RotoBaller Mid-Season Fantasy Baseball Awards

Mid-Season Fantasy Baseball Awards:

Let's have a little fun in the final hours before baseball resumes, shall we?  Without further ado, here are RotoBaller's Mid-Season Fantasy Awards!

• Most Productive Fantasy Team: Detroit Tigers – The sluggers Miggy and Fielder, the speedster Austin Jackson, and the producers Peralta and Hunter to go with the four-headed pitching monster Verlander, Scherzer, Fister and Sanchez.
• Least Productive Fantasy Team: Houston Astros – Their leading offensive player has 15 HR with a .228 batting average while their best pitcher is lucky to have five wins.
• Offensive Cleanse: The player whom you dropped and immediately felt cleansed – Ike Davis – After a 32-home run campaign last season, many thought he would be a steal, but he has maintained a very unsexy batting average with minimal power thus far.
• Pitcher Cleanse: The Pitcher whom you dropped and immediately felt feel cleansed – Dan Haren – Out of the AL, and you think you have it made in the shade? Not so fast. 6.29 ERA in April, 4.35 ERA in May and 9.82 ERA in June.
• AL Oops: Player in the AL whom you wish you hadn't let go – Eric Hosmer – You most likely held on to him for the first two months of the season in which he had 1 HR and a .260 BA.  In June he posted 6 HR, 4 SB and a .303 BA, and he seems primed for a solid second half under the tutelage of George Brett.
• NL Oops: Player in NL whom wish you hadn't let go – Francisco Liriano – “When was Liriano dropped,” you ask?  Before the season began when injuries still plagued the young lefty.
• Hitter who Came out of Nowhere: Jean Segura – No one expected Segura to be the #1 SS by the All-Star break.
• Pitcher who Came out of Nowhere – Mike Leake – His ERA is down almost two full points from last season.  He earned his eighth victory this year on July 10, matching his full-season total from 2012.
• Geezer of the Year – David Ortiz – Could it be possible that Big Papi is going to have his best year since his 54-HR, 137-RBI campaign in 2006?  There have been no signs of the injuries that have plagued him the last few seasons, and at 37 years old, he isn't slowing down yet.
• (relative) Youngster of the Year – Chris Davis – He is entering his sixth season and at 27 years old, which is entering his prime for a hitter, he is lighting it up.  If you haven’t heard of his magical season by now you’re no sort of baller, let alone a RotoBaller.
• Hitter Keeper You Want to Own – Yasiel Puig -  Over 162 games Puig, born in 1990, would be on pace for; 119 R, 34 HR, 81 RBI and 21 stolen bases.  That's very, very solid production.
• Pitcher Keeper You Want to Own – Matt Harvey – 24 years old, 130 IP, 147 K, 2.35 ERA, 0.92 WHIP.   ‘Nuff said.
• Biggest Pain in the Ass Hitter – Tie: Andre Ethier and Josh Hamilton – Hamilton has a crappy batting average and one would expect much more from the star.  He is providing some stats, but any warm body hitting in the Angels' lineup could earn those.  One might hope for a more productive second half. Ethier, on the other hand, is putting up middling stats at best. And for where you drafted Ethier, and where he began the season, you want/need more than average.
• Biggest Pain in the Ass Pitcher – David Price – He is on pace for career worsts since his first full season in 2009.  He missed a ton of time due to injury, and considering the way he pitched earlier in the season, you might rather him sit on your DL spot.  The good news is that in his last two starts he's been vintage:  18 IP and just three ER.
• Starter Most Likely to Bomb your ERA and WHIP in One Start – Ervin Santana – Sure, he's been extremely stable so far at the midway point, but you know you can count on this guy to pitch a 1.2-inning, 8-run junker, and follow it up with a 2-inning, 7-run junker.  It’s going to happen.
• Best HGH Pickup – Nelson Cruz – Almost 70 RBI, and 22 HR at the midway point, and facing a suspension.
• Craziest Non-ROY Winner (AL) – Alex Torres – Torres is a relief pitcher who has given up just one earned run in 26 innings this season.  He has only been in the majors since May 16, and if he keeps up the pace, it would be surprising if he didn't earn a bunch of ROY votes.  He is striking out over 11 batters per nine innings.
• Craziest Non-ROY Winner (NL) – Tie: Yasiel Puig and Shelby Miller – Both players could lead their respective teams to the playoffs, while Jose Fernandez goes about his business pitching for one of the worst teams in baseball.
• AL First-half Rookie of the Year – Hisashi Iwakuma – He only has two wins since May 31, and had a streak of five starts with four or more ER, and still he has been the most valuable rookie of the season so far in the American League.
• NL First-half Rookie of the Year – Jose Fernandez – Fernandez is pitching lights-out.  The former first-round pick in 2011 has posted a 2.75 ERA and is striking out about a batter per inning.
• AL MVP – Miguel Cabrera – Miggy is putting up Triple Crown numbers for the second season in a row.  Just how good are his 30 home runs and 95 RBI? Only 21 guys hit more than 30 HR and only 22 guys hit more than 95 RBI...  in all of 2012.  He currently sports a .365 batting average, up over 35 points from his .330 Triple Crown winning batting average in 2012.
• AL Cy Young – Max Scherzer – He's doing everything you could want from your #2 pitcher. He has 13 wins in 19 first-half starts.  His team has won 15 out 19 of those starts.  He is striking out 10.6 batters per nine innings.  No pitcher is dominating and providing his team with wins each time he pitches like Scherzer is.

1. NY Cy Young and NL MVP – Adam Wainwright – Wainwright is both the NL Cy Young and NL MVP at the midway point.  The Cardinals are in a tight race in the NL Central, and that is in large part because of Wainwright. Like Scherzer, Wainwright has provided his team with every opportunity to win baseball games.  He leads the NL in Wins, IP and complete games.

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