So...the All-Star Game has come and gone, and we saw yet another American League victory. Once upon a time the National League completely dominated the All-Star Game (from 1963-85, the AL's only wins came in 1971 and 1983). Or so I've heard. I wouldn't know. Since 1988, which is about as far back as I can actually remember (and, coincidentally, the last time the All-Star Game was in Cincinnati), the AL is 21-6-1 in the Midsummer Classic.
As for the All-Star festivities, the Franchise Fours had some dubious selections, the All-Star hats have really got to go, and the new format for the Home Run Derby is awesome. I love the clock and the head-to-head element. It wasn't really fair that Prince Fielder hit the second-most homers in the first round and was eliminated, but that can be tweaked. Most importantly, even though it really didn't go much quicker than previous Derbys (it still took two and a half hours, when the average time until last year was generally around 2:45), it sure felt like it. The pace was so much better.
And now that we've moved on from the All-Star Game, it's time to look forward to the second half. Who's going to move at the trade deadline, and who's going to strike the first blow? We'll soon find out. But first, let's look back at the first half. Time to choose midseason winners for each of the five major awards in each league.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
MVP: Mike Trout-Stop me if this sounds familiar. MLB's favorite player, he's putting up MVP-type numbers again. An AL-leading 26 home runs, a .312 average, .405 on base percentage and a league-best .614 slugging percentage. Oh yeah, he also leads the American League with 68 runs scored. And, of course, he's playing a Gold Glove center field. Josh Donaldson is Canada's choice, and he's having a great year in Toronto, but the Blue Jays are a fourth-place team. The Angels are in first. Everyone knows that Anaheim goes as Trout and Pujols go. With the two of them tied for the league lead in homers, is it a surprise that the Angels are in first place? It's Trout's fourth year in the Majors. He finished second to Miguel Cabrera twice, then won the MVP last year, after winning MVP of the All-Star Game. That second straight All-Star MVP is already down. If he keeps up his first half pace, the second straight AL MVP won't be far behind.
Cy Young: Dallas Keuchel-You want a reason why the Houston Astros have been baseball's surprise contender thru three months? I've give you one. Dallas Keuchel. This guy's a legitimate ace, and he's outperforming every other starter in the American League. He was a no-brainer choice to start the All-Star Game. Keuchel's tied for the AL lead in wins (11), is second in ERA (2.23), third in WHIP (1.00), fourth in batting average against (.208), and seventh in strikeouts (114). Oh, and he's thrown a league-high 137.1 innings and given up just seven home runs. Just like Astros Franchise Four pick Nolan Ryan, Keuchel goes out there and finishes what he starts. Not a single bad outing all year (five runs in six innings at Seattle is the worst) for a team that's been in first place all season.
Rookie: Carlos Correa-Yes, he's only been in the Majors a month. But in an uninspiring AL rookie class, he's head-and-shoulders above the rest. Jacob de Grom wasn't called up until June last year, and he won the NL award, so there's a precedent for Correa being the winner here. And in lieu of anyone who's played all year really standing out, I've got to give Correa the nod. If you're not comfortable with that and prefer someone who's been around all season, I submit Oakland's Billy Burns, but he's no Carlos Correa. Correa's played just 32 games and has 37 hits, 17 of which were either a double or homer. He's slugging .507, which is higher than any American League rookie, and his 19 RBIs are right up there with everyone that's been playing since April. Oh, and did I mention he's the best defensive shortstop in the AL? That's why people wanted him on the All-Star team after just three weeks.
Comeback Player: Alex Rodriguez-This is really down to three guys. But I give A-Rod the slight edge over All-Stars Mark Teixeira and Prince Fielder because his success is the most unexpected. Teixeira and Prince were both injured (you could even throw Albert Pujols into this conversation if you want), so you figured that if they were healthy, they'd put up the numbers you know they're capable of. Coming off hip surgery and a year-long suspension (at almost 40!), you had no idea what A-Rod was going to do. What you got was a return to the form that made him one of the best offensive players of his generation. A-Rod's a big reason why the Yankees are in first place at the break.
Manager: A.J. Hinch-Easy call here. Everyone knew the Astros were on the verge of not sucking anymore, but most people thought they were at least another year or two away from contending. Wrong! Houston had the best record in the AL for a good portion of April and May, and the Astros were holding down first place in the AL West pretty much all season until the Angels caught them over the weekend. Whether or not they stick around all season and contend for a playoff spot remains to be seen, but after the first half, this is the one award that is most clear.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
MVP: Bryce Harper-If they actually did vote for NL MVP right now, this one would be unanimous. At least it better be. Because Bryce Harper has been far and away the best player in not just the National League, but all of baseball, over the first three months of the 2015 season. Keep in mind, he's only 22. All the Bryce Harper haters (I don't understand why there are so many) need to realize that he was just 17 when the Nationals took him No. 1 overall and all of 19 when he was called up to the Majors. And this is the first time he's fully healthy. So now we're finally seeing the player that Bryce Harper really is. Is that enough to make people stop saying he's overrated?
Cy Young: Zack Greinke-Originally, I was thinking Gerrit Cole here. Until I compared their numbers and saw it's not really that close. Greinke started the All-Star Game over Cole for a reason. It's not just that scoreless inning streak (it's a good thing Mike Trout's leadoff homer on Tuesday doesn't count). Greinke's ERA is 1.39 (it hasn't hit 2.00 all season), he's held opponents to a .191 average and his WHIP is a ridiculous 0.84 (only Max Scherzer's is lower among ERA qualifiers). He's only 8-2, but has eight no decisions, and the Dodgers are 12-6 in his starts. Oh yeah, and Greinke's shortest start this season was six innings (and he was probably lifted for a pinch hitter the couple times he did only go six). I wouldn't begrudge you a Cole vote. Pittsburgh's 14-4 in his starts, and he's a legitimate ace on a team that's making a run in the NL Central. But I give the edge, ever so slightly, to the Drysdale to Clayton Kershaw's Koufax.
Rookie: Joc Pederson-Remember at the end of Spring Training when everyone was up in arms that Kris Bryant wasn't breaking camp with the Cubs? Yeah, me neither. He had to wait three weeks to get called up, but is still one of the principal contenders in the closest midseason race of them all. But it's because of those three weeks that I give the slight edge to Pederson. He put on a show in the Home Run Derby, didn't he? The Dodgers traded Matt Kemp because they though Joc was ready for the Majors, and boy were they right. Not only does he hit a home run in seemingly every at-bat, he plays a great center field, which has really shored up that Dodger defense. Looks like the team with more Rookies of the Year than anybody will get another one.
Comeback Player: A.J. Burnett-I'm sure there are plenty of candidates for this one, but I doubt there's a story that's better than A.J. Burnett's. He had three excellent years in Pittsburgh after the thing with the Yankees didn't work out, then signed with the Phillies as a free agent and had a miserable 2014 season. This year he returned to Pittsburgh and made the All-Star team in what he's said will be his final season. For all the crap he's gotten during his career (mainly from Yankees fans), it's nice to see a good guy like A.J. Burnett get that honor in his last year. In 2013, Mariano Rivera won Comeback Player of the Year and retired. I wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happens a fellow 2009 World Champion this year.
Manager: Mike Matheny-You'd be perfectly justified if you said Joe Maddon or Terry Collins or even Don Mattingly would be your choice for NL Midseason Manager of the Year. But I've gotta go with Mike Matheny. Yes, it's the Cardinals' turn in the rotation to win the NL pennant, but I don't think anyone expected them to be this good right now. St. Louis got off to that ridiculous start, is unbeatable at home, and got to 50 wins quicker than any team in the last like 10 years. All this in the NL Central, which currently has three teams in playoff position. The Cardinals end up in the playoffs pretty much every year, but they haven't been this good (let alone dominant) in the regular season since 2004.
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