Baseball is Poop

Whoa-Oh We're Halfway There Edition

More than half the teams have played 80, 81 or 82 games so now's the perfect time to give out some midseason awards, update our record chasers and check in on our dynamic duos.

American League MVP
Because I firmly believe this award should include an evaluation of an individual's value to his team's record, and not a best player award, I feel compelled to give Vladimir Guerrero the nod over A-Rod and Magglio Ordonez. I eliminate A-Rod because despite his gaudy stats his team has a sub-.500 record. I don't go with Mags because Guerrero has more homers and RBI, but has scored 20 fewer runs, proving that the Angels lack protection in the lineup like Magglio has in Sheffield. Plus, the Angels have the majors best record, someone deserves the credit.

National League MVP
This one was even more difficult because the guy having the best year (Matt Holliday) is in fourth place, the one guy who is carrying a plus .500 team has missed a lot of games due to injury (Chipper Jones) and the best team in the league has two equal candidates (JJ Hardy and Prince Fielder). I'm going to go with Prince Fielder here because he's first in homers and second in RBI and even though his batting average isn't great (.278) he's fourth in the league in OPS. I also get the feeling that he's the one who has made the Brewers lineup tough for pitchers to face.

American League Cy Young
Dan Haren, this one isn't even close. He's 10-2 with an ERA half a run better than anyone else in the league. He hasn't lost since April 7th, and with better offense and defense in his first two starts (when he allowed 1 ER in 13 innings), he could be 12-0 or better (he got no decisions in 4 games in which he pitched great). But I predict by the end of the season Johan Santana will once again be the clear choice in the AL.

National League Cy Young
This one comes down to Brad Penny and Jake Peavy. Although Penny has a better record and a better ERA, I think the way in which Peavy has pitched (maybe it's the strikeouts) shows more dominance, which is why I will go with Peavy. Plus I think he has the better chance to keep up this performance in the second half.

American League Rookie of the Year
Because Daisuke hasn't been all that impressive, because Jeremy Guthrie doesn't have enough starts, because Delmon Young and Alex Gordon haven't produced yet, because Fausto Carmona and James Shields pitched too many innings last year, I'm going to give this award to Hideki Okajima. It's rare that a middle reliever wins anything, but with a 0.88 ERA in a weak field, I'm going with Okajima. Beyond just stats, what I've seen of him, he's been nearly unhittable.

National League Rookie of the Year
Without a doubt, this goes to Hunter Pence. He is just a few plate appearances shy of being third in the league in hitting. He's also got 9 homers and 38 RBI and he will likely win the Rookie triple crown by the end of the year.

Managers of the Year
Ned Yost is obvious in the National League and even though the Indians were supposed to be good right now Eric Wedge looks like the choice in the AL.

Not Manager of the Year
Mariners manager Mike Hargrove could have been considered for that award, having that team in contention for the division and the wild card. But Hargrove quit suddenly, and during a 7-game winning streak, saying he lost his motivation.

Record Chasers Update
Back when the season was about a third completed I checked in on some guys having remarkable seasons and chasing all-time records:

Curtis Granderson: 15 triples, off the pace for the record of 36, but could put up a huge number

Magglio Ordonez: 34 doubles, still on pace for 68, one better than the record, but he probably needs to hit them in bunches soon

A-Rod: On pace for 56 homers and 160 RBI and about 10 more New York Post covers

Prince Fielder: With 27 homers he could break daddy's family record

Dynamic Duos
Brad Penny and Derek Lowe: 18-8, 2.51 ERA (Juice's favorite duo)
Jake Peavy and Chris Young: 17-5, 2.11 ERA (best duo)
Dan Haren and Chad Gaudin: 17-5, 2.52 ERA (best American League duo)
Ian Snell and Tom Gorzelanny: 14-9, 2.98 ERA (best duo you've never heard of)
John Maine and Oliver Perez: 16-10, 2.93 ERA (Mets duo)
Justin Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman: 18-4, 3.38 ERA (best record, longest last names)
CC Sabathia and Fausto Carmona: 21-6, 3.46 ERA (most wins)
John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar: 20-8, 3.17 ERA (unheralded duo)