The first quarter of the baseball season has been filled with surprises (see Phillies), punches (see Jose Bautista’s face), strikeouts (see Max Scherzer), and more. Now after 40 games, it is time to hand out the quarter season awards. Some are your typical awards and some are new. Let’s have a look…
American League
MVP- Depending on which metrics you prefer, this could be half a dozen different players. If you like home runs and RBIs, then Robinson Cano is your MVP as he is leading the AL in RBIs with 36 and tied for the lead in HRs with 12. If you prefer batting average, on base percentage, WAR and hits, then Jose Altuve is your MVP as he is leading all of those categories except batting average (he is in second). If you like an all around star who has taken his average team to first place in his division, look no further than Manny Machado whose slash line of .319/.377/.625 is nothing to scoff at. If you are looking for an all around star whose team is below average, look no further than Mike Trout whose OPS is 200 points higher than the next person on his team. He continues to play at an MVP level, but has very little support around him.
Verdict- Robinson Cano
Cy Young- There is not too much convention for this award. Chris Sale looks like the Cy Young winner by a long way. He is 9-0 with a 1.58 ERA. His walks per nine innings is second in the AL, his strikeout to walk ratio is first, his WHIP is a minuscule .717 and his WAR is 3.1. The numbers are there, the results are there, and his team is in first place. Not too much debate
Verdict- Chris Sale
Rookie of the Year- This is a two-man race between Byung Ho Park of the Minnesota Twins and Nomar Mazara of the Texas Rangers. Park has better power numbers, but Mazara’s batting average is more than 70 points higher. Mazara is also nine years younger, so he seems more like a rookie and has more room to improve.
Verdict- Nomar Mazara
Manager of the Year- The biggest turnaround in the AL has to go to the Red Sox. They are tied for the lead in the AL East after finishing last in 2015. They have been hitting so well that David Ortiz may return for another season. They are averaging almost a run more per game than the next team in the AL and they are almost on pace for a 1000 run season. A turnaround like this and the development of young players like Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, and Travis Shaw, can be attributed to a good manager.
Verdict- John Farrell
Team of the Year- There have been some nice turnarounds in the AL. From the White Sox, to the Indians, to the Red Sox and Orioles, the teams with the best records in 2016 all missed the playoffs in 2015. This is a toss up this early in the season.
Verdict- Chicago White Sox
National League
MVP- When looking at MVP candidates after 40, there are few who have completely separated from the pack. In the NL, there are another half dozen candidates for MVP. Daniel Murphy is batting .397 and is leading the league in OPS and Offensive WAR and is second in total bases and doubles. His teammate, Bryce Harper is first in on base percentage and walks, and top ten in other major categories. Yoenis Cespedes is leading the league in Slugging, Home-Runs and RBIs and has accounted for more than 25% of his team’s RBIS. Nolan Arenado is leading in runs scored, tied for the lead in home runs, and tied for second in RBIs. He also has the highest WAR of any position player in the league due to his defensive ability.
Verdict- Yoenis Cespedes
Cy Young- This is a two-man race for now. Jake Arrieta is 7-0 with a 1.29 ERA and a WHIP of .839. He is also the best pitcher on the best team in the league. Clayton Kershaw is 6-1 with a 1.67 ERA and a .700 WHIP. He has only walked four batters in 70 innings. That gives him a strikeout to walk ratio of 22-1. These two are both at the top of their game, and are both un-hittable through the first 40 games of the season.
Verdict- Jake Arrieta
Rookie of the Year- There are plenty of solid rookies in the NL. Steven Matz has pitched well for the Mets, and Kenta Maeda has a 2.87 ERA. But this award will likely go to a batter. Trevor Story of the Colorado Rockies is leading all rookies and is second in the NL with 12 home runs. He is also leading the NL in total bases and tied for the league lead in triples.
Verdict- Trevor Story
Manager of the Year- Best manager for the best team. Also had his team wear this to an away game.
Verdict- Joe Maddon
Team of the Year- The best run differential of any team last year was the Toronto Blue Jays with +221. The Cubs are already at +106. They lead the NL in runs per game at 5.67 and their team ERA is 2.68. They have the best record in the NL and clearly have been the best team so far, especially after sweeping the Nationals in a four game series two weeks ago.
Verdict- Chicago Cubs
All of Baseball
Most surprising team: Has to be the Phillies. They were picked last in the NL East and were predicted to be one of the worst teams in baseball. They currently sit second in their division despite having a negative run differential. They have been exceptionally good in close games, and it that trend regresses to the mean, then the Phillies could be in trouble. Until then, their 24-17 record will continue to surprise.
Most disappointing team: There is disappointment all over the AL, but the biggest disappointment is the Houston Astros. After coming within a misplayed ground ball of beating the Royals in the ALDS last year, the Astros were a good pick to make it back to the playoffs. Instead they have started this season 17-25 which is the second worst in the AL. There is still time to turn it around, but for now the Astros are the most disappointing team of the season.
Best hook: We all know about Rougned Odor’s right hook to Jose Bautista’s chin, but how about this hook.
While he claimed the pitch was an accident, Kershaw’s eephus pitch was a hook that rivals the best punch of an angry second basemen
Biggest home run: This is the easiest award to give out. You can watch this for hours.
Though I guess there is a bit of competition after this bomb by another feared slugger.