THE CEREMONIAL first half of the baseball season ends today, with a team that didn't even exist last year sitting atop the National League East.
Besides the Washington Nationals, there have been plenty of compelling story lines this season: the ups and downs of the New York Yankees' $200 million enigma, the Chicago White Sox's amazing run and the cautionary tale of carrying venison up steps.
And, of course, there are the woes of the Orioles, but there's a whole half season remaining to kick around what might be another dog in Baltimore.
For now, though, here's what went right in the first half of 2005 and the appropriate midseason awards. Included are predictions for the award winners when the season is officially over.
American League MVP: Brian Roberts, Orioles. Some believe he's not the best MVP candidate on his own team. Miguel Tejada is certainly the heart and soul of the Orioles, and he's had an outstanding first half. But Tejada put up big numbers in 2004 and the team finished below .500. The primary reason for the Orioles' improvement is Roberts, who leads the league in hitting and is around the leaders in several other categories.
Full-season MVP: Manny Ramirez, Red Sox. He had a .316 lifetime average before the season, so his average will climb by September. He has finished in the top six in the MVP voting four times, and when the Red Sox win the East, he'll beat out Alex Rodriguez and the Orioles' duo.
National League MVP: Derrek Lee, Cubs. The guy is a legitimate Triple Crown threat, and if he stays lukewarm should at least capture his first batting title.
Full-season MVP: Albert Pujols, Cardinals. He's also a legit Triple Crown threat, and his team will make the postseason, which helps his cause. He has finished in the top four each of the past four seasons, but Barry Bonds simply can't win this time.
AL Cy Young: Roy Halladay, Blue Jays. He's almost single-handedly keeping Toronto afloat in the AL East. And if it weren't for fracturing his shin Friday and for Johan Santana and his strikeout lead, he'd have a legitimate shot at the pitching Triple Crown (sensing a trend here?).
Full-season Cy Young: Mark Buehrle, White Sox. He's at Halladay's heels in several categories, and he's the ace of baseball's best team. With Chicago continuing to win, look for Buehrle to lead the league in wins and post a sub-3.00 ERA.
