Awards Show

Jason Michael Barker

With the season winding down, I thought I'd take a quick preview of the various post-season awards that will be handed out in just over a month. Keep in mind that I'm not overly concerned with who will actually win these awards, but rather who I feel should win them. For example, in choosing the MVP and Rookie of the Year, don't expect me to be swayed by batting average and RBI. Likewise, I don't put much stock in how many wins a pitcher has, because run support plays a big role in that.

American League Cy Young
Pedro Martinez, Pedro Martinez, Pedro Martinez. This one is about as clear-cut as they come -- you can't even make a reasonable argument for any other pitcher in the league. Go ahead and try, I'll wait. Here are his numbers in case you aren't familiar with them: 28 games, 204.1 IP, 154 H, 38 BB, 300 K, 22-4 record, 2.11 ERA.

All of those numbers are fabulous, from the strikeouts to the ERA to the .9396 WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched). The one that stands out to me, however, is his strikeout to walk ratio of nearly eight to one. Eight to one! As good a season as he had in 1997, Martinez might be even better this year when you consider that he spent half of 1997 at pitcher-friendly Olympic Stadium, whereas this season he's pitched roughly half his games at hitter-friendly Fenway and has had to deal with the designated hitter.

National League Cy Young
This one is a bit more difficult, although there still aren't all that many candidates. There are in fact three of them, and you can probably name all three: Randy Johnson, Mike Hampton, and Kevin Millwood (subtract one point from your score if you said Greg Maddux; subtract five for Carlos Perez).

Johnson has been his regular dominating self, Hampton is having a career-best season, and Millwood has progressed faster than most people ever thought he would. As for their numbers, each has something to offer. Millwood has allowed the fewest runners per nine innings, Johnson leads the group with 342 strikeouts and a 2.53 ERA, and Hampton has the best record (20-4) despite the highest ERA (3.03).

In case you're concerned about park effects (and I'm normally not overly so, at least outside of Coors), the BOB in Arizona and Turner Field in Atlanta were basically neutral last season, while the Astrodome has always favored pitchers.

To cut to the chase a bit, I'm going with the Big Unit. Not only does he have the best ERA of the three, but he's simply more dominating than either Hampton or Millwood. "Dominance" may not mean anything to you, but since these are my choices I'm going to run with it. For those of you troubled by his 15-9 record, please keep in mind that Johnson had a four-start span during which the D-Backs managed just six hits and no runs. He allowed just six runs in that same span, but lost all four games. Johnson has also lost two other games this season in which he's allowed just two runs -- he could easily have 19 or 20 wins, and then there wouldn't be any debate.

American League Most Valuable Player
If you thought the NL Cy was complicated, then you won't like the race for AL MVP, where you can make a case for a number of candidates -- Rafael Palmeiro, Manny Ramirez, Nomar Garciaparra, Derek Jeter, and even Pedro Martinez, if you're a fan of pitchers for MVP. If there was ever a time for a pitcher to win the MVP, Pedro '99 is it. Personally, I think the MVP should go to a hitter, so I won't discuss the merits of Martinez' chances in this space.

Palmeiro and Ramirez don't deserve any extra credit for their defensive contributions, while Garciaparra and Jeter both play the most important defensive position on the field, and do so quite well. Particularly Jeter, who has made just 13 errors in 146 games this season. If you're a fan of OPS (on-base plus slugging), the four are ranked as follows: Ramirez 1.105, Palmeiro 1.070, Garciaparra 1.024, Jeter .994. Incidentally, Ramirez, Palmeiro and Garciaparra are one two and three in the league in OPS.

Who gets my vote? I think I might have said this spring that Ramirez would win the MVP (I know I thought it, at least), and I'm not going about to change my mind now. He's having a phenomenal season -- first in the league in slugging (.661), second in OBP (.444), third in runs scored (123), fourth in homers (40), seventh in walks (89) and even first in RBI (146), if you're into that sort of thing.

National League Most Valuable Player
At last, an award with only two real choices -- Jeff Bagwell and Chipper Jones. There are a number of players having MVP-type seasons, including Bobby Abreu, Edgardo Alfonzo, Brian Giles, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire, but for my money it's all about Bags and Chipper.

Both Bagwell and Chipper have carried their teams this season, and both have done so in the absence of a key offensive contributor -- Bagwell's Astros have been without Moises Alou all year, and the Braves have certainly missed Andres Galarraga. It's an incredibly close race, and one I'm not willing to decide quite yet.

Too close to call? You bet. Jones has 43 homers, Bagwell 42. How about OPS? Try practically a dead-heat -- through Monday's games, Bagwell held a .0003 edge, 1.07 to 1.067.

Both players are in pennant races, and this MVP race has yet to be decided. If one player carries his team the last week or so of the season, I'll give him the edge. Chipper Jones presented his opening argument Tuesday night when he hit two homers to lead the Braves over the Mets, but there's still a bit of baseball to be played.

This is getting a bit lengthy, so to wrap things up...

Manager of the Year
In the AL I'm going with Oakland's Art Howe, and in the NL, Cincinnati's Jack McKeon. The two teams present similar stories -- low payroll, patch-work pitching staff, some good young players, and overall good management.

In case you're wondering about my Rookie of the Year picks, they'll be presented in the final Rookie Roundup of the season, which will also feature my position-by-position all-rookie squad.

about the author

Jason Michael Barker isn't one to brag, but he invented the protective cup. Mention that he must be a big hit at parties at jmb@strikethree.com.