Now this is where we really get to have our fun as we go through each major award for each league and then pick the batting tittle winner, home run winner and ERA leaders for each league. And yes, although we're halfway through opening day by the time this gets posted, we have taken no stats from the few games played thus far into account. So, here are the guys we think will take home the individual hardware at the end of the 2015 season.
American League Awards
AL MVP: Robinson Cano, 2B, Seattle: I think year two is going to be the year Cano pays off big time in Seattle, and with Nelson Cruz now giving him some protection. He may not hit 30 home runs but he'll still hit his 20+ and could hit .350 in that spacious yard. I don't think anyone else is picking him, that I've seen yet at least, but I think he's a forgotten man on a team that should be very competitive in 2015 against a division with some of the lesser pitching staffs in baseball (Texas and Houston especially). (Runner-ups: 1B Jose Abreu, OF Michael Brantley, OF Mike Trout, RF Jose Bautista)
AL Cy Young: David Price, LHP, Detroit: I just see him thriving with that supporting cast and throwing half his games in spacious Comerica Park. He struck out 270 batters last year and I think he's in position to improve on that incredible 2012 season he had so long as he stays healthy and on track. And though the division is improving drastically, throwing in the Central still is preferable to pitching in the AL East, so he'll have that going for him to. I just can't wait to see him for a full year outside of that joke of a Major League stadium that is Tropicana Field. (Runner-ups: LHP Chris Sale, RHP Felix Hernandez, RHP Yordano Ventura, RHP Corey Kluber, RHP Sonny Gray)
AL R.O.Y.: Rusney Castillo, OF, Boston: He's not going to start the year in the bigs, but he's expected up sooner than later and the Red Sox are going to give him a shot cause they paid him handsomely. This is a tough one to pick though cause so many top choices are starting in the minors (Runner-up: OF Steven Souza, P Carlos Rondon, OF Dalton Pompey)
AL Comeback P.O.Y.: Prince Fielder, 1B, Texas: So long as Prince stays healthy, he's going to put up monstrous numbers in Texas. He's looked as good as ever this spring and appears hungry to regain his status as one of the premiere first basemen in baseball.
AL HR Leader: Jose Abreu, Chicago
AL Batting Champion: Robinson Cano, Seattle
AL ERA Champion: Felix Hernandez, Seattle
AL Strikeout Champion: Corey Kluber, Cleveland
National League Awards
NL MVP: Giancarlo Stanton, OF, Miami: I think this is the year for Stanton. Had he not missed the last month of 2014 may have hit 45+ with 115 RBI or more. Plus he's just 25, can run and hit for average along with that mammoth power. Plus I think the Marlins are going to make some noise in 2015. (Runner-up: Yasiel Puig, Andrew McCutchen, Buster Posey, Byrce Harper, Matt Kemp)
NL CY Young: Johnny Cueto, RHP, Cincinatti: Cueto has really found his grove the last couple of seasons and I think if he puts up another 20-win campaign with an ERA in the 2's and plus-200 strikeouts, I think it could be his year (Runner-up: Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner, Max Scherzer, Zach Grienke)
NL R.O.Y.: Kris Bryant, 3B, Chicago: The only guy I think can push him is Joc Peterson. The NL does have some other impressive rookies coming up this year too, but Bryant is a guy who could be in MVP talks had he started the year in the bigs. (Runner-up: Peterson, Jorge Soler, Yasmany Tomas)
NL Comeback POY: Matt Harvey, RHP, New York: He didn't throw a pitch in 2014, but you probably couldn't tell by how he threw this spring. Looks as good as ever, maybe even better, heading into the year and should be the clear-cut favorite here if he stays on the field. (Runner-up: Brett Anderson, Ryan Zimmerman, Carlos Gonzalez)
NL HR Leader: Giancarlo Stanton, Miami
NL Batting Champion: Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado
NL ERA Champion: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles
NL Strikeout Champion: Max Scherzer, Washington
American League Awards
AL MVP: Robinson Cano, 2B, Seattle: I think year two is going to be the year Cano pays off big time in Seattle, and with Nelson Cruz now giving him some protection. He may not hit 30 home runs but he'll still hit his 20+ and could hit .350 in that spacious yard. I don't think anyone else is picking him, that I've seen yet at least, but I think he's a forgotten man on a team that should be very competitive in 2015 against a division with some of the lesser pitching staffs in baseball (Texas and Houston especially). (Runner-ups: 1B Jose Abreu, OF Michael Brantley, OF Mike Trout, RF Jose Bautista)
AL Cy Young: David Price, LHP, Detroit: I just see him thriving with that supporting cast and throwing half his games in spacious Comerica Park. He struck out 270 batters last year and I think he's in position to improve on that incredible 2012 season he had so long as he stays healthy and on track. And though the division is improving drastically, throwing in the Central still is preferable to pitching in the AL East, so he'll have that going for him to. I just can't wait to see him for a full year outside of that joke of a Major League stadium that is Tropicana Field. (Runner-ups: LHP Chris Sale, RHP Felix Hernandez, RHP Yordano Ventura, RHP Corey Kluber, RHP Sonny Gray)
AL R.O.Y.: Rusney Castillo, OF, Boston: He's not going to start the year in the bigs, but he's expected up sooner than later and the Red Sox are going to give him a shot cause they paid him handsomely. This is a tough one to pick though cause so many top choices are starting in the minors (Runner-up: OF Steven Souza, P Carlos Rondon, OF Dalton Pompey)
AL Comeback P.O.Y.: Prince Fielder, 1B, Texas: So long as Prince stays healthy, he's going to put up monstrous numbers in Texas. He's looked as good as ever this spring and appears hungry to regain his status as one of the premiere first basemen in baseball.
AL HR Leader: Jose Abreu, Chicago
AL Batting Champion: Robinson Cano, Seattle
AL ERA Champion: Felix Hernandez, Seattle
AL Strikeout Champion: Corey Kluber, Cleveland
National League Awards
NL MVP: Giancarlo Stanton, OF, Miami: I think this is the year for Stanton. Had he not missed the last month of 2014 may have hit 45+ with 115 RBI or more. Plus he's just 25, can run and hit for average along with that mammoth power. Plus I think the Marlins are going to make some noise in 2015. (Runner-up: Yasiel Puig, Andrew McCutchen, Buster Posey, Byrce Harper, Matt Kemp)
NL CY Young: Johnny Cueto, RHP, Cincinatti: Cueto has really found his grove the last couple of seasons and I think if he puts up another 20-win campaign with an ERA in the 2's and plus-200 strikeouts, I think it could be his year (Runner-up: Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner, Max Scherzer, Zach Grienke)
NL R.O.Y.: Kris Bryant, 3B, Chicago: The only guy I think can push him is Joc Peterson. The NL does have some other impressive rookies coming up this year too, but Bryant is a guy who could be in MVP talks had he started the year in the bigs. (Runner-up: Peterson, Jorge Soler, Yasmany Tomas)
NL Comeback POY: Matt Harvey, RHP, New York: He didn't throw a pitch in 2014, but you probably couldn't tell by how he threw this spring. Looks as good as ever, maybe even better, heading into the year and should be the clear-cut favorite here if he stays on the field. (Runner-up: Brett Anderson, Ryan Zimmerman, Carlos Gonzalez)
NL HR Leader: Giancarlo Stanton, Miami
NL Batting Champion: Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado
NL ERA Champion: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles
NL Strikeout Champion: Max Scherzer, Washington
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