Batter Up July 9th, 2006

With the all star break looming after today’s games let’s take a look at the top performers in the major leagues this season.

If their first half performances stay on course for the rest of the season these players should garner their league’s postseason awards.

AL MVP: The White Sox are the best team in the AL notwithstanding the distractions of their manager Ozzie Guillen. The best player on the Sox is firstbaseman Jim Thome with former Athletic Jermaine Dye a close second.

If the Red Sox hold on in the AL East David Ortiz will be the reason the BoSox send the Yankees home in October.

Pudge Rodriguez is the MVP of the Tigers. Manager Jim Leyland has done wonders with the moody Rodriguez.

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By the way just got home from the all star game. Excellent baseball. PNC Park is a pleasure. The Roberto Clemente tributes were very moving. Interviewed Chuck Tanner and the original Frank Thomas, a power hitter from the 50’s….. MartyFrank Thomas has to be in the top seven if he continues hitting homers for the A’s.

If the Yanks somehow survive their awful first half, then Derek Jeter will get plenty of votes.

My pick: Jim Thome, he should hit 50 homers and drive in 135 runs for Chicago.

AL Cy Young: I’ll take a starter over a reliever so that eliminates Boston’s Jonathan Papelbon and Toronto’s BJ Ryan. The Twins have Johan Santana and Francisco Liriano, the two best lefties in the league. Chicago’s Jose Contreras wins the award if he goes 16-1, otherwise Toronto stalwart Roy Halladay gets the nod in a very close vote.

AL Rookie of the Year: Papelbon has dominated the league from his first appearance this season. The Red Sox are unbeatable when they have the lead after eight innings. Papelbon is the reason for their success over the first half of the season.

Justin Verlander, Liriano, Joel Zumaya, Kenji Johjima, Mike Napoli, and Curtis Granderson are excellent players, but Papelbon, just like Huston Street in 2005, cannot be overlooked.

NL MVP: I’m not sure the Cardinals will hang on and win the AL Central. Houston is stalking the field while the Cards try to figure out who will be in their starting rotation during the second half. If the Cards lose the division, then Albert Pujols’ 2006 NL MVP trophy goes with them.

The Mets starting pitching is almost as dreadful as the Cardinals, but New York doesn’t have anyone in the East who can challenge them for the title.

With that caveat, the MVP will come from the Mets. Jose Reyes is the most exciting player in the NL. Teammate David Wright is a terrific hitter, but can’t carry Reyes’ glove. Carlos Beltran is quietly having an MVP season. My vote goes to Reyes in a close race with Pujols.

NL Cy Young: There is a reason the AL dominated the NL in interleague play. The pitching in the NL is subpar this season. The Cy Young race is the best example of the mediocre pitching NL batters face each day.

The Mets Tom Glavine, Arizona’s Brandon Webb, and the Giants Jason Schmidt are the three top starters in the league. Whichever pitcher wins the most games at the end of the season gets the award. I’ll say Glavine wins 20. He gets the award even though Schmidt is the most dominant starter in the league.

NL Rookie of the Year: Milwaukee’s firstbaseman Prince Fielder got off to a great start but his average is now hovering in the .270’s. Florida’s second baseman Dan Uggla, a Rule V draftee from Arizona, is crushing the ball for the Marlins. I like good baseball stories and Uggla is one. The Dodgers have three legitimate candidates in outfielders Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp plus catcher Russell Martin. The Nationals thirdbaseman Ryan Zimmerman is a very dangerous hitter late in the game.

I like Uggla in a photo finish over Fielder and Zimmerman.

The Tigers are one lefthanded power bat away from challenging the White Sox and the Red Sox for supremacy in the American League.

Remember this name: Bobby Abreu. He’s available.