2007 MLB Awards

AL MVP: In a unanimous ballot the award of course goes to Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees. A-rod’s season was an historical one after mashing 54 HR and driving in 156 he became only the fourth player to go 50/150. All season long he came through for the Yankees including 2 walk off homeruns and a game winning solo shot in Boston against the evil Jonathan Papelbon, and batted .357 and knocked in 22 in the dreaded close and late category.RUNNERS-UP: Magglio Ordonez, Vladimir Guerrero, David Ortiz, Fausto Carmona


AL CY YOUNG: Garnering all but one first place vote the Majors only 20 game winner Josh Beckett of the Boston Red Sox . Beckett came out of the gates smoking his way to a 9-0 record. The rest of the season he was still the most consistent starter in the AL with 200 innings while only walking 40 guys. He had the 6th best ERA in the league at 3.27 and WHIP of 1.14.RUNNERS-UP: Fausto Carmona, Chien Ming-Wang, CC Sabathia, Kelvim Escobar


AL MANAGER: This was a tough award to vote on but the Cleveland Indians of Eric Wedge were the most consistent team in the AL. Coming off a disappointing season last year and a final weekend where they blew a playoff spot Wedge stuck with his team and moved Fausto Carmona into the starting lineup which proved to be a great move. Wedge all year long used his bullpen effectively and outdistanced the clearly more talented Detroit Tigers.RUNNERS-UP: Joe Torre, Mike Sciosia, Terry Francona, Jim Leyland


AL ROOKIE: In early MAy the Angels were looking for a spark so the inserted speedy leadoff man Reggie Willits (he is white). Willits responded by batting .293, stole 27 bases, and had the 10th best OBP in the AL; while being the lineup sparkplug that his team needed. Many a night he was the difference maker infusing his young energy into a veteran team. RUNNERS-UP: Delmon Young, Dustin Pedroia, Brian Bannister, Akinori Iwamura



NL MVP: Okay this was a tough award to pick especially because so much changed throughout the last week and we voted a little early. We only had five candidates but it could have been so many more, consider that we didn't have a candidate from the two best teams in the league, the Diamondbacks and Cubs. Our actual order finished like this: Fielder, Wright, Holliday, Peavy and Utley. But here I am invoking my executive privilage and handing the award to Matt Holliday of the Colorado Rockies, and yes some of this has to do with his gutsy performance last night. Not only that but down the stretch let’s look at what he did; on September 9 the Rockies lost 3-1 to the Padres and Holliday’s averaged dipped to .331, the lowest it had been since July 28th. Then over the next 22 games where the Rockies went 17-5 Holliday raised his average 9 points to take the batting title. The last three weeks he batted .405 11 HR and 25 RBI in 22 games. That is what an MVP does. He finished better in his leagues triple crown race than did Alex Rodriguez, he led two categories and finished 4th in the other. Don’t give me that Coors Field crap either because the only other time a player has had a season like this in Coors Field was by Larry Walker in 1997 and he won the MVP Trophy.


NL CY YOUNG: Again here there were many deserving candidates but throughout the year it came down to Peavy vs. Webb and in our ballot it was no different they finished in a tie for the award. However we need to declare a winner and since he received more first place votes Jake Peavy of the San Diego Padres is the winner. He won the pitchers version of the triple crown by leading the league in Wins, ERA and Strikeouts, becoming the first national leaguer to do it since Dwight Gooden in 1985.
RUNNERS-UP: Brandon Webb, Jose Valverde, Brad Penny, Tim Hudson


NL MANAGER: Though there were many deserving candidates Bob Melvin of the Arizona Diamondbacks was the clear choice. His team finished in the lower portion of the Majors in almost all offensive categories, including 27th in runs, 29th in average and 18th in slugging. On the mound they were pretty good, but nothing outstanding finishing with the Majors eigth best era of 4.13, and somehow had the best record in the National League.
RUNNERS-UP: Ned Yost, Lou Piniella, Charlie Manuel, Clint Hurdle


NL ROOKIE: Again a tough vote because most of the rookies didn’t play the whole season. But since his call up in May Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers was one of the premier power hitters in the national league. Since his call up on May 25th Braun hit 34 homers and drove in 97 runs, compare that to his teammate Prince Fielder who since the same date hit 35 homers and only drove in 87.
RUNNERS-UP: Troy Tulowitzki, Hunter Pence, Yunel Escobar, James Loney