Each week, I will be participating in the 2008 MLB Blog Poll, put together by BaseballHappenings.com. Below are my current votes for the Most Valuable Player, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards. These votes will be tabulated among other votes from other blogs to create a running master list of voting as the year progresses. This week is the A.L. voting. Votes were asked to be turned in by the end of Monday.
MVP:
1. LF Manny Ramirez, BOS: Manny’s tailed off a bit, but he’s still a large reason why the Sox were able to survive an April marred by cross-continent flights, fatigue, flu and injuries.
2. 1B Casey Kotchman, LAA: The Angels are missing their top two starters, but the emergence of Casey Kotchman has made the Angels lineup suddenly potent.
3. 1B Justin Morneau, MIN: Who needs Johan when you have Justin? The former MVP has the Twins in first.
Cy Young:
1. SP Cliff Lee, CLE: Lee’s 5-0 with an ERA under 1.00. No way that lasts, but until it does, doesn’t he HAVE to be the Cy Young?
2. SP Joe Saunders, LAA: Six wins with a low 2.61 ERA. He and Ervin Santana are helping Angel fans forget about Lackey and Escobar.
3. SP Zack Greinke, KC: A tiny 1.47 ERA should be worth more than a 3-1 record, but those are the Royals, after all.
Rookie of the Year:
1. SP Greg Smith, OAK: Smith has a 2.54 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and .199 BAA. Where did this guy come from?
2. CF Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS: He can hit, field and run. He’s the new darling of teenaged girls in New England. And he just might make it back-to-back RoYs for Boston.
3. SP Nick Blackburn, MIN: Blackburn’s still pitching impressively for a team not expected to content.
What do you think? Did I do a good job picking the award winners if the season was to end today?
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