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NL Cy Young Award - Tim Lincecum, SF

Best pitcher in each league for the season

Lincecum has been the best pitcher overrall so far this season but somehow, his name gets shadowed by Edinson Volquez and Brandon Webb.  Give Lincecum some credit - he has a whopping 122 strikeouts and a 10-1 record, not a misprint there.  He is second in the league in ERA with a 2.49 earned run average.  Winning 10 games and only losing one on a somewhat offensivley challenged Sa Francisco Giants, you really are good.

Honorable Mention: Edinson Volquez, CIN

NL Most Valuable Player Award - Chase Utley, PHI

Player who is most valuable to his team throughout the season

Chase Utley may not have the best stats out of everybody in the National League but his leadership is impressive.  With injuries to Jimmy Rollins to start the season and Ryan Howard striking out a ton with an average south of .230, Utley has been the one carrying the team, doing so with his 24 home runs, tops in the league.  He is also fourth in the National League with runs batted in and he is hitting a very good .299. 

Honorable Mention: Lance Berkman, HOU

NL Rookie of the Year Award - Jair Jurrjens, ATL

Best Player in his first full year of Major League Baseball

Here's a rookie that hasn't gotten much attention for ROY this year - Jair Jurrjens.  In an off-season where he got traded to the Atlanta Braves from the Detroit Tigers, this young pitcher has been excellent, going 8-3 with a 3.09 ERA.  He has 75 strikeouts and he could end up having an even better season than Justin Verlander in 2006 who was the AL rookie of the year.  Boy, I bet the Tigers regret giving him up now . . .

Honorable Mention: Geovany Soto, CHC

NL Manager of the Year Award - Fredi Gonzalez, FLA

Best manager of his team during the season

This was a very easy one.  I don't see how the manager of the year couldn't be Gonzalez at this point.  Florida headed into this season as a projected last place team and no one relaly gave them any attention.  Now they are.  They are only 3.5 games back in the NL East division race.  The Marlins have had a sequence of winning a World Series every six years, winning in '97 and '03.  Maybe the Marlins are a year early and, who knows, maybe the will win the World Series.  Now that is a bold prediction, I'm not saying it though.

Honorable Meantion: Tony La Russa, STL

NL DHL Delivery Man of the Year Award - Brad Lidge, PHI

Most Outstanding Relief Pitcher of the Year

Lidge bombed in Houston in the last two years and needed a fresh start somewhere else - he found a home in Philadelphia with a good team and a winning atmosphere.  Lidge has 19 saves, not great, but his ERA speaks for it's self.  It is a microscopic 0.77 earned run average - tops among full-time closers in the National League.  Stats don't lie and Lidge's stats are amazing - also my third choice for comeback player of the year.

Honorable Mention: Kerry Wood, CHC

NL Hank Aaron Award - Lance Berkman, HOU

Best offensive player in the league

Berkman isn't leading his team to victory but his stats are so fantastic that he could still be among the top vote-getters in the MVP award.  He would definitly win the Hank Aaron award if the season ended now.   He is Top 3 in the National League in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in.  Those are numbers of .355, 22 and 69, respectivley.  There is really no one even close - Howard, probably the next best offensive player in the NL, is hitting over .100 points lower than Berkman.  Do the math.

Honorable Mention: Ryan Howard, PHI

NL Comeback Player of the Year Award - Jose Reyes, NYM

Player who has come back strong after a disapointing season/off-field

Jose Reyes was on pace for another MVP caliber season heading into September of 2007, only to bat around .200 that month with hardly any clutch or extra-base hits.  Mets fans started sending threat letters and demanded that he should be traded.  Not anymore.  Sure, he isn't having a fantastic season but still very good.  He is hitting .292 with 29 steals and nine home runs, not bad power numbers and good speed and average as well.

Honorable Mention: Carlos Zambrano, CHC

NL Silver Slugger Awards

Award given to the player at each position who has shown the best offense based on a series of offensive stats

C Silver Slugger Award - Brian McCann, ATL

Honorable Mention: Russell Martin, LAD

1B Silver Slugger Award - Lance Berkman, HOU

Honorable Mention: Albert Pujols, STL

2B Silver Slugger Award - Chase Utley, PHI

Honorable Mention: Dan Uggla, FLA

3B Silver Slugger Award - Chipper Jones, ATL

Honorable Mention: David Wright, NYM

SS Silver Slugger Award - Hanley Ramirez, FLA

Honorable Mention: Christian Guzman, WAS

LF Silver Slugger Award - Carlos Lee, HOU

Honorable Mention: Matt Holliday, COL

CF Silver Slugger Award - Nate McClouth, PIT

Honorable Mention: Rick Ankeil, STL

RF Silver Slugger Award - Corey Hart, MIL

Honorable Mention: Xavier Nady, PIT

P Silver Slugger Award - Carlos Zambrano, CHC

Honorable Mention: Micah Owings, ARI

Enjoy!