Okay, seeing as how we were so good at out post season predictions lets have two more contests. The first is pretty simple - major awards. The rules are simple - one point per correct guess.
AL
MVP - Jeter (pains me to say it and I don't agree, but I do think the voters will award to him)
Cy Young - Johan
ROY - Verlander
Manager - Leyland
Wow, this is not as hard as it looks...... Then again, the NL could be much harder
NL
MVP - Howard
Cy Young - Carpenter
ROY - Hanley (probably the toughest of the group)
Manager - Girardi (again another tough call)
I'm guessing that we will do better as a group with these predictions.
The tougher category will be guess next year's opening day Sox starting lineup, 5 starting pitchers and closer.
Those sound about right. Yeah, NL MOY is tough, but I don't know who else it would be. Maybe Dusty Baker?
ReplyDelete(Speaking of which, remember this?)
Sad but true about Jeter. Here's a great post ripping apart his selection for the Hank Aaron award. I like that already it's become another MVP award; they've already forgotten why the Aaron award was set up in the first place.
(Also, the compilation of David Eckstein articles over at FJM is pretty great.)
ReplyDeleteWell the ohter names I have heard include Willie Randolph, Jerry Narron, and Bruce Bochy.
ReplyDeleteWillie is probably the only other serious suitor. He has his flaws, including having no idea how to use his bullpen, but they did run away with the NL.
Narron might deserve more consideration had they not collapsed - 9 out of ten losses after getting back in the race.
Bochy will suffer in the voting since his team played in relative obscurity, but they did win a division with basically no talented offensive players and their best pitcher was inconsistent all year - to the point they almost traded him (if you believe published reports).
I ahve written a bit about this before, mostly relative to how silly it is to think Manny's production could be replaced by Soriano or Lee, but now Soriano's agent is saying he wants a contract similar to Carlos Beltran. Yikes.
ReplyDeleteNow I know the owners are flush with cash and all. and if you are his agent, why not throw that out there in October.
Soraino has only one season above .900 OPS (and it was barely), he is now on the wrong side of 30, he is not coming off a monster post season like Beltran was, neither NY GM will likely have the open checkbook that Omar did tow years ago (well, actually they might, but the focus will be on pitching).
So I don't know what is more ludicrous - that comparison or Bonds' agent saying he expects all 30 teams to have interest in Barry.