MLB Midterm Grades for 2009 Predictions

The All-Star game is a time to celebrate the first-half of the season. It's not the mid-point of the season anymore, but it's a logical point to decide how your season is going.

Some like Roy Halladay, Albert Pujols, and the Boston Red Sox are doing good, just like we expected them too, some like Zach Greinke, Nelson Cruz and the San Fransisco Giants have surprised us, and some like the Cubs, and most of their players have disappointed us, but either way we are now going to see how I have been doing on the year.

Way back when, the season just started I predicted how each division will end up and handed out awards to the players I thought would be deserving at the end of the season.

Let's see how I did.

American League East

So here we go, with American League East.

My Predictions
1. Yankees
2. Red Sox
3. Blue Jays
4. Rays
5. Orioles

Current Standings
1. Red Sox
2. Yankees
3. Rays
4. Blue Jays
5. Orioles

I will give myself a B although I only got one team correct, but if the Yankees beat the Red Sox once or twice and took at least two of the three games against Washington, and the Rays didn’t play absolutely amazing the past two months and the Blue Jays haven’t done completely horrible I could be 100 percent correct.

American League Central

American League Central

My Predictions
1. Twins
2. Tigers
3. White Sox
4. Indians
5. Royals

Current Standings
1. Tigers
2. White Sox
3. Twins
4. Royals
5. Indians

I can’t give myself anything better than a C+ for this division, zero teams correct. Every team is playing up to their potential except for the Indians, and honestly who could have seen this performance out of Zach Greinke coming?

It’s still close enough that I could make a comeback and turn it around.

American League West

American League West

My Predictions
1. Angels
2. Mariners
3. Athletics
4. Rangers

Current Standings
1. Angels
2. Rangers
3. Mariners
4. Athletics

The Rangers are somewhat of a surprise to me, but not really with this division, I got the Angels correct so I am giving myself a A-, I said the division was a toss up and really has been especially with Jason Giambi not hitting only helping kill the Athletics, also Seattle is still in contention and could pick up their play.

National League East

National League East

My Predictions
1. Mets
2. Phillies
3. Braves
4. Nationals
5. Marlins

Current Standings
1. Phillies
2. Marlins
3. Braves
4. Mets
5. Washington

I nailed this division, going with an A because I said the Phillies were the likely winners and have the Braves in third.

I also mentioned a New York Mets lineup that has not been seen and the Washington Nationals did not surprise anybody, and the Marlins are playing out of their rear ends, but they are young and could fall apart.

National League Central

My Predictions
1. Reds
2. Cubs
3. Cardinals
4. Brewers
5. Astros
6. Pirates

Current Standings
1. Cardinals
2. Brewers
3. Astros
4. Cubs
5. Reds
6. Pirates

Only got one team correct right now and it’s the Pirates being in dead last, D+.

The Cardinals got everything they needed to be where they are, the Cubs have under performed and the Milton Bradley and Lou Piniella relationship has gone as planned, the Brewers have out hit their mistakes, no one in Cincinnati has done what I thought except for Johnny Cueto, and the Astros have done better than expected, but I may not be completely done yet.

National League West

My predictions
1. Dodgers
2. Diamondbacks
3. Padres
4. Giants
5. Rockies

Current Standings
1. Dodgers
2. Giants
3. Rockies
4. Diamondbacks
5. Padres

I only have one team right, but it is the division leader in the Dodgers, C+. The Giants got the surprise bat in Pablo Sandoval and have pitched so dominantly the rest of the offense has not mattered, the Diamondbacks and Padres are shells of their former selves and the Rockies are close to their 2007 form.

American League MVP

My Prediction: Justin Morneau

With a .311 batting average, 21 home runs and 70 RBI is definitely making a strong case for himself, A-.

But right now he has to worry about teammate Joe Mauer, Ichiro Suzuki, Mark Teixeira (who I picked as a candidate), also Derek Jeter is still in contention, but won’t with Tex and my other sleeper pick candidate Alex Rodriguez who could have a huge second half and could contend, but I am not betting too heavily on him.

National League MVP

My Prediction: Alfonso Soriano

Like other Cubs he is not performing like he is supposed to, D+. Joey Votto as a sleeper pick could have been great if he wasn’t stressed out, and I took a shot not going with Albert Pujols who is by far ahead of any other possible candidate.

American League Cy Young Award

My Predicition Roy Halladay

10-3, 2.85ERA, and three complete games, A, no question in my mind. Greinke and Josh Beckett are strong candidates, but Halladay’s numbers are still better, which gives me the A.

National League Cy Young

My Prediction Carlos Zambrano

The Big Z has only had one win, which came yesterday, since June, but his other numbers are good, B-. Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain are battling each other for it also, Josh Johnson, Adam Wainwright, and Dan Haren should be considered for the award.

American League Rolaids Relief Award

My Pick: Mariano Rivera

He is doing great only blowing one save and is currently second in the league in saves. However Brian Fuentes has more saves and Jonathon Papelbohn and Joe Nathan have significantly lower ERA’s than Mo, which is impressive considering Rivera’s is 2.43.

I still have to give myself a B+ here though. Would have been an A- but the sleeper picks of Troy Percival and Brandon Morrow were completely horrible.

National League Rolaids Relief Award

My Pick Francisco Rodriguez

Going with K-Rod, was a great choice only three blown saves and an ERA under two and tied in the NL lead with 23 saves, A. If I saw the emergence of Ryan Franklin my pick would have been a little better, but K-Rod has done great none the less.

American League Comeback Player of the Year

My Pick Troy Percival

He still has not comeback so the grade can’t be high at all, D+. Paul Konerko and Jorge Posada were other picks I saw and both of them are having great years considering all of the problems the two of them had a year ago. Also my sleeper pick of Alex Rodriguez could still be in the mix.

National League Comeback Player of the Year

My Pick Ivan Rodriguez

Hitting .245 with only seven home runs and 30 RBI he is doing good behind the plate, but I think you have to go with Trevor Hoffman as the comeback player of year right now. So, I will give myself a C.

American League Manny Ramirez Award

My Pick Alex Rodriguez

I think he is still the front-runner for the award, but David Ortiz batting in the low .200’s and every home run he hits is “the one that will turn him around” it’s definitely between these two.

I have to give myself a solid B because Alex has not done anything to hurt the Yankees except not playing like A-Rod.

National League Manny Ramirez Award

My Pick Elijah Dukes

Dukes, is playing so poorly he can not stay in the Majors with the Nationals, but I really think the NL Manny Ramirez would have been Manny, except Juan Pierre and the Dodgers kept the best record in baseball in spite of him.

So I have to go with Milton Bradley is so far the front-runner taking a team that won the division last year and now hovering at the .500 mark in fourth place this year, and fighting with his manager Lou Piniella should not surprise anybody.

American League Carl Pavano Award

My Pick A.J. Burnett

Burnett and Sabathia for that matter have not earned their paychecks, but have shown some promise that they could end the season with good enough numbers that they would be worth the money.

The Carl Pavano Award right now goes to Jason Giambi, his bat was supposed to give the A’s a shot at the division title instead he has hit .192 with only 11 home runs and 40 RBI has it in the bag. My grade B-.

National League Carl Pavano Award

My Pick Manny Ramirez

Ramirez was caught taking performance enhancing drugs and missed over half of the season because of his suspension and I really think I hit the nail on the head here, even though Juan Pierre hit great and made up for the loss of Manny. Another A for me.

National League Dan Wilson Award

My Pick Manny Ramirez

Ramirez was caught taking performance enhancing drugs and missed over half of the season because of his suspension and I really think I hit the nail on the head here, even though Juan Pierre hit great and made up for the loss of Manny. Another A for me.

National League Dan Wilson Award

My Pick Jack Wilson

Not a bad pick now that he has kept the starting shortstop position for himself and rather routinely makes ESPN’s Top Plays and Baseball Tonight’s Web Gems. I would have to give myself a B for this pick, because Chris Carpenter returning and pitching so well over the first half of the year.

Final Summary

So, with the All-Star game tonight, do we really know how the season is going to end? No, of course not. Did anyone expect the Rockies in 2007 to make a run at the playoffs? How about the Rays in '08?

Who knows where the surprises will be, and because of that fact, I may just finish the season perfect or I may end up even worse than I am now, who knows.

But I would not be too surprised to see these two playing later into the season than most.