Analyzing MLB awards candidates  – The Aggie

Inspecting the candidates for a number of awards together with as Most Helpful Participant, Cy Younger and extra

By PATRICK FIGUEROA — sports@theaggie.org

 

One of many largest accomplishments for knowledgeable baseball participant is the chance to win an MLB award. Yearly after the postseason, a number of the greatest gamers from the American League (AL) and Nationwide League (NL) obtain awards for his or her excellent performances. Whereas there may be nonetheless a whole lot of time earlier than the winners are introduced, sports activities followers ought to begin attending to know a number of the candidates for these awards to keep watch over all through the postseason. 

 

AL Supervisor of the Yr 

Behind each profitable group, there may be nearly all the time a star supervisor main the way in which. Within the AL, prime candidates for this yr’s award embody Brandon Hyde of the Baltimore Orioles, Scott Servais of the Seattle Mariners and Terry Francona of the Cleveland Guardians. Hyde was capable of lead the Orioles, who had 110 losses in 2021, to an 83-79 file in 2022. Servais led the way in which because the Mariners ended a 20-year playoff drought this season. Francona took the Guardians, the youngest group in MLB, to the playoffs in 2022. 

 

NL Supervisor of the Yr 

Within the NL, the highest candidates for supervisor of the yr embody Rob Thomson of the Philadelphia Phillies, Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Buck Showalter of the New York Mets. The Phillies appointed Thomson as their interim supervisor after firing their former supervisor, Joe Girardi, after a subpar begin to the season. Thomson took over the Phillies, who had a 22-29 file, and led them to the playoffs. By doing so, he was awarded with a contract extension. Roberts led a gifted Dodgers group to a franchise-record variety of wins (111) in a single season. Showalter returned to managing for the primary time since 2018 and led the Mets to 100 wins for the fourth time in franchise historical past. 

 

AL Rookie of the Yr 

This yr’s rookie class had sturdy performances in the course of the season, which catapulted a couple of of them into competition for Rookie of the Yr. Seattle Mariners’ outfielder Julio Rodríguez was the primary participant in MLB historical past to have greater than 25 residence runs and 25 stolen bases as a rookie. Orioles’ catcher Adley Rutschman, the highest MLB prospect in 2021, had a spectacular season with 30 doubles, 55 walks and 13 residence runs. Cleveland Guardians’ outfielder Steven Kwan was essential to the group’s playoff run with a .298 batting common, .373 on-base share (OBP) and 19 stolen bases. 

 

NL Rookie of the Yr 

Two of the perfect rookies this season performed for the Atlanta Braves. Pitcher Spencer Strider and outfielder Michael Harris helped the defending World Sequence champions win 101 games this season. Strider reached 200 strikeouts sooner than anybody in MLB historical past, thus incomes him a contract extension. Harris additionally acquired a contract extension after he hit 19 residence runs, together with 64 runs batted in (RBI) and stellar protection in middle area.

 

AL Cy Younger 

Pitching is essential for fulfillment — having a pitcher who can dominate is a bonus. A few of the AL Cy Younger candidates embody Houston Astros’ pitcher Justin Verlander, White Sox’s pitcher Dylan Stop and Los Angeles Angels’ pitcher Shohei Ohtani. After Tommy John surgical procedure, 39-year-old Verlander appeared like he was in his prime with a league greatest 1.75 earned run common (ERA). Cease completed his spectacular season with a 14-8 file, 2.20 ERA and the third-lowest batting common allowed in MLB (.190). The 2-way phenom Ohtani was nice on the mound with a 2.33 ERA, 219 strikeouts and a 15-9 file.    

 

NL Cy Younger 

The NL additionally featured dominant pitching this season. Miami Marlins’ pitcher Sandy Alcantara had six full video games. The following closest NL pitcher to this quantity of full video games is Philadelphia Phillies’ pitcher Aaron Nola with two. Arizona Diamondbacks’ younger pitcher Zac Gallen had a streak of 44 ⅓ scoreless innings this season. One other younger pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers’ Julio Urias, was additionally excellent with the perfect ERA within the NL (2.16). 

 

AL MVP 

The AL MVP race is a hotly-contested one between two extraordinary gamers. On one facet is New York Yankees’ outfielder Aaron Judge, who had a historic season. Not solely did he lead the league in wins above substitute (WAR), on-base share, slugging share, complete bases and residential runs, however he additionally broke the AL home run record. On the opposite facet is one other participant having a historic season, the beforehand talked about Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani’s two-way expertise make him the primary participant in MLB historical past to qualify for the leaderboards as a pitcher and a hitter. His hitting numbers are simply as spectacular as his pitching numbers, with 34 residence runs, 95 RBI and an .875 on-base plus slugging (OPS). It is going to be troublesome for voters to select between these two phenomenal gamers.

 

NL MVP

  As for the NL MVP, a number of the candidates are St. Louis Cardinals’ first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, Los Angeles Dodgers’ first baseman Freddie Freeman and Padres’ third baseman Manny Machado. Goldschmidt led the NL in slugging-percentage (.578), OPS (.981) and completed prime 10 in residence runs (35) in MLB. In his first yr as a Dodger, Freeman led the NL in OBP (.407) and hits (199) and led MLB in doubles (47). Machado was essential for his group to make the playoffs as he gathered 6.8 WAR, an .898 OPS and hit 32 residence runs. 

With so many nice candidates, voters are going to have a tricky time selecting winners for every award. No matter who wins, all gamers talked about have been mandatory for his or her group’s success. Baseball followers have been fortunate to witness a particular season.

 

Written by: Patrick Figueroa — sports activities@theaggie.org