American League MVP-Alex Rodriguez. This is one of the more "no-brainer" MVP's that I can think of. A-Rod had an unbelievable season (.314, 54, 156 (17 more knocked in than anyone else), 1.067 OPS) and was the key cog in a Yankees team that started slowly but really found their stride. Personally, I'd love to see A-Rod walk and stick it to N.Y. in a Red Sox number 3 next year. He's the toast of Gotham for now, but should he struggle in the playoffs then that amazing year will be all for naught.
American League Cy Young-Josh Beckett. There were a number of solid, if unspectacular, pitchers in both leagues. Beckett gets the nod here by virtue of being baseball's only 20 game winner, an increasingly rare feat. 3.27 ERA, a WHIP of 1.14, and almost a strikeout an inning is pretty good. I've been a big Beckett fan for a long time-glad to see him get it together for a full season.
National League MVP-Matt Holliday. Like last year, this is a tight race. Holliday (.340, 36, 137, 1.032 OPS) won the batting title and, thanks to an extra game, the RBI crown as well. He drove the Rockies to a 14-1 finish down the stretch and came up huge in the deciding one game playoff for the Wild Card. Jimmy Rollins (.296, 30, 94, 41 swipes, 139 runs) is likely Holliday's best competition. I'm a big proponent of teammates canceling each other out in MVP races (like it should've been last year with Morneau and Mauer), so I'll say Ryan Howard (and his Major League record for K's) and Rollins split votes (and don't sleep on Chase Utley's value for Philly.)
National League Cy Young-Jake Peavy. I think this award will be like unto AL MVP with Peavy getting all kinds of love. 19-6, an MLB best 2.54 ERA, and a 1.06 WHIP are Johan Santana type numbers. He was a big bust in the biggest game of the year, though, against Colorado. Brandon Webb could sneak in for Cy number two.
Playoff Predictions
American League Divisional Series-Yankees over Indians, Red Sox over Angels
American League Championship Series-Red Sox over Yankees
Is a Yankees/Sox ALCS not simply in the cards? Boston was the best team in baseball for most of the year and New York is riding a crest of confidence with the way they played in the second half. Seems like destiny. The Yanks still have pitching problems, though. The Red Sox, conversely, are loaded with arms, particularly dangerous in a short series. Running Beckett, Matsusaka, and Schilling out there in order is pretty killer, and having Papelbon on the back end is deadly. I like the Sox in a 7 game classic (could it go down any other way?)
National League Divisional Series-Cubs over Diamondbacks, Rockies over Phillies
National League Championship Series-Cubs over Rockies
I mulled over this one for a while. I think the Rockies will be riding high coming into the playoffs and the Phils have major pitching woes (or has everyone forgotten?) The Rocks actually have the arms to make some noise, and some thunder in the middle. The D-backs are solid all around but the Cubs have just a little more offensively and on the bump. I could go either way on my NLCS match-up. Colorado has some serious firepower and will have the Cinderella mindset working for them. If Zambrano can key the staff (and not completely melt-down, which always seems equally likely), and Derrek Lee finds his usual power stroke to compliment Alfonso Soriano, I think the Cubs.....yes, the Cubs, can make it to the World Series.
World Series
RED SOX over CUBS
Boston is really freaking good. They have three aces and a lights-out closer, and two of the top hitters in the game in Ortiz and Ramirez, not to mention J.D. Drew, Jason Varitek, Mike Lowell, etc. The Cubbies will have the entire planet pulling for them (me included) to get that almost-100-year-old monkey off their collective back. The Cubs have some really good arms and some really good bats, just not as really good as what the Red Sox have. (Also, I wonder if "just getting there" will make the Cubs lose a little of the fire along the way.; though the BoSox were in a similar setting back in '04.) Man, 1908 was the last time the Cubs won the World Series...99 years. Unfortunately, I think 99 will become 100. I like Boston in 6. MVP-David Ortiz, Mr. Big Hit.
On a television note, with all the new Fall shows debuting I want to comment on one that premiered tonight, and of which I was intrigued: Cavemen. The Geico commercials are great but, like most people, I've wondered if an entire show can stand on the narrow premise. If tonight's premiere was any indication, the answer is probably not. I'd give episode 1 a C+ grade. Any show is only as good as its writing and the writing on Cavemen is pretty pedestrian, at least judging from the debut. It showed flashes, and Nick Kroll, of Best Week Ever fame, is pretty hilarious-he's the standout. Perhaps the show will get better-I'd say I'm still rooting for it. But I'm rooting with only half-hearted enthusiasm.
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