We are officially at the half-way point in the season, which is really sad. I don’t want baseball to be half over for 2014! I am now going to look back on my predictions from the start of the year and hand out my half-way awards! The awards will be the same basic awards given at the end of the season, but I will only be taking into consideration those who deserve it thus far, not who might deserve it in the long run.
PREDICTIONS FROM SPRING TRAINING:
NL East: Washington Nationals.
My current pick: Washington Nationals. I’m sticking with them because everything is slowly starting to come together for them. So long as Bryce Harper stops micro-managing, I can see this team in the post-season.
NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals.
My current pick: St. Louis Cardinals. Yes, the Brewers have been out of this world during the first half, but don’t put it past the Cardinals to kick it into gear during the second half.
NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers
My current pick: Los Angeles Dodgers. Unless their pitchers get tired, I see no reason for them not to make the post-season. The Giants are suddenly falling apart and the rest of the division is weak sauce.
Wild Card: Giants, Reds, Braves, or Pirates.
Current Wild Card picks: Brewers, Reds, Giants, or Braves. I’m betting on two teams from the NL Central being in the post-season. If the Braves and Giants pick up the pace, they will probably squeak into the post-season, too.
AL East: Tampa Bay Rays.
My current pick: I don’t know. Right now, it seems like Baltimore or Toronto, but this division is turning out to be really weak this year. It’s gonna be all about managing injuries and making smart choices. However, Buck Showalter and Joe Girardi have my vote.
AL Central: Detroit Tigers.
My current pick: Detroit Tigers. This division is tightening up a smidge, but overall, I think the Tigers still have this. They are really good and they have the best pitching staff in the AL Central.
AL West: Oakland Athletics.
My current pick: Oakland Athletics. Just when we thought this team could get any better, they went and got Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammels from the Cubbies. Hello, post-season!
Wild Card: Red Sox, Orioles, Yankees, or Royals.
Current picks: Angels, Royals, and a team from the AL East. With some much uncertainty in this league, it is hard to pick some mid-season winners! Sheesh.
AWARDS!!!!!
Cy Young: Masahiro Tanaka and Adam Wainwright. I think the AL pitcher, Tanaka, is obviously the best candidate. I chose Waino over Kershaw for the NL because Kershaw was out with injury for the first few weeks.
MVP: Mike Trout and Giancarlo Stanton or Troy Tulowitzki. Trout is a no-brainer, duh. I chose Stanton because he has been smacking colossal homers all year and is one of the main reasons the Marlins are sitting in third in the NL East. Tulo has been a dynamo for the Rockies this year, so no explanation needed really.
Rookie of the Year: Masahiro Tanaka and Billy Hamilton. Tanaka over Jose Abreu because Tanaka has saved the Yanks’ rotation and Abreu has been injured. I chose Billy Hamilton because he has given the Reds a spark that they really need.
So, there you have it!
She Steals Second 