As we head into the home stretch, it’s time to take another look into the DTBL award leaders for August. The races are starting to heat up as season totals begin to look more and more impressive, so for this month, I plan on making some loose predictions as to who I think has the best chance to win each award.
So as to not potentially influence end of year ballots, this will be my last look at the award categories for this season. For my end of the season article, I plan on taking a look at something I’ve found interesting through the year, so hopefully you’ll all take a look again then.
Without further delay, here are the DTBL August Awards. All stats are through August 31.
ROY:
1. Josh Donaldson, Moonshiners – .259 BA, 81 R, 26 HR, 88 RBI, 8 SB
2. Corey Kluber, Demigods – 1.094 WHIP, 2.47 ERA, 11 W, 0 SV, 185 K
3. Anthony Rendon, Naturals – .279 BA, 97 R, 18 HR, 72 RBI, 13 SB
4. Billy Hamilton, Naturals – .267 BA, 70 R, 6 HR, 46 RBI, 54 SB
5. Julio Teheran, Darkhorses – 1.069 WHIP, 2.90 ERA, 13 W, 0 SV, 160 K
The ROY list through August features four familiar faces in Donaldson, Kluber, Hamilton, and Teheran, and one new one in Anthony Rendon. Rendon has been on fire lately and was leading DTBL in runs scored while putting up solid all around numbers through August. It is interesting to look back and see where these players were drafted. Donaldson and Hamilton were no brainer first round picks. Teheran went a bit later in the middle of the second round. Rendon is a bit of a surprise here, being a middle of the 6th round pick by the Naturals. However, the real surprise is Kluber, an early 10th round selection of the Demigods.
If Kluber had spent the entire season in the Demigods rotation, he’d be likely to win the award in a walk. In spite of having to play catch up, though, he is definitely in the running, as any of he, Donaldson, and Rendon would make a fine ROY for 2014.
Cy Young:
1. Clayton Kershaw, Mavericks – 0.837 WHIP, 1.73 ERA, 16 W, 0 SV, 194 K
2. Felix Hernandez, Jackalope – 0.909 WHIP, 2.23 ERA, 13 W, 0 SV, 205 K
3. Johnny Cueto, Demigods – 0.971 WHIP, 2.26 ERA, 16 W, 0 SV, 205 K
4. Madison Bumgarner, Cougars – 1.084 WHIP, 2.97 ERA, 16 W, 0 SV, 199 K
5. Max Scherzer, Kings – 1.151 WHIP, 3.26 ERA, 15 W, 0 SV, 220 K
The top three of this list, Kershaw, Hernandez, and Cueto, have been on this list most of the season. Miniscule ratios, big win and strikeout totals; they have it all, and could highlight any pitching staff. However, showing the volatility of pitching this year, the last two names on the list, Madison Bumgarner and Max Scherzer, both make their awards debuts. Like the rest of the pitchers, they feature great win and strikeout totals, even if their ratios aren’t quite up to par with the top three.
That being said, this is Kershaw’s award to lose. Hernandez and Cueto have put up great numbers all year, but Kershaw has been on another level since his return from injury. One can only wonder what his year would have been like if he hadn’t missed all of April.
MVP:
1. Mike Trout, Mavericks – .290 BA, 92 R, 31 HR, 97 RBI, 13 SB
2. Giancarlo Stanton, Jackalope – .292 BA, 83 R, 33 HR, 98 RBI, 10 SB
3. Jose Altuve, Demigods – .336 BA, 73 R, 6 HR, 45 RBI, 49 SB
4. Michael Brantley, Cougars – .310 BA, 81 R, 18 HR, 85 RBI, 17 SB
5. Carlos Gomez, Demigods – .282 BA, 85 R, 21 HR, 65 RBI, 29 SB
Arriving in the MVP discussion for the first time is Carlos Gomez, the only 20/20 player on this list. There’s a good chance he’ll share that distinction with Michael Brantley, who only needs 2 homers and 3 steals to join the club. Both players are here after the unfortunate injuries to Paul Goldschmidt and Andrew McCutchen who find themselves out of the top 5 as a result. Jose Altuve continues to quietly put together an amazing season, hitting for average, stealing loads of bases, and providing a bit of pop to go with it.
In the end, though, the MVP should come down to two of the best young players in the game today. Giancarlo Stanton and Mike Trout. If Trout stole bases as often as he did when he first broke in to the majors, he’d be running away with this award. However, slowing down on the bases has left the door open for Stanton. The power, RBI, and batting average edge slightly Stanton, while the runs scored and speed slightly favor Trout. If the numbers remain this close at the end of September as they were at the end of August, we may be looking at the closest MVP vote since Albert Pujols squeaked out the victory over Carlos Gonzalez in 2010.