Award Tour

The World Series is nearly underway. And before we know it, the regular season awards will be handed out. But before then, I feel it's necessary I get my say.

I'm still waiting on my membership to the Baseball Writers Association of America to get approved (for some reason I'm not getting much response. I guess that happens when your readership consists of 8 people). Nevertheless, here are my MLB award winners for 2k8.

AL MVP

1. Dustin Pedroia

2. Joe Mauer

3. Josh Hamilton

This one is about as certain as Barack winning the election.

If anything, this signifies that we're clearly in the post steroids era. Take Bret Boone's unreal 2001 season. Boonie hit .331 with 37 HR, 141 RBI and a .950 OPS. Compare that with Pedroia's 2008 numbers, .326 BA, 17 HR, 83 RBI and .869 OPS. Boone finished 3rd in MVP voting in 2001, albeit ingesting roids like the Ultimate Warrior.

Pedroia is a gamer. He also plays a vacuum like second base. He was a big part in getting the BoSox to the playoffs and for that he should be rewarded.

Mauer had a great year playing the most demanding position in the field. But his numbers .328, 9, 85, .864 are just a cut below Pedroia's. The Twinkies missing out on the playoffs (Mauer was 0-3 in the Twins tie breaker game) keeps the trophy from his hands.

Hamilton was the feel good story of the season. Nearly everyone has heard about his story, overcomming a serious drug addiction, only to make it to the bigs and fulfill his freakish talent. Hamilton faded over the season's last two months (7 HR, 26 RBI), but he still had a phenomenal season, at one point looking like he'd have well over 160 RBI.

NL MVP
1) Albert Pujols
2) Manny Ramirez
3) Ryan Howard

This one really isn't that tough. Pujols quietly carried a mediocre Cardinals team, keeping them in contention until September. Pujols is clearly a cut above every hitter in the National League. His .357 BA, 37 HR, 116 RBI and freaky 1.115 OPS is yet another phenomenal season for a guy who could end up being considered one of the best right-handed hitters ever (at his current rate, he'll have over 3,000 hits, 600+ HR's and a career .330+ batting average by 2015).

Some have issue even considering ManRam for the MVP. He only played 60 games with the Dodgers. But in those 53 games, Manny's L.A. Story proved just that. His presence in the lineup reshaped that entire team. He damn near out homered Matt Kemp for the team lead in 100 fewer games. Even though his combined numbers are MVP worthy, Manny simply can't win the award in 1/3 of the season.

Howard is an interesting case. His home run (48) and RBI (146) numbers are solid as a rock (Ashford & Simpson style) . But everything else is abysmal. He struck out 199 times. Hit .251, and had a .339 OBP. It's like saying Ocean's 12 would have been the best out of the series, except for the stupid Julia Roberts plot twist. It just doesn't add up.

AL Cy Young

1) Roy Halladay

2) Cliff Lee

3) Daisuke Matuszaka

I have to agree with Geoff Baker from the Seattle Times on this one. Yes, Lee had a great season. But his win total is really what stands out. Halladay arguably had better numbers, pitching against much better teams on a regular basis. Wins are generally a combination of luck and skill. Halladay didn't have as much luck every fifth day as Lee.

Some might wonder why K-Rod doesn't make the cut. After all, he did annihilate the single season saves record. But like Lee, K-Rod greatly benefited from the position his team put him in. He had more save opportunities than anyone this season and the second most all-time. So given that, he would have had to post an ERA under well below his 2.24.

NL Cy Young

1) Tim Lincecum

2) Brandon Webb

3) Johan Santana

Tiny Tim put together a great year on a terrible team. Webb and Santana were good, but Lincecum was great - and should be for years to come.

AL ROY

1) Evan Longoria

2) Alexei Ramirez

3) Jacob Ellsbury

Despite being an "n" different than Tony Longoria Parker's wife, this Longoria is a stud. He lead all rookies in HR's and finished second in RBI.

Ramirez had the best fielding play this year. He also provided a great bat at 2B for the ChiSox.

NL ROY

1) Geovany Soto

2) Joey Votto

3) Jair Jurrjens

Soto did a great job behind the plate for the Cubbies. He clubbed 23 bombs and hit .285. Votto was under the radar for the abysmal Reds. His numbers compare favorably to Soto, but playing catcher gets Soto extra points in my book.

AL Manager of the Year

1) Joe Maddon

2) Ron Gardenhire

3) Mike Scioscia

This is a no brainer. Maddon kept a young, inexperienced team atop the AL East standings for the entire year. No small feat, especially when you consider he did it with a team that had never won more than 70 games before.

Along with Maddon, Gardenhire got the most out of a team that was supposed to do very little.

NL Manager of the Year

1) Lou Piniella

2) Charlie Manuel

3) Freddi Gonzalez

Sweet Lou couldn't take the Cubs to the promised land. But he did lead them to the best record in the NL by 5 games. Not an easy feat for a franchise that's more accustomed to losing than Walter Mondale.

AL Scott Sanders

1) Carlos Silva

2) Miguel Batista

3) Brian Bannister

Pitchers like Silva and Batista make owners wish all contracts were incentive based. The Mariners teammates earned over $23 million in 2008 and produced an 8-29 record with a 6.36 ERA.

NL Scott Sanders
1) Brandon Backe
2) Barry Zito
3) Jeff Suppan

If you can't keep your ERA below 6, you shouldn't be allowed to pitch at a big league level. Backe (6.05) did little but eat up innings for the Astros.

Zito actually settled down a bit as the season progressed, even finishing with a 2-1 record and a 3.15 ERA in September. Everyone knew he was worth the astronomical contract the Giants gave him in 2006. But at least he's shown flashes that he might be able to regain his Cy Young form.

AL LVP
1) Richie Sexson
2) Jack Hannahan
3) Darci Barton

Big Sexy takes home the trophy for the second consecutive year. For as bad as his 2007 season was, Sexson figured out how to top himself. The pride of Vancouver, Washington hit .236 with 12 HR and a David Eckstein-like .382 slugging percentage, while getting cut by both the Mariners and the Yankees. Unfortunately, it looks like Richie will have trouble completing the trifecta.

The A's damn near fielded an entire lineup of LVP's. No joke.

NL LVP
1) Gregor Blanco
2) Michael Bourn
3) Jeff Francoeur

The speedy Blanco barely slugged over .300. Bourn slugged .300 exactly. But it's Bourn's intent on becoming the real life version of Willie Mays Hayes (41 SB) that keeps him from not winning the award.

After bursting on to the scene as a mid-season call up in 2005, Francoeur's career is in free fall. Francoeur has never been great about getting on base, but he slugged nearly 100 points below his 2006/2007 mark. Francouer is only 24, so hopefully he can figure out where his stroke went.