With less than two weeks to go in the 2008 regular season, it's time to look back over the last 5 1/2 months and decide which players have truly separated themselves from the rest of the pack in the National League. Please note, all statistics are through 9/16/08.
NL Rookie of the Year - C Geovany Soto, CHC
Geovany Soto is no stranger to success, as he was named the Pacific Coast League MVP in 2007. This year he proved that he will be a great catcher in the league for a long time to come. As much credit as the Cubs pitching staff deserves, they will likely be the first to tell you how well Soto calls and manages a game behind the plate. He has shown the grit and intelligence of a crafty veteran in his rookie season, and has been a force swinging the bat as well (22 HR, 83 RBI, .285 AVG). In fact he's been so good he was named the first rookie catcher to ever start the All-Star game for the NL. He is well-deserving of this year's honor. Honorable Mention: Jair Jurrjens
NL Cy Young - SP Tim Lincecum, SF
Don't mention C.C. Sabathia. He's been in the NL for just over two months. This is a three-horse race between Brandon Webb, Tim Lincecum, and Edinson Volquez. The tendency for awards like this has always been to look at the success of the team as a whole. If their team is headed to the playoffs, a given player will have a far better chance to win. By this formula, Brandon Webb all but had this honor locked up a month ago. But now that the D'Backs and Webb have faded and are about to miss the playoffs, the sportswriters will have to actually consider the three frontrunners on merit alone. Let's take a look:
Brandon Webb - 205.2 IP, 20-7, 3.28 ERA, 168 K, 1.18 WHIP
Edinson Volquez - 181.2 IP, 16-5, 3.22 ERA, 192 K, 1.34 WHIP
Tim Lincecum - 207.2, 17-3, 2.43 ERA, 237 K, 1.17 WHIP
If the stats don't say enough for Tim Lincecum to win the NL Cy Young, I'm not sure what criteria is being used to judge the candidates. Give the award to the 24-yr old phenom.
NL MVP - 3B Aramis Ramirez, CHC
Leave Ryan Howard's .249 average and 190 strikeouts aside and watch him willing the Phillies into the playoffs, and you'll see a contender. Carlos Delgado threw his hat in the conversation, batting .289 with 18 HR and 52 RBI since the All-Star Break and helping the Mets stay alive. But this race comes down to two in my mind - Aramis Ramirez and Albert Pujols. This again stirs the debate as to whether the team's performance should be factored into the discussion.
Batting .357 with 33 HR, 101 RBI, and boasting a .461 OBP, Albert Pujols has pieced together a remarkable year - and keep in mind he has played with a tear in his ulnar collateral ligament. He decided not to have the Tommy John surgery on it last year, but is seriously considering the operation at season's end. Despite being on a team out of the playoff picture, it is difficult to ignore the season that Albert Pujols is having.
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