2019 First Half MLB Awards
So far, this 2019 baseball season has been incredible. The MLB is on pace to make history with the most combined home runs hit in a season led by sluggers like Cody Bellinger, Pete Alonso and Christian Yelich, and the Dodgers could very well win 110 games. All-Star Break marks the half-way point for the MLB season, and half-way through this so far spectacular 2019, these are my MLB award winners.
Rookie of the Year — NL — Pete Alonso
Going into 2019, the Mets Pete Alonso was a top prospect who was expected to do great things, but no one expected close to what we are seeing from the kid. In only 89 games, Alonso has shattered 30 home runs, driving in 68 runs with a .280 batting average and a .634 slugging percentage. Alonso has already passed up Darryl Strawberry for the most homers hit in a season by a Mets rookie and Alonso has also set the record for the most home runs ever hit by an MLB rookie before the Fall Classic. We’ll see how Alonso bats the second half of the season, but the 2019 T-Mobile Home Run Derby champion is projected to hit jaw-dropping 54 homers by seasons end.
Rookie of the Year — AL — Michael Chavis
When the Red Sox veteran second baseman Dustin Pedroia was injured, it seemed the Sox had themselves a weak spot on their lineup. That was before Michael Chavis appeared onto the scene. In only 69 games played, Chavis, who had struggled for years in the minors, has hit 15 homers while driving in 48 runs and batting .263. Chavis has been explosive in the batter’s box,and has come in clutch time and time again, but he has also been sloppy on the defensive side of the game. Unlike the obvious pick for the NL rookie honors, the voting will be close, with other stellar rookies like Chicago’s Eloy Jimenez and Toronto’s Vlad Guerrero Jr. in the mix, but Chavis’ Red Sox are the only team who truly has an opportunity to contend when compared among Chicago and Toronto, and if the Sox win the World Series, Chavis will be a key hero of the title. We’ll see how Chavis will bat the rest of 2019, but he’s my AL Rookie of the Year.
Cy Young — NL — Hyun-Jin Ryu
Hyun-Jin Ryu has consistently been a decent starter for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but this season has been different, and his stats say it all. He leads the NL in wins with 10, he has the lowest ERA in all of baseball with an ERA of 1.73, he leads baseball in lowest walks for 9 rate with a rate of 0.8 and he has a fantastic whip of 0.908. Last night, Ryu would become the first Korean born pitcher to start the Fall Classic, and his one inning on the mound, he would allow only one hit to Astros star George Springer. Ryu currently leads the poll to win Cy Young honors, and with the Dodgers dominant offense, the Dodgers newfound ace should continue to dominate on the hill.
Cy Young — AL — Justin Verlander
Justin Verlander, the ageless wonder, has dominated like most every season of his 15 year career thus far with a 10–4 record, tying Chris Sale for the second most strikeouts in the AL trailing teammate Gerrit Cole with 153, and holding an impressive 0.8 whip, the lowest in all of baseball in the first half of the season. Verlander is having a great year and most believe he will acquire his second Cy Young award by seasons end.
MVP — NL — Christian Yelich
Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich and LA’s Cody Bellinger have been living legends this season who have accomplished tremendously unforgettable feats. Yelich leads the NL in home runs (31), on base percentage (.433), slugging percentage (.707) and OPS (1.140), while Bellinger leads the NL in runs scored (70), OPS+ (191), and total bases (240). Both sluggers have done amazing things, but despite the fact that Bellinger’s Dodgers are projected to win 20+ more games than Yelich’s Brewers, Yelich is most deserving of the prestigious MVP award, and here is why.
He’s hitting more homers, getting on base more, and slugging better than Bellinger, but the defense for Bellinger might be ‘well Bellinger scores more runs, and the more runs, the more wins.’ While a statement like this would be true, but the Dodgers have a better overall lineup, meaning that it makes sense that Bellinger would be driven in and score more runs over the course of a season then Bellinger. Despite being on a team that’s barely in contention, though, Yelich manages to dominate with home run after home run and at-bat after at-bat that he touches that first base. This is why I and many others believe that Yelich is more worthy of the NL MVP than Cody Bellinger.
MVP — AL —Mike Trout
What did you expect? Trout may as well be MVP every season. So far this 2019, Trout leads the AL in home runs (28), RBI (67), bases on balls (76), on base percentage (.453), slugging percentage (.646), OPS (1.098), OPS+ (191), total bases (195), and intentional walks (11). Trout has truly been extraordinary this season, but I suppose for him, it’s just another year in the office. For the 8 stats Mike Trout leads the AL in, Trout is my AL MVP.
For many of these awards, the winner was a tough decision to make, but these players are my first-half MLB award winners.
