Get the Trophies and Banners Ready - Part 2

Jason Budden: Un-Common Sense?

Last week, I recognized the premier performances in the American League through the first week of May. This week, let’s examine the top performances in the National League, at this early point in the season (all stats are through games on May 14).

National League

MVP

Lance Berkman, Houston Astros, .392, 42 Runs, 13 HR’s, 38 RBI’s, 6 SB’s, 1.260 OPS
When I first started analyzing the top players in the National League, I was having a tough time deciding between Lance Berkman, Chase Utley and Chipper Jones. I had this long argument put together analyzing the three players’ stats. I argued that Berkman was the MVP at this point in the season, mainly because he was hitting homeruns and driving in runs late in close Astros games. I was pretty impressed with the thought and analysis that went into this argument.

Then Berkman went on a stretch during which he went 22 for 31 (that’s a .710 batting average) with four homeruns, 11 RBI, seven doubles, two stolen bases and 14 runs scored. During this eight game stretch, he scored in every game, hit homeruns in four and had at least two hits in seven of the eight. This included a five-hit game, four-hit game and two three-hit games. Plus, the Astros went 7-1 during that stretch. Unbelievable! I wasted all that time putting together my initial argument just to have Berkman blow the other two out of the water last week. Thanks for wasting my time Lance!

Runner Up #1

Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves, .415, 27 Runs, 10 HR’s, 31 RBI, 1.158 OPS
What a season for good ole Larry Jones, Jr. If he can get through the season without getting injured I will be surprised, but while he’s healthy, he is going to continue putting up impressive numbers.

Runner Up #2

Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies, .325, 32 Runs, 13 HR’s, 28 RBI, 3 SB, 1.075 OPS
Utley got off to a blazing start, hitting 10 homeruns in his first 22 games. If I had decided to blog about this back on April 24, he clearly would have been the early season favorite for NL MVP. But I didn’t…

Honorable Mention

Considering how bad the AL was, I figured I’d mention these players that are having very impressive starts as well (BA, R/HR/RBI, SB, OPS):

Nate McLouth, Pittsburgh Pirates, .305, 32/10/31, 3, .996
(1999 Team One Midwest)

Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins, .325, 34/9/23, 13, .968

Derrek Lee, Chicago Cubs, .314, 32/10/27, 3, .964


Cy Young

Brandon Webb, Arizona Diamondbacks, 8-0, 2.41 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 41 K’s
This life throws us many curveballs, but there are certain things you can count on. The US Post Office will deliver your letter rain or shine, Chick Fil A is going to be closed on Sunday, Britney Spears will be back in rehab at some point and of course…Brandon Webb will be dominant. Since his arrival in 2003, Webb hasn’t posted a season ERA over 3.59. This year has been no different as he has posted a 2.41 ERA and is leading the league in wins (8). In fact, he has won every game he has started so far this year for the Diamondbacks. Hitters are batting only .197 against him in 2008 and he has been virtually untouchable for righties, who are hitting only .162.

Cy Young Runner Up & Rookie of the Year

Edinson Volquez, Cincinnati Reds, 6-1, 1.12 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 57 K’s in 48 1/3 IP
Volquez is my Cy Young Runner Up and also my early favorite for the National League Rookie of the Year. His only loss this year was a quality start in which he gave up two runs (one earned) in six innings, while giving up only four hits, walking two and striking out nine. He hasn’t given up more than one earned run in any of his eight starts this season. The 24 year old from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, has games in which he has struck out eight, nine and ten batters (twice).

Runner Up

Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs, .315, 17 Runs, 6 HR’s, 26 RBI, .996 OPS
This season has been a roller coaster ride for Soto. He started the season 2 for 10, followed by an 8 for 17 stretch and then another slump. At one point in late April he went 0-8 during a two game stretch, striking out in all eight at bats. He followed up those strikeouts by going 13 for 26 with three homeruns, ten RBI and seven runs. Basically, you never know what you are going to get from Soto on a day-to-day basis, but in looking at the whole picture, you can clearly see a player with amazing potential.

Next week, we’ll crown our early season Champion!

Get the Trophies and Banners Ready!

Jason Budden: Un-Common Sense?

It’s already May, so why not hand out some hardware. Who cares if the season only has one month in the books…let’s crown a champion!

But first, the individual awards…

American League

MVP

Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox, .315, 21 Runs, 6 HR's, 23 RBI, .962 OPS
As of May 5, the top player performances in the AL pale in comparison to the NL. If I were to rank the top 25 position players in the league so far in 2008, that list would include three players from the AL, four at most. That leaves me with little to pick from (seriously, this is brutal). Manny gets the nod based mainly on the fact that David Ortiz is hitting .225 and Mike Lowell is hitting .237 and has driven in two runs this season. Manny has been forced to drive the ship, and he has done an admirable job, leading the Sox to 21 wins, tied for the most in the Majors.

Runner Up

Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers, .300, 16 Runs, 6 HR's, 33 RBI, .878 OPS
If the Rangers weren’t in the basement of the AL West, he would have been my choice. What a remarkable turnaround Hamilton has made over the past few years.

Cy Young

Ervin Santana, Los Angeles Angels, 6-0, 2.02 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 38 K’s
Santana has been a bust the past few years. He was a prospect with outstanding talent that, up to last year, hadn’t delivered on his promise. After going 12-8 with a 4.65 ERA in 2005 and 16-8 with a 4.28 ERA in 2006, many of baseball’s experts picked him to have a breakout year in 2007, but he disappointed with a 7-14 record and a 5.76 ERA, giving up 26 HR in 26 starts. Finally, he has realized what everyone has been saying for a few years. He has the stuff to succeed, and is doing it in 2008. On May 5, he went nine innings giving up four hits and zero runs while striking out nine and walking none of the Kansas City Royals batters he faced.

Runner Up #1

Jonathan Papelbon, Boston Red Sox, 2-0, 10 Saves, 0 Blown Saves, 1.65 ERA, 21 K’s, 1 Walk. He continues to be the best closer in the game, by far, enough said.

Runner Up #2

Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians, 5-0, 0.96 ERA, 0.56 WHIP, 32 K’s
Unheralded started behind C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona, Lee has put up better numbers, and has five of the Indians 14 total wins.

Rookie of the Year

Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox, .275, 25 Runs, 3 HR's, 12 RBI, 11 SB
Ellsbury showed the world that he was ready to make an impact at the Major League level when he hit .360 in 25 at bats during the 2008 Postseason. Terry Francona came into 2008 expecting Ellsbury to contribute as an everyday player and he has not disappointed. In addition to his success on offense, he has not committed an error while playing all three outfield positions including 17 starts in centerfield.

Runner Up

Armando Galarraga, Detroit Tigers, 2-1, 1.87 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 15 K’s
The only bright spot in a pitching rotation that has been brutal. Galarraga leads the club’s starting pitchers in ERA by a full two runs per nine innings over Jeremy Bonderman (4.17 ERA).

We’ll review the National League next time and hand out some more early season awards.