category

AL
C – Ivan Rodriguez
1B – Lyle Overbay
2B – Aaron Hill
3B – Adrian Beltre
SS – Adam Everett
LF – Carl Crawford
CF – Vernon Wells
RF – Nick Markakis
P – Shaun Marcum

Yes I have 4 Blue Jays, and I could have easily had 5 if not for Rolen`s injury, but I stick to it. Maybe it just comes from watching these guys play everyday. Of course it is hard to go wrong with any of Wells, Suzuki, Hunter, or Sizemore in CF so I side with the Jay.

NL
C – Yadier Molina
1B – Mark Teixera
2B – Orlando Hudson
3B – Pedro Feliz
SS – Jimmy Rollins
LF – Eric Byrnes
CF – Carlos Beltran
RF – Jeff Francoeur
P – Greg Maddux

Silver Sluggers
AL
C – Victor Martinez
1B – Justin Morneau
2B – Robinson Cano
3B – Alex Rodriguez
SS – Derek Jeter
LF – Delmon Young
CF – Grady Sizemore
RF – Alex Rios
DH – Travis Hafner

NL
C – Russ Martin
1B – Lance Berkman
2B – Chase Utley
3B – David Wright
SS – Hanley Ramirez
LF – Matt Holliday
CF – Carlos Beltran
RF – Matt Kemp
P – Carlos Zambrano