Handing Out The Hardware

For me, the baseball season is already over. The Houston Astros, a team that won 102 games and led the National League in runs scored, played possum against the San Diego Padres in the Divisional Series and are gone. The Astros scored eight runs in four games.

But because the season is over, I get a head start on handing out the post-season awards. So here they are--and remember, they're not predictions, they're opinions.

National League MVP--This is pretty easy. Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa hit .308 with 66 home runs, 158 RBI, 134 runs, and 18 stolen bases. His team also went 90-73 and made the playoffs.

Some will prefer St. Louis first baseman Mark McGwire, who hit.299 with an incredible total of 70 homers. He also was walked 162 times and had 147 RBI. McGwire's proponents can argue that he made the country focus on baseball. His detractors can point out two facts: his team, at 83-79, didn't make the playoffs. He had a lower batting average and fewer RBIs than Sosa.

American League MVP--Unlike in the NL, there are a lot of players who could compete for this. The New York Yankees, the best team in baseball, don't have a single superstar to reward, so you have to look elsewhere.

To me, there are four serious candidates: Boston first baseman Mo Vaughn, Boston shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, Texas outfielder Juan Gonzalez and Cleveland outfielder Manny Ramirez. Vaughn, the 1995 MVP, hit .337 with 40 homers and 115 RBI; Garciaparra hit .323 with 35 taters and 122 RBI; Gonzalez, the 1996 MVP, hit .318 with 45 homers and 157 RBI; Ramirez hit .294 with 45 homers and 145 RBI. The Red Sox won 92 games, the Indians 89 and the Rangers 88.

Statistically, then, it's too close to call. Garciaparra draws slightly ahead because of his defense, the importance of his position and his speed. The just thing to do, however, would be to give it to the entire Yankees lineup.

NL Cy Young--It seemed like this award would once again go to Greg Maddux, but he went into a late slide. Now, we have to look elsewhere. And while Kevin Brown (18-7, 2.38 ERA, 257 K) and Tom Glavine (20-6, 2.47 ERA) both had great seasons, San Diego reliever Trevor Hoffman was the best pitcher in the NL.

His older brother, Glenn, didn't do such a great job managing the Dodgers, but Trevor had 53 saves in 54 attempts with a 1.48 ERA. He does get major style-point deductions for the way he spits out flecks of tobacco and tobacco juice when he's on the mound. Seeing chaw particles on his lips just doesn't do it for me.

AL Cy Young--Toronto's Roger Clemens did what seemed impossible two years ago. When Maddux won his four Cy Youngs in consecutive seasons, it seemed a foregone conclusion he would be the first ever to win five. But Clemens won last year to tie Maddux, and he is almost a lock to win it again this year.

Clemens completed the Triple Crown of pitching--leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts--for the second straight year. He didn't lose after May 29. That means he didn't lose in June. Or July. Or August. Or September. Along the way, he went 20-6 with a 2.65 ERA and 271 Ks. He sure doesn't throw like a 36-year old.

That wraps up the awards everyone pays attention to, but those aren't the most important awards.

MLTGCBDAF Award--Padre Jim Leyritz will win this award (Most Likely To Get Capped By a Deranged Astros Fan) with no competition. Leyritz hit three homers in the four-game Divisional Series, meaning he almost single-handedly outproduced Houston's entire lineup.

IAST Award--This year is the first time Baltimore Oriole Cal Ripken has won the coveted It's About Stinking Time Award for finally pulling the plug on his streak at 2,632 games. His steadily declining level of play recently (.271 with 14 homers and 61 RBIs) means he is only an average third baseman.

He is a great ambassador for baseball and was a great player once, too, but an entire generation of fans is watching him play at a level far below his peak. If he wants to be remembered as a great ballplayer instead of merely an enduring one, maybe it's time to retire.

WYAWWS Award--The Worst Year After Winning the World Series award goes to the Florida Marlins. Their 54-108 season is one of the worst in major league history, not to mention the worst for a defending champion.

They belonged in a bus league with the Toledo Mud Hens, New Britain Rock Cats, Lansing Lugnuts, Hickory Crawdads and Quad City River Bandits (I'm not making any of these teams up!).

Although the champion hasn't been decided, the 1998 season has already been a great one for baseball. Who could have imagined that the number one story five weeks into football season would be baseball?

The home run race captured the country's attention as Sosa and McGwire went back and forth. It wasn't just a sports story, it was a national story that elevated baseball to its former status as America's game.

The owners officially made Bud Selig the commissioner, which shows at least a minimal concern for the future of the sport. And baseball is as talent rich as ever.

There was a perfect game, there was disappointment for the Cubs and Red Sox and a guy (Orlando Hernandez) got a start because his teammate (David Cone) was bitten by a dog.

There's not much more you could ask for except a 1999 season just as good...and an Astros championship.