AL Year End Awards-Season 2

The Year-End awards on the AL side and my take. Vote totals are in parentheses.

Most Valuable Player
Voting:
1.Burt Stevenson, Milwaukee (13)
2. Gregg Black, Nashville (10)
3. James Dixon, Anaheim (5)
4. Howard Murray, Monterrey (2)
Luis Martinez, Milwaukee (2)

My pick: Stevenson

Analysis: This basically came down to a 2-person race. Black's numbers were almost as impressive as his MVP season from Season 1, but I just felt Stevenson's .344-64-150 numbers were just too much to ignore. Black had a 40-40 season, but Stevenson had both a higher batting average and higher slugging average than Black. Like the NL Rookie of the Year race, reasonable minds could make an argument for either guy.

Cy Young
Voting:
1. Vin Solano, Milwaukee (19)
2. Woody Hiller, Milwaukee (5)
3. Philip Allensworth, Monterrey (4)
4. Carlton Fleming, Cleveland (2)
Ajax Drabek, Anaheim (2)

My pick: Solano

Analysis: This was a no-brainer. If Cleveland's Steven Michaels had struck out 9 fewer batters, Solano would own the Triple Crown. He went 23-2 with an ERA of 2.07 (next out of these 5 was Fleming at 3.08) and a WHIP of .97. The league hit .203 and had a slugging average of less than .300, which means if you're lucky enough to get a hit off the guy, it's probably a single. He was a large part of why the Manic Maulers came within a game of going to the World Series.

Rookie of the Year
Voting:
1. Kenneth Graves, New York (13)
2. James Dixon, Anaheim (9)
3. Jared McMahon, Toledo (5)
4. Josh Gant, Nashville (3)
5. Al Carrasco, Las Vegas (2)

My pick: Graves

Analysis: To be honest, I don't remember who I picked. I think I picked Graves. If I had to pick today, I'm not sure who I would take. Graves, a 20-year-old lefty, went 18-5 with a 3.26 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP, numbers just about any veteran would be quite proud of. Dixon, 21, went 40-40 in his rookie year, hitting .328 with 41 home runs and 145 RBIs while stealing 50 bases. Both should be significant ballplayers for seasons to come.

Fireman of the Year
Candidates: Quinton Hughes (MIL), Jared McMahon (TOL), Larry Stokes (MNT), Justin Lawrence (LOU), Wesley Cora (NY)
Winner: Hughes
My pick: Hughes

Analysis: Even the computer couldn't foul this one up; this was too easy. Except for switching Stokes and Lawrence, these were the top 5 guys in saves in order. Looking at peripheral numbers (see my NL analysis), Cora is the only person who is close to Hughes. Cora has a slight edge in ERA (2.00 to 2.07- the other 3 guys are over 3), but Hughes has a lower WHIP, opponents' batting average, and an OPP SLG of .257, which is ridiculous for any pitcher. So, using both the pure save numbers and a more sabremetric approach, Hughes should win either way.