Post by Captain America on Apr 30, 2013 16:39:23 GMT -5
With the first half of the 1999 BBSBL season now in the books, let's recap the first few months and see who would have most likely won certain awards if the season were to end today.
AL MVP: Frank Thomas
I literally just went back and forth between Thomas and Ken Griffey Jr. 3 times before settling on Thomas because he is having the better overall season.
Despite being second in the AL to Griffey in both home runs and RBI, Thomas is batting .332 with a league leading 1.108 OPS (which includes a league leading .430 OBP). He also has 28 home runs and 83 RBI, which are both very solid for the middle of July. Thomas also leads the AL in runs created and is in the top 10 in walks, extra base hits and total bases.
Whether Thomas can hold and win another AL MVP depends on whether the disappointing White Sox can find a way to get back to the postseason and if Thomas can provide better raw statistics than Griffey, Manny Ramirez and others.
NL MVP: Juan Gonzalez
While the second half could provide Rockie slugger Larry Walker with yet another NL MVP, it's clear that the NL MVP of the first half has been Juan Gonzalez of the rival Giants.
Gonzalez leads the NL in home runs (28), RBI (92) and total bases (218) and is in the top 10 in average, slugging percentage, OPS, runs created and extra bases. He has singlehandedly carried the Giants' offense and is a huge reason why they are leading the Rockies by four games, despite the Rockies having a much better overall lineup.
The Giants have recently been considering dealing Gonzalez, who would bring in a massive haul if he actually ends up winning the NL MVP this year. But again, Walker had a very strong second half in 1998 and could definitely repeat the trick this season to add to his large trophy collection. It will be very fascinating to see how this all will unfold.
AL Cy Young: Pedro Martinez
There really is no debate on this one. Pedro has been completely dominating the AL this year and could certainly finish the year with the pitching Triple Crown.
Martinez leads the AL with 15 wins, 18 quality starts, 5 complete games and 175 strikeouts in just 22 starts. He is second to teammate Buddy Groom in ERA at 2.45 and also leads in innings pitched at 176.0. Assuming Pedro stays healthy and keeps up his current pace, he could have one of the best pitching seasons of all time.
NL Cy Young: Paul Wilson
Unlike the AL, there really isn't a clear cut winner yet in the NL, but if I had to choose one NL pitcher, it would have to be Paul Wilson of the Cubs.
Wilson is 10-3 with a 2.21 ERA and 119 strikeouts. He does not lead the NL in any notable categories, but is one of the very few that is in the top 10 in wins, quality starts, ERA and strikeouts.
How the voting will go for the NL Cy Young Award by season's end could be completely different, but for now, Wilson seems to be a reasonable choice.
AL Rookie of the Year: Justin Duchscherer
The choices among AL rookies was not particularly good, but one rookie that has been doing a solid job is Justin Duchscherer of the Yankees. Duchscherer so far has a 7-5 record and a 3.84 ERA for the disappointing, but rebuilding Yankees. We'll see how he does in the second half, and whether it will be good enough to win the award.
NL Rookie of the Year: Alfonso Soriano
On the other hand, the NL has more notable rookies this year, but Alfonso Soriano certainly looks like the best of them all. At just 23, Soriano is batting .309 with 12 home runs, 40 RBI and 14 stolen bases to assert himself as one of, if not the best young and up and coming second baseman in the entire league. This season is just the start of what could be a very productive career.
AL Rolaids Reliever: Jaime Bluma
Bluma currently leads the AL in saves with 21, which he has converted in 26 opportunities. He has a respectable 3.41 ERA and is averaging 3.9 K/9 innings.
NL Rolaids Reliever: Bob Howry
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Play and his Cubs have been getting a lot of attention for their very young and strong rotation. However, as great as that rotation is, it has overshadowed the amazing performance of closer Bob Howry.
Howry has converted 26 saves in 29 chances, while posting a miniscule 0.86 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. He has given up just 4 runs all season and has 27 strikeouts, which is good enough for a 5.8 K/9 innings ratio.
At just 25 years old, Howry could be a rock for the Cubs' bullpen for a very long time and someone that other teams will never want to face in the 9th inning any time soon.
Biggest Surprise (AL Team): Anaheim Angels
At the beginning of the season, the Angels looked like a sub .500 team on paper, but JMich has somehow found a way to get the Angels 15 games over .500 thus far in the season while noticeably trying to rebuild.
The Angels clearly looked like a team that was at least another year or 2 from competing, but the hitting of Jim Edmonds and Tim Salmon has largely carried their offense. On the pitching side, Tim Worrell has had a surprisingly good season with 8 wins and a 2.78 ERA, while Troy Percival has continued to be one of the most dependable closers in the AL.
It's still unknown if the Angels could get past the A's for the division or hold onto their current lead in the AL Wild Card, but they have surprised just about everyone in the league.
Biggest Surprise (NL Team): Cincinnati Reds
The Reds are another team that on paper, looked to be no better than a .500 team. But Stutter, the Reds' new GM had a big free agent spending spree and it has paid off as the Reds could have their first winning record since 1995.
Sammy Sosa has once again led the Reds' offensive charge, while Ken Hill and Keith Foulke have led their rotation and bullpen, respectively. The Reds could get in financial trouble for all their spending, but if they win more and find a way to get to the postseason they could come out of 1999 without too much debt to pay off.
The Reds' offensive future has already arrived with Lance Berkman and Bobby Abreu holding down the outfield. But the Reds' future pitching is still developing in Double A, which includes Josh Beckett, Wandy Rodriguez, Joe Saunders and Nick Neugebauer. Those four could eventually develop into one of the league's best rotations and one that could possibly counter the Cubs' amazing rotation.
Look for an intense Cubs and Reds rivalry to continue to develop for a very long time.
Biggest Disappointment (AL Team): Chicago White Sox
The Mariners would have been the easy choice, but Nanz's existence still remains to be determined as the investigation for his lost body continues.
With that being said, another disappointment in the AL has been the defending AL champion White Sox. They are five games above .500, but they have simply not gotten the same production as they did in 1998. Frank Thomas has had to carry the offense himself, while Mo Vaughn, Albert Belle and Magglio Ordonez have all slumped. The addition of Barry Bonds could give a boost, but that remains to be seen.
The White Sox have also not gotten much pitching from anyone besides Alex Fernandez, but a key deadline trade could possibly occur if Waldo ever makes his way out of the bathtub. All in all, the White Sox were expected to destroy the AL Central again, but that has not been the case so far.
Biggest Disappointment (NL Team): Philadelphia Phillies
Another 1998 postseason team that has been disappointing are the Phillies, who ran away with the NL East last season, but are currently 5 games behind the Braves.
Offensively, the Phillies have gotten production from two of their outfielders in Jay Buhner and Reggie Sanders. However, their pitching has faltered. Reigning co-NL Cy Young Award Winner Mike Grace and Hideki Irabu have both pitched well, but not as dominant as 1998, while Charles Nagy and Mike Williams have struggled. Ricky Bottalico also has taken a step back, despite the Phillies' bullpen being very solid overall.
The Phillies are not completely out of contention. They could still make a run at the NL East title or the NL Wild Card, but this time around, it will not be easy because the competition has gotten deeper.
The Phillies' only competition for the NL East division title would be the Braves, but the Wild Card race includes the Cubs, Astros, Reds, Rockies, and even the pesky Dodgers. The NL Wild Card has always been one of the most unpredictable races, and the 1999 race should not be any different.
I hope you all enjoyed the All-Star break as we move onto the second half of the season. What big trades will go down? Who will emerge as a legitimate postseason contender? Will any teams choke their leads away? Stay tuned, folks!
AL MVP: Frank Thomas
I literally just went back and forth between Thomas and Ken Griffey Jr. 3 times before settling on Thomas because he is having the better overall season.
Despite being second in the AL to Griffey in both home runs and RBI, Thomas is batting .332 with a league leading 1.108 OPS (which includes a league leading .430 OBP). He also has 28 home runs and 83 RBI, which are both very solid for the middle of July. Thomas also leads the AL in runs created and is in the top 10 in walks, extra base hits and total bases.
Whether Thomas can hold and win another AL MVP depends on whether the disappointing White Sox can find a way to get back to the postseason and if Thomas can provide better raw statistics than Griffey, Manny Ramirez and others.
NL MVP: Juan Gonzalez
While the second half could provide Rockie slugger Larry Walker with yet another NL MVP, it's clear that the NL MVP of the first half has been Juan Gonzalez of the rival Giants.
Gonzalez leads the NL in home runs (28), RBI (92) and total bases (218) and is in the top 10 in average, slugging percentage, OPS, runs created and extra bases. He has singlehandedly carried the Giants' offense and is a huge reason why they are leading the Rockies by four games, despite the Rockies having a much better overall lineup.
The Giants have recently been considering dealing Gonzalez, who would bring in a massive haul if he actually ends up winning the NL MVP this year. But again, Walker had a very strong second half in 1998 and could definitely repeat the trick this season to add to his large trophy collection. It will be very fascinating to see how this all will unfold.
AL Cy Young: Pedro Martinez
There really is no debate on this one. Pedro has been completely dominating the AL this year and could certainly finish the year with the pitching Triple Crown.
Martinez leads the AL with 15 wins, 18 quality starts, 5 complete games and 175 strikeouts in just 22 starts. He is second to teammate Buddy Groom in ERA at 2.45 and also leads in innings pitched at 176.0. Assuming Pedro stays healthy and keeps up his current pace, he could have one of the best pitching seasons of all time.
NL Cy Young: Paul Wilson
Unlike the AL, there really isn't a clear cut winner yet in the NL, but if I had to choose one NL pitcher, it would have to be Paul Wilson of the Cubs.
Wilson is 10-3 with a 2.21 ERA and 119 strikeouts. He does not lead the NL in any notable categories, but is one of the very few that is in the top 10 in wins, quality starts, ERA and strikeouts.
How the voting will go for the NL Cy Young Award by season's end could be completely different, but for now, Wilson seems to be a reasonable choice.
AL Rookie of the Year: Justin Duchscherer
The choices among AL rookies was not particularly good, but one rookie that has been doing a solid job is Justin Duchscherer of the Yankees. Duchscherer so far has a 7-5 record and a 3.84 ERA for the disappointing, but rebuilding Yankees. We'll see how he does in the second half, and whether it will be good enough to win the award.
NL Rookie of the Year: Alfonso Soriano
On the other hand, the NL has more notable rookies this year, but Alfonso Soriano certainly looks like the best of them all. At just 23, Soriano is batting .309 with 12 home runs, 40 RBI and 14 stolen bases to assert himself as one of, if not the best young and up and coming second baseman in the entire league. This season is just the start of what could be a very productive career.
AL Rolaids Reliever: Jaime Bluma
Bluma currently leads the AL in saves with 21, which he has converted in 26 opportunities. He has a respectable 3.41 ERA and is averaging 3.9 K/9 innings.
NL Rolaids Reliever: Bob Howry
"]Play and his Cubs have been getting a lot of attention for their very young and strong rotation. However, as great as that rotation is, it has overshadowed the amazing performance of closer Bob Howry.
Howry has converted 26 saves in 29 chances, while posting a miniscule 0.86 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. He has given up just 4 runs all season and has 27 strikeouts, which is good enough for a 5.8 K/9 innings ratio.
At just 25 years old, Howry could be a rock for the Cubs' bullpen for a very long time and someone that other teams will never want to face in the 9th inning any time soon.
Biggest Surprise (AL Team): Anaheim Angels
At the beginning of the season, the Angels looked like a sub .500 team on paper, but JMich has somehow found a way to get the Angels 15 games over .500 thus far in the season while noticeably trying to rebuild.
The Angels clearly looked like a team that was at least another year or 2 from competing, but the hitting of Jim Edmonds and Tim Salmon has largely carried their offense. On the pitching side, Tim Worrell has had a surprisingly good season with 8 wins and a 2.78 ERA, while Troy Percival has continued to be one of the most dependable closers in the AL.
It's still unknown if the Angels could get past the A's for the division or hold onto their current lead in the AL Wild Card, but they have surprised just about everyone in the league.
Biggest Surprise (NL Team): Cincinnati Reds
The Reds are another team that on paper, looked to be no better than a .500 team. But Stutter, the Reds' new GM had a big free agent spending spree and it has paid off as the Reds could have their first winning record since 1995.
Sammy Sosa has once again led the Reds' offensive charge, while Ken Hill and Keith Foulke have led their rotation and bullpen, respectively. The Reds could get in financial trouble for all their spending, but if they win more and find a way to get to the postseason they could come out of 1999 without too much debt to pay off.
The Reds' offensive future has already arrived with Lance Berkman and Bobby Abreu holding down the outfield. But the Reds' future pitching is still developing in Double A, which includes Josh Beckett, Wandy Rodriguez, Joe Saunders and Nick Neugebauer. Those four could eventually develop into one of the league's best rotations and one that could possibly counter the Cubs' amazing rotation.
Look for an intense Cubs and Reds rivalry to continue to develop for a very long time.
Biggest Disappointment (AL Team): Chicago White Sox
The Mariners would have been the easy choice, but Nanz's existence still remains to be determined as the investigation for his lost body continues.
With that being said, another disappointment in the AL has been the defending AL champion White Sox. They are five games above .500, but they have simply not gotten the same production as they did in 1998. Frank Thomas has had to carry the offense himself, while Mo Vaughn, Albert Belle and Magglio Ordonez have all slumped. The addition of Barry Bonds could give a boost, but that remains to be seen.
The White Sox have also not gotten much pitching from anyone besides Alex Fernandez, but a key deadline trade could possibly occur if Waldo ever makes his way out of the bathtub. All in all, the White Sox were expected to destroy the AL Central again, but that has not been the case so far.
Biggest Disappointment (NL Team): Philadelphia Phillies
Another 1998 postseason team that has been disappointing are the Phillies, who ran away with the NL East last season, but are currently 5 games behind the Braves.
Offensively, the Phillies have gotten production from two of their outfielders in Jay Buhner and Reggie Sanders. However, their pitching has faltered. Reigning co-NL Cy Young Award Winner Mike Grace and Hideki Irabu have both pitched well, but not as dominant as 1998, while Charles Nagy and Mike Williams have struggled. Ricky Bottalico also has taken a step back, despite the Phillies' bullpen being very solid overall.
The Phillies are not completely out of contention. They could still make a run at the NL East title or the NL Wild Card, but this time around, it will not be easy because the competition has gotten deeper.
The Phillies' only competition for the NL East division title would be the Braves, but the Wild Card race includes the Cubs, Astros, Reds, Rockies, and even the pesky Dodgers. The NL Wild Card has always been one of the most unpredictable races, and the 1999 race should not be any different.
I hope you all enjoyed the All-Star break as we move onto the second half of the season. What big trades will go down? Who will emerge as a legitimate postseason contender? Will any teams choke their leads away? Stay tuned, folks!
