AL MVP: Manny Ramirez
Who'd you think I was going to choose? Ramirez is having a monster year offensively and has actually looked competent at times in the field this year. Not only does his bat speak for itself, but it seems as though Ramirez is actually having more fun than usual this season, and his attitude has had a positive impact on the rest of the team. It says a lot about team chemistry when the best player on the team (and the highest-paid) always has a smile on his face, high-fives his teammates and is one of the team's biggest cheerleaders and jokesters.
Sidenote: If the Mariners had been in the playoff race for even half the season, Ichiro would win this award by a landslide. Breaking the single-season record for hits in a season is one of the greatest accomplishments of our generation.
AL Cy Young: Johan Santana
As much as I'd love to pencil Curt Schilling into this category, I just can't ignore what Santana has done since the All-Star break. I might even go as far as to say that Santana deserves a significant amount of MVP votes. On June 4, this guy was 2-4 with a 5.51 ERA. Now? 20-6 with a 2.62 ERA. Since June 4, he has allowed more than two runs in a start only once (it was only three runs), and he has as many starts without allowing an earned run as he has allowing two earned runs (six each). It might be premature to say this, but if I were building a franchise, he would be my ace.
NL MVP: Barry Bonds
Do I really even need to explain myself here? Granted, Adrian Beltre and the whole Cardinals lineup deserves votes here, but what Bonds is doing this year is not only unprecedented but RIDICULOUS. This is perhaps the most offensively dominating season in Major League Baseball history. But this is all stuff you've heard before, so I'll just stop.
NL Cy Young: Carlos Zambrano
Okay, so I'll probably get a lot of shit about this pick, but I really think he deserves the award. Clemens may have the best win-loss record, but I hate his guts. Randy Johnson has all the stats to win the award, but not the win-loss record. Same goes for Ben Sheets. Jake Peavy was probably the best pitcher in the NL, but he only has 14 wins in an abbreviated 26-start season. And as much as I'd love to see Carl Pavano come home and play for the Red Sox next season, he's not quite on the Cy Young level just yet.
AL Rookie of the Year: Lew Ford
He plays on a playoff team. He's batting above .300 on the season. He has over 30 doubles. Do I need to go on? This is a no-brainer. If Bobby Crosby gets anyone's vote in this category, I will personally escort him or her to the mental hospital.
NL Rookie of the Year: Khalil Greene
Despite an injury that ended his season prematurely a couple of weeks ago, Greene has stood out as the best rookie in the National League. His hitting needs to improve if he expects to fulfill his all-star shortstop potential, but it's his defense that has been opening eyes all season. Greene and left-side companion Sean Burroughs are an exciting prospect for the usually hapless Padres. With a studly young pitching staff, the Padres and Greene have a lot to look forward to. Jason Bay definitely deserves some votes in this category, but the Pirates are dismal, and Bay will have other opportunities to shine in the future.
Comeback Player of the Year: Jose Lima
After a spectacular record of 37-18 from 1998 to 1999, Lima went 25-37 from 2000-2003. This year he is 13-5 for the division-leading Dodgers. Before the season started, I was pretty sure that Lima was on Social Security after his seventh Tommy John surgery. Apparently, he was just resting up for one more big comeback at the age of 31. Yeah, you read that correctly. He's only 31 years old! He's probably 31 the same way Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez is 34. In fact, I just turned 16 last week. In two weeks I'm eligible to get my driver's license. And did you hear about Strom Thurmond's 57th birthday party last year, a few months before his death?
Most Improved Player: Adrian Beltre
This is where Beltre gets his due. Whether or not Beltre is on the juice remains a question in my book, but unless it's proved, I need to give the third baseman his credit. Beltre has hit a mind-boggling 48 homers and 121 RBIs, and could potentially finish first in the NL in RBI and HR and second to Bonds in batting average. That's about as close to the Triple Crown as we have seen in a long time. It's a little scary that this guy is 25 years old, has been in the big leagues for seven years and is entering free agency at the end of the season. As long as this burst of power is 100-percent natural and not steroid-induced, I see no reason why Beltre cannot be an all-star for the next 10 years.