AL MVP - Ralph Kydd
*As great as guys like Geovany Molina and Nick Jacquez were this year, this one is really a no-brainer. Ralph "Billy the" Kydd not only led his team to an ARod best 106 wins, but he did it in style. Check these numbers out, there's nothing he didn't do: .354 BA; .439 OBP; 131 runs; 213 hits; 32 doubles; 20 jacks; 111 RBI; 2/1 BB/K ratio (84BB - 40k); 51 SB and only 11 errors in over 1000 inning at 2B. In the process Kydd moved into elite All-Star territory by picking up his 8th All-Star berth - he's just the 19th man in the history of ARod to earn at least this many All-Star berths; and his 6th 2B Silver Slugger award - tying legendary slugger Pedro "Hack" Bonilla for the most AL 2B Silver Sluggers ever. Kydd also earned his 2nd AL ARod Blog MVP (previously winning in S17).
AL Cy Young: Pat Combs
*Yes, I know Kennie Parrish was fantastic, but for a reliever to win the Cy Young he's gotta be better than fantastic. This race came down to the two men at the top of the Trenton Thunder rotation, the $20 Million Dollar Man Pat Combs and 3-time AL Cy Young winner Karl Hurst. As much as the blog likes creating legends, getting Mr. Hurst a 4th Cy Young this year just isn't going to happen, as Mr. Combs was just flat out better - W/L (18-5 v 17-5); innings (226.1 v 190.2); ERA + WHIP (3.75 v 3.77); OAV (.208 v .214); QS (23 v 19); SO/BB (2.79 v 2.58). Congrats on your 1st Cy Young Mr. Combs. On a personal note, it's nice to see someone actually live up to the $20mil/year salary.
AL ROY: Casey "Sam" Adams
*The #10 pick in S20 draft picks up a 2nd ROY award for the S20 draft class (Wellington Rijo won the NL ROY award in S23). In his first year in the show Mr. Adams gave us a glimpse of his future Gold Glove level defense in CF - why he played 20 games at DH is beyond anything the blog can imagine. To go along with his special glove, Mr. Adams displayed as very solid bat by hitting .312, ripping 32 doubles and swiping 17 bases. "Sam" Adams should be a fixture for the Maroons in CF and in the #3 hole for the next 10 years.
AL COY: dengodd2
*It would be easy to give the Coach of the Year Award to the team that wins the most games but the blog couldn't ignore the fact that the "commish" put up 99 wins in easily the toughest division in the AL. The good times continue to roll in Augusta.
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