National League MVP
The Front Runners:
Albert Pujols – Pujols routinely puts up MVP type numbers with 10 straight seasons with 30+ homers and 100+ RBI all while batting over .300. Now imagine the numbers that Albert Pujols will put up in a contract year… Scary thought, I know.
Joey Votto – Votto is the defending National League MVP and should again be in the running this year. Coming off a career year hitting over .320 with 37 homers and 113 RBIs, Votto also posted an impressive 1.024 OPS. With the Reds looking to stay competitive again this year, there is strong reason to believe Joey Votto will put up similar numbers.
The Field:
Chase Utley, Ryan Braun, Carlos Gonzalez, Ryan Howard, Troy Tulowitzki, Prince Fielder, Ryan Zimmerman, Hanley Ramirez, Matt Holliday, and Jason Heyward.
My Prediction:
My pick for NL MVP in 2011 is Albert Pujols. The thought of the already most feared hitter playing in a contract year is a scary one for opposing pitchers. Expect Pujols to put up astronomical numbers and win MVP. Everybody watch out, this could be a historic year for Albert Pujols.
National League Cy Young
The Front Runners:
Roy Halladay – The defending Cy Young winner has to be the favorite going in to this season. Halladay finished the season with two no-hitters, atop the majors in wins (21 – tied with CC Sabathia) and innings pitched (250.2 IP), and near the top of the National League with a 2.44 ERA.
Tim Lincecum – After back-to-back Cy Young Awards in 2008 and 2009, Lincecum had a down season according to his standards in 2010. Expect Tim Lincecum to bounce back strong in 2011 and be among the leaders in strikeouts and wins putting him back in the NL Cy Young discussion.
The Field:
Cliff Lee, Ubaldo Jimenez, Zach Greinke, Matt Cain, Josh Johnson, Shawn Marcum, Roy Oswalt, Clayton Kershaw, and Mat Latos.
My Prediction:
To me, the NL Cy Young is anyone’s to win. If Ubaldo Jimenez can go all of 2011 putting up his 2010 first half numbers look for him to win. I think Halladay has too much competition from his own teammates to pull off the repeat. My winner for NL Cy Young is a bit unexpected, but look for Zach Greinke to lead the Brewers into the playoffs and himself to the 2011 NL Cy Young.
American League MVP
The Front Runners:
Miguel Cabrera – Miguel Cabrera is one of the elite hitters in all of Major League Baseball. A rare combination of high batting average and exceptional power keeps Cabrera in MVP discussions year in and year out. Miguel Cabrera’s toughest competition this season will be himself following his DUI arrest.
Josh Hamilton – Josh Hamilton is coming off a career year in which he led all of Major League Baseball in batting average, hitting .359. Hamilton also led the majors in OPS at an impressive 1.044. The question is not whether Hamilton can put up the numbers again; it is whether he can stay healthy the whole season, having played only 133 games last year. If the 2010 AL MVP winner can stay healthy in 2011, look for his name to be near the top once again.
The Field:
Robinson Cano, Adrian Gonzalez, Joe Mauer, Evan Longoria, Carl Crawford, Jose Bautista, Shin-Soo Choo, and Mark Teixiera
My Prediction:
If Miguel Cabrera lets his personal matters get in the way of his baseball this year, then I think somebody like Robinson Cano or Adrian Gonzalez will swoop in and steal the award in 2011. However, I believe Cabrera will bounce back strong from his personal issues and duplicate or better his 2010 campaign when he hit .328 with 38 homers, 126 RBI and an OPS of 1.042 to win the 2011 AL MVP.
American League CY Young
The Front Runners:
CC Sabathia – CC Sabathia is in the running for AL Cy Young year in and year out. He is an innings eater that always comes up big in the big games. The mammoth left hander came into spring training this season having lost between 15 and 30 pounds. An even more in shape Sabathia is a scary thought for hitters in 2011 having come off a 21 win 3.18 ERA 2010 campaign. Look for CC Sabathia to have a strong 2011 season and be in running for the AL Cy Young award.
Felix Hernandez – Felix Hernandez was flat out dominant in 2010. Although he only had a 13-12 record, King Felix had a Major League best 2.27 ERA and was second in strikeouts (232) and innings pitched (249.2). If Felix Hernandez hadn’t had so many leads blown by the Mariners’ bullpen or more offensive fire power behind him (the M’s had the league’s worst batting average), then he very well could have been a 20 game winner. Look for this dominant young star to have another stellar year and end with numbers close to those of his 2010 AL Cy Young season.
The Field:
Justin Verlander, Jon Lester, Neftali Feliz, Jared Weaver, David Price, Francisco Liriano, Clay Buchholz, and Dan Haren.
My Prediction:
Barring any injury, my winner for the 2011 AL Cy Young Award is CC Sabathia. He consistently puts up Cy Young worthy numbers, so don’t expect anything different this season. Sabathia will see some stiff competition from Felix Hernandez, David Price, and Justin Verlander, but CC Sabathia will come out on top in 2011.
-Written by Kevin Rossi
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