Handing out pre-season awards

American League:

MVP: Mark Teixeira – With Arod out for a couple of months Teixeira will have to step up. He will. Last year he made massive, massive strides in plate discipline, walking more than he struck out and raising his CT% to 83. He reached a career high OBP, and the power is still there. 40 homers may be a stretch, but he has the power skills to reach it. He also plays a rock solid firstbase and the voters love guys from playoff teams (the Yankees will be one). Long shots: Arod (even if he misses a month), Hamilton/Kinsler, Dusting Pedroia.

Cy Young: CC Sabathia – Ok, another Yankee, but who do you want me to pick? Sabathia won the AL Cy Young 2 years ago, and he was just as good last year. Batters swung at a third of the pitches he threw outside the zone ranking him second in the bigs, he struck out about a batter an inning and walked about 2 a game. He gave up .7 homers per 9 innings – the same exact number he gave up in 2007 – but he also saw a better GB% and an unlucky LD%. Expect another season with near perfect stats. Sub 3 ERA, fantastic WHIP, 20 wins, this guy is gold. Long shots: Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey, Fransisco Liriano, Josh Beckett.

ROTY: Matt Wieters – The season Matt Wieters put up in the minors last year was unbelievable and he can already destroy big league pitching. He’s polished with Mike Piazza like upside, and he’s a great defensive catcher too. Second on my list is Gordan Bekckham. Also can cream MLB pitching at the second base position. David Price is also to be considered. If someone else won, I’d be pretty shocked.

National League:

MVP: Albert Pujols. Enough said. The best player in the majors by far, one of the greatest all time, Pujols is the best offensive and defensive first basemen in baseball. It doesn’t matter if he was hitting in a lineup with 8 Bill Bergen’s, he’d still win the MVP. Don’t even play the season, just give it to him April first. VERY long shot candidate: David Wright, Chipper Jones, Manram.

Cy Young: Brandon Webb – Last year Webb was my Cy Young favorite going into the final month of the season. He collapsed and Lincecum stepped up, so Timmy ended up with the better numbers. This year I think Webb can keep it going. This is really a wide open race in my opinion, with a couple of pitchers having a legit shot to take this home. My money’s on Webb though. Long shots: Danny Harren, Tim Lincecum, Johan Santana, Derek Lowe, Rich Harden, Cole Hamels.

ROTY: Jordan Schafer – Drafted him in my minor league draft and was rewarded when he won the ceterfield job, killed the ball in spring training, and hit a homer in his first MLB at bat. He’s got every skill you look for on offense – patience, solid contact skills, power, and speed – and a good defensive centerfield. Nothing should keep this kid from stardom. Long shots: Cameron Maybin, Matt Gamel, Dexter Fowler, Jordan Zimmerman, Thomas Hanson. VERY long shot: Steven Strasburg (ok most likely 2010 candidate).