Philadelphia Phillies: A Look at the Phils' Candidates for End of Season Awards

In the past decade, the Philadelphia Phillies have had a player win the MVP award, a pitcher win the Cy Young, a Rookie of the Year winner and a manager become Manager of the Year.

Just not in the same season.

From Larry Bowa in 2001, to Ryan Howard in 2005 and 2006, to Jimmy Rollins in 2007, to Roy Halladay this past season, the Phillies have recently been the recipients of every major end of season award.

This season, for the first time in recent history, the Phils' have legitimate candidates for all four awards.

While some awards, such as the National League’s most valuable player, may be more difficult to obtain. Others, such as the league’s Cy Young award, have multiple candidates from the team that may win.

With 33 games to go, the Phillies not only have team goals that are within reach, but their players, individually, have accomplishments on the line that their play during the regular season’s final month may determine whether they are achieved or not.

The Phillies' ultimate goal this season involves the team as a whole.

However, they still have players who, individually, have become candidates for the league’s end of season awards.

MVP

The Phillies have had five MVP award recipients in franchise history: Chuck Klein, Jim Konstanty, Mike Schmidt (a three-time winner, including back-to-back in 1980 and 1981), Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins.

Following Howard winning the award in 2006, and Rollins winning in 2007, second baseman Chase Utley was expected to follow suit and become the next Phillies' player to win the award.

However, three years later, Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino has emerged as the team’s best candidate for winning the league’s most valuable player award.

In 100 games this season, Victorino is batting .309, which is the 10th-highest average in the National League, with 122 hits, 14 home runs and 51 RBI.

His .922 OPS is the eighth-highest in the National League, as well. He also has hit 21 doubles, 14 triples and has struck out just 44 times in 395 at-bats.

However, Victorino’s greatest contribution to the Phils' has occurred in the field. In 226 total chances this season, Victorino has not committed a single error.

Since 2006, Victorino has not posted a fielding percentage under .994 while playing center field.

While Raul Ibanez has experienced a down-year in left field, and neither Ben Francisco nor Domonic Brown was able to hold down the starting job in right field, Victorino has remained as the team’s constant in center.

Victorino currently ranks in the top 15 in the National League in batting average, runs, stolen bases, OPS and OBP.

His 6.0 WAR value is the sixth-highest in the National League among batters.

However, the five batters who have WAR values higher than Victorino are also MVP candidates, and may have stronger cases.

Ryan Braun (who may be the current favorite to win the award), Matt Kemp, Troy Tulowitzki, Justin Upton and Joey Votto are all strong candidates to become this season’s most valuable player in the National League.

While Ryan Howard and Hunter Pence may make cases to be considered for the award, Victorino remains as the Phillies' best candidate to be named most valuable player.

But with slightly over a month left in the season, he must surpass not only some of the National League’s best players, but also some of the best players in Major League Baseball.

Cy Young

Take your pick.

The Phillies have never had a pitcher who has won back-to-back Cy Young awards. They have, however, had two different pitchers win the award in back-to-back seasons.

In 1983, John Denny won the award; simultaneously preventing Steve Carlton from winning for the second straight season, while keeping the award in the Phillies' trophy case.

This season’s Cy Young race could turn out very similar to 1983.

Roy Halladay, the reigning National League Cy Young award winner, is also a strong candidate to win the award again this season.

As is Cliff Lee.

As is Cole Hamels.

Halladay is 15-5 in 26 starts this season, with a 2.56 ERA, 182 strikeouts and just 23 walks in 189.2 innings.

How does he compare to the rest of the National League?

Halladay is currently ranked in the top five in the National League in ERA, wins, strikeouts, innings pitched, complete games, WHIP and winning percentage.

However, Halladay is far from a guarantee to win the award. He even has competition to finish this season as the best pitcher on the team.

While Halladay has posted marks that rank him as not only one of the best pitchers in the National League, but also in major league baseball, Cliff Lee has gone 14-7 with a 2.71 ERA and 191 strikeouts in 186 innings this season.

Lee has pitched five complete games and five shutouts in 26 starts.

For the month of June, Lee finished with a 0.21 ERA while holding opponents to a .151 average.

How does Lee stack up in the National League?

He’s currently ranked in the top five in the National League in wins, strikeouts, innings pitched, complete games and WHIP, while also in the top 10 in ERA and winning percentage.

And, of course, there’s Cole Hamels.

The only pitcher of the three to have never won the Cy Young award, Hamels has gone 13-7 this season with 155 strikeouts and a 2.62 ERA.

In 172 innings, Hamels has two complete games in 25 starts, and has held opponents to a .215 average.

Hamels ranks in the top five in the National League in complete games and WHIP, and is in the top 10 in wins, ERA, strikeouts and winning percentage.

With some of the most dominant pitchers in the league this season, the Phillies have themselves three strong candidates for this year’s Cy Young award.

However, this could put voters in a tough position.

Which Phillies pitcher is most deserving? How do the voters choose?

If voters end up splitting their votes among Halladay, Lee and Hamels, it could pave the way for players such as Clayton Kershaw and Ian Kennedy to take home this year’s award.

Other players such as Johnny Cueto, Tim Lincecum, Jair Jurrjens and Yovani Gallardo may also make strong cases.

The Phillies not only have a chance to have a pitcher win the Cy Young award in consecutive seasons, but may also have the same player, in Halladay, win back-to-back awards.

With three strong candidates, a possible split in votes prevents this from becoming a guarantee.

Rookie of the Year

This award may be the most difficult of the four for a Phillie to win.

When the Phillies sent Domonic Brown to Triple-A prior to the month of August, they also sent down their lone candidate for the award anyways, right?

Not if Vance Worley has anything to say about it.

In 16 starts this season, Worley is 9-1 with a 2.65 ERA and 83 strikeouts. And he didn’t even begin this season in the majors.

Take your pick of Worley’s feats this season.

There was his debut against the New York Mets in which he struck out five, and gave up just two hits over six innings.

There’s the Phillies 12-0 record in his last 12 starts.

There’s his 7-0 record since June 29, and his 6-0 record since rejoining the team following the All-Star break.

And there’s also the fact that he has held his own in a starting rotation that features Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt.

In 98.1 innings this season, Worley has held opponents to a .218 average, which includes a .197 average for left-handed batters.

While Lee was putting together a historic month of June, Worley made three starts of his own, holding opponents to .177 average over 18 innings, and giving up just two earned runs total to finish with a 1.00 ERA.

Although Worley is a legitimate contender for Rookie of the Year, he also has some of the toughest competition among Phillies' players in the running for an end of the season award.

Cory Luebke, Dillon Gee, Darwin Barney, Daniel Descalso and Danny Espinosa may all receive consideration, as well.

However, the Atlanta Braves may have the best chances of seeing one of their rookies take home the award.

Just as the Phillies have three Cy Young award candidates, Atlanta has three Rookie of the Year choices in Brandon Beachy, Freddie Freeman and Craig Kimbrel.

Whether Worley wins the Rookie of the Year award or not, his contributions to the Phillies this season have already had an enormous impact.

Manager of the Year

In franchise history, the Phillies have had just one manager win major league baseball’s Manager of the Year award; Larry Bowa in 2001.

That may change this season.

After guiding the team to the best record in baseball through nearly five months of the season, Phils' manager Charlie Manuel has a strong case for becoming this season’s Manager of the Year in the National League.

In seven seasons as manager of the Phillies, Manuel has a record of 627-474, and has guided the team to four consecutive National League East titles, three straight National League Championship Series, two World Series appearances, and one World Series title.

And this season has the potential to be his finest yet.

The Phillies are just the fifth team in baseball history to win at least 16 games in every month of the season thus far.

The Phillies are also currently tied for the fourth-highest team RBI total, the lowest team ERA and the fewest amount of errors in the National League.

The team has also seen four starting infielders, three relief pitchers, three starting pitchers and one starting outfielder land on the disabled list this season.

Manuel, like the other Phillies award candidates, has tough competition ahead of him.

While the Phillies have found great success this season with a talented team, other managers such as Clint Hurdle of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Kirk Gibson of the Arizona Diamondbacks have exceeded expectations.

Also, Ron Roenicke of the Milwaukee Brewers, Fredi Gonzalez of the Atlanta Braves and Tony La Russa of the St. Louis Cardinals may also receive strong consideration.

Just as Victorino has made a case for MVP, Halladay, Lee and Hamels will all have a chance at the Cy Young award. And Worley has emerged as a candidate for Rookie of the Year, Manuel will also receive consideration for his own award.

Similar to his players, the more success the Phillies have, the more his chances will improve.