It’s been an interesting season in the National League, and MLB tickets in every city have offered fans a chance to see players having special seasons. It’s getting to the time when voters and fans alike start thinking about not only the postseason, but also the awards that will be handed out in the coming months. We’re going to predict who may win what with our own award projections, even if they are informal in nature.
MVP: Ryan Howard
All Howard did this season was carry the entire Phillies team on his back. It appeared that the organization had basically given up on the season with its trade deadline moves, but somehow, some way the Phillies have stayed in contention. Howard is leading all of baseball and challenging history with his home run totals, and he’s also setting the MLB pace in RBI’s. This one appears to be a clear decision, and Howard deserves the accolades.
Cy Young: Chris Carpenter
This is a tough call, as it appears to be a two-man race between Carpenter and Brandon Webb of the Diamondbacks. Their statistics are nearly identical in terms of wins and ERA, and each has been vital to their teams. However, Carpenter’s Cardinals are headed to the postseason while the Diamondbacks are not, and that always seems to make a difference with the voters.
Comeback Player of the Year: Carlos Beltran
Normally, this is an award that’s given to someone who drops out of sight completely due to injury or some other reason. Beltran wasn’t hurt in 2005, but he had an off year to say the least, hitting only 16 home runs. When Beltran is in a groove, he’s the type of talent that can move MLB tickets all by himself, and he’s definitely been in a groove this season as he helped the Mets win their division. Beltran is in the top 10 in the NL in six offensive categories and has, as of this writing, slugged 40 home runs. Theories abound as to why he turned it around so quickly, but I doubt the Mets or their fans are really concerned with the reasons as they are pleased with the results.
Manager of the Year: Charlie Manuel
Manuel dealt with the same trials and hurdles that Howard did this year in Philadelphia. He did have what could be the MVP on his roster, but this was a team that was all but left for dead at mid-season, and he lost Bobby Abreu along the way. Manuel steered the ship in the right direction, and the team could wind up in the postseason after all. It’s been a remarkable turnaround, and Manuel deserves credit for keeping his team focused despite the signals from management that could’ve doomed this team to another year of watching the playoffs in television.
Rookie of the Year: Hanley Ramirez
All Ramirez has done in his first season is step in and lead a young Marlins team to a solid record. Ramirez ranks near the top of the NL in runs and stolen bases and he hits for average. Ramirez is also a good defensive shortstop, and he appears to be set in his position for the long-term in Florida.
All in all, it’s been quite a year in the NL, and MLB tickets around the country have sold well because there were special performances all around the league. However, these candidates, even if they don’t win these awards, deserve to be recognized.
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