April's Award Winners
May 1st 2008 15:28
It's May 1st so that means one thing, Baseballer.com's Awards. Every month basballer.com will hand out a list of awards based on the season to this point. I will give out the following awards you see below and we can look back and see how the season changes over the course of six months. I encourage feedback because these choices are up for debate.
PLAYOFF TEAMS
AL EAST: Red Sox NL EAST: Marlins
AL CENTRAL: White Sox NL CENTRAL: Cubs
AL WEST: Angels NL WEST: D-backs
WILD CARD: Athletics WILD CARD: Cardinals
AWARD WINNERS
NL MVP: Chipper Jones (ATL)
I always believe that the MVP should go to a playoff team but in this case how do you not give the trophy to somebody that is leading the major leagues in hitting with a .410 batting average.
AL MVP: Manny Ramirez (BOS)
His .366 batting average is the best in the American League. He has helped the Red Sox stay atop the division after the team has battled injuries and the flu that swept through the clubhouse earlier his month.
NL CY YOUNG: Brandon Webb (ARI)
He is the best pitcher on the best team in the National League. He is 6-0 with a 1.98 ERA. He has the most wins in baseball and even out-pitched Padres pitcher Jake Peavy last Sunday.
AL CY YOUNG: Cliff Lee (CLE)
Lee has pitched outstanding in the month of April. He leads the majors with a 0.98 ERA and is tied in the American League with five wins. The team only has 13 wins.
NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Justin Upton (ARI)
Many rookies to choose from but Upton is a big part of the D-backs lineup and their success this season. He is currently batting .327 with five home runs and 15 runs batted in.
AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Dana Eveland (OAK)
Eveland makes the pitching rotation out of spring training and has shown he belongs in the big leagues. He struggled Wednesday night against the Angels allowing six runs, but before that the most he allowed was three in any of his previous five starts.
NL RELIEF PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Billy Wagner (NYM)
Wagner has already recorded six saves and still hasn't allowed an earned run. He actually just allowed his first hit on Sunday, snapping a 9-inning hitless streak.
AL RELIEF PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Mariano Rivera (NYY)
The future Hall of Famer hasn't allowed a run in 11 innings and has recorded eight saves. The 38-year-old pitcher still has it.
NL MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Fredi Gonzalez (FLA)
This team is suppose to be in a rebuilding mode but I guess nobody told them. Gonzalez has his team in first place in the NL East with young pitching and an inexperienced lineup. The team's payroll is less that Alex Rodriguez but they are winning.
AL MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Bob Geren (OAK)
His general manager goes and trades their best pitcher in Dan Haren this past offseason. The team has no power in the lineup before signing Frank Thomas. They are comprised of players that can walk down the streets of northern California and without being recognized, but yet they are only one game back in the AL West and would be the Wild Card winner.
NL COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jorge Cantu (FLA)
Last season Cantu played in a total of 52 games with Tampa Bay and Cincinnati. It looked like his career was coming to an end, but now he found a new home in Florida and is hitting .296 as the team's starting third baseman.
AL COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Ervin Santana (LAA)
Last season Santana was sent to the minor because of his control issues. He was 7-14 with a 5.76 ERA. This season he has turned his career around. He is 5-0 with a 2.48 ERA. He had lead his team atop the AL West without their two best pitchers, John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar.
NL BIGGEST DISSAPOINTMENTS (Player & Team): Ryan Howard (PHI) and Padres
Former MVP and Rookie of the Year is batting .172 with five home runs and 12 runs batted in. He has struck out 38 times in 28 games. This is a side of Howard the public has never seen. The Padres were expected to contend for a playoff spot but they currently have the worst record in the National League (11-17). They are already nine games back from the D-backs for first place.
AL BIGGEST DISSAPOINTMENTS (Player & Team): David Ortiz (BOS) and Tigers
Both Ortiz and the Tigers are starting to bounce back after slow starts but they were a disappointment for most of the month. Ortiz is still batting under .200 and the Tigers have won two straight but remain two games under .500. They were suppose to run away with the AL Central division.
PLAYOFF TEAMS
AL EAST: Red Sox NL EAST: Marlins
AL CENTRAL: White Sox NL CENTRAL: Cubs
AL WEST: Angels NL WEST: D-backs
WILD CARD: Athletics WILD CARD: Cardinals
AWARD WINNERS
NL MVP: Chipper Jones (ATL)
I always believe that the MVP should go to a playoff team but in this case how do you not give the trophy to somebody that is leading the major leagues in hitting with a .410 batting average.
AL MVP: Manny Ramirez (BOS)
His .366 batting average is the best in the American League. He has helped the Red Sox stay atop the division after the team has battled injuries and the flu that swept through the clubhouse earlier his month.
NL CY YOUNG: Brandon Webb (ARI)
He is the best pitcher on the best team in the National League. He is 6-0 with a 1.98 ERA. He has the most wins in baseball and even out-pitched Padres pitcher Jake Peavy last Sunday.
AL CY YOUNG: Cliff Lee (CLE)
Lee has pitched outstanding in the month of April. He leads the majors with a 0.98 ERA and is tied in the American League with five wins. The team only has 13 wins.
NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Justin Upton (ARI)
Many rookies to choose from but Upton is a big part of the D-backs lineup and their success this season. He is currently batting .327 with five home runs and 15 runs batted in.
AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Dana Eveland (OAK)
Eveland makes the pitching rotation out of spring training and has shown he belongs in the big leagues. He struggled Wednesday night against the Angels allowing six runs, but before that the most he allowed was three in any of his previous five starts.
NL RELIEF PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Billy Wagner (NYM)
Wagner has already recorded six saves and still hasn't allowed an earned run. He actually just allowed his first hit on Sunday, snapping a 9-inning hitless streak.
AL RELIEF PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Mariano Rivera (NYY)
The future Hall of Famer hasn't allowed a run in 11 innings and has recorded eight saves. The 38-year-old pitcher still has it.
NL MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Fredi Gonzalez (FLA)
This team is suppose to be in a rebuilding mode but I guess nobody told them. Gonzalez has his team in first place in the NL East with young pitching and an inexperienced lineup. The team's payroll is less that Alex Rodriguez but they are winning.
AL MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Bob Geren (OAK)
His general manager goes and trades their best pitcher in Dan Haren this past offseason. The team has no power in the lineup before signing Frank Thomas. They are comprised of players that can walk down the streets of northern California and without being recognized, but yet they are only one game back in the AL West and would be the Wild Card winner.
NL COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jorge Cantu (FLA)
Last season Cantu played in a total of 52 games with Tampa Bay and Cincinnati. It looked like his career was coming to an end, but now he found a new home in Florida and is hitting .296 as the team's starting third baseman.
AL COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Ervin Santana (LAA)
Last season Santana was sent to the minor because of his control issues. He was 7-14 with a 5.76 ERA. This season he has turned his career around. He is 5-0 with a 2.48 ERA. He had lead his team atop the AL West without their two best pitchers, John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar.
NL BIGGEST DISSAPOINTMENTS (Player & Team): Ryan Howard (PHI) and Padres
Former MVP and Rookie of the Year is batting .172 with five home runs and 12 runs batted in. He has struck out 38 times in 28 games. This is a side of Howard the public has never seen. The Padres were expected to contend for a playoff spot but they currently have the worst record in the National League (11-17). They are already nine games back from the D-backs for first place.
AL BIGGEST DISSAPOINTMENTS (Player & Team): David Ortiz (BOS) and Tigers
Both Ortiz and the Tigers are starting to bounce back after slow starts but they were a disappointment for most of the month. Ortiz is still batting under .200 and the Tigers have won two straight but remain two games under .500. They were suppose to run away with the AL Central division.
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