What's that about the more things change the more they stay the same around Major League Baseball? Here are some midseason baseball awards, then, with appropriate statistics.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
(HALF) MVP
Vladimir Guerrero, Texas Rangers DH
Key stats: .319 average, 20 HRs, 75 RBIs
Two to consider: New York Yankees 2B Robinson Cano (.336), Detroit Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera (77 RBIs)
Spring training pick: Yankees 1B Mark Teixeira
The skinny: You could say Guerrero's teammate, Josh Hamilton, is having a better statistical season; plus, he plays in the field. But while Hamilton has been a constant, it is Guerrero's arrival and personal revival that have sparked the Rangers to the top of the American League West. Call it a similar intangible, but Guerrero did the same thing with Anaheim in 2004, leading the Angels to a division crown after arriving as a free agent from Montreal. Oh yes, he was the league MVP that season. And while Cano is having another solid season for the defending champs, he has too much help with a $205 million payroll. Cabrera, meanwhile, has matured and is a threat to win the A.L.'s first Triple Crown since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.
MANAGER OF THE (HALF)-YEAR
Ron Washington, Texas Rangers
Two to consider: Chicago's Ozzie Guillen, Detroit Tigers' Leyland
Spring training pick: Minnesota Twins' Ron Gardenhire
The skinny: The spring training revelation that Washington tested positive for cocaine the previous July seemed a death knell to his career. He offered to resign, but Rangers president Nolan Ryan stuck by him and the team has rallied around him. Ryan has provided a more well-rounded roster, and Washington's touch has them surprisingly leading the A.L. West.
(HALF) CY YOUNG AWARD
David Price, Tampa Bay Rays LHP
Key stats: 12-4, 2.42 ERA
Two to consider: Boston Red Sox left-hander Jon Lester (2.78 ERA), Los Angeles Angels right-hander Jered Weaver (137 Ks)
Spring training pick: Seattle Mariners RHP Felix Hernández
The skinny: It really is a toss-up, but Price, leading the league in victories in his first full season, gets the nod for now — mostly because he's 6-0 against his division to keep the Rays in the wild-card lead. Opponents were batting a league-low .203 against Lester, and Weaver should enter the break leading the majors in strikeouts.
ROOKIE OF THE (HALF)-YEAR
Brennan Boesch, Detroit Tigers LF
Key stats: .342, 12 HRs, 49 RBIs
Two to consider: Tigers CF Austin Jackson (14 stolen bases), Cleveland Indians RHP Mitch Talbot (8-8)
Spring training pick: Baltimore Orioles LHP Brian Matusz
The skinny: The A.L. Central has become a haven for rookies, especially in Detroit's outfield. Boesch is leading A.L. rookies in the Triple Crown categories, while Jackson is a Tigers catalyst. The youngsters not only have rejuvenated Detroit's old-school manager, Jim Leyland, but have jump-started the Tigers after last season's epic fold.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
(HALF) MVP
Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds 1B
Key stats: .314 average, 22 HRs, 60 RBIs
Two to consider: San Diego Padres 1B Adrian Gonzalez (.533 slugging), Atlanta Braves 2B Martin Prado (batting .325)
Spring training pick: Colorado Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki
The skinny: His manager said he was "a bad dude" in a league full of "bad dudes" at his position. No wonder Votto was lost in the shuffle and was the biggest snub for the All-Star Game before sanity prevailed thanks to the final fan vote. No player has meant more to his team's success in the league than the left-handed-hitting Votto, who leads the N.L. in OPS (1.033) and on-base percentage (.422), was tied for first in homers and slugging percentage (.589). Votto also has played a Gold Glove-level first base. Guys that do it for playoff-caliber teams earn extra credit since they are, inevitably, more valuable.
MANAGER OF THE (HALF)-YEAR
Bud Black, San Diego Padres
Two to consider: Cincinnati Reds' Dusty Baker, Atlanta Braves' Bobby Cox
Spring training pick: Baker
The skinny: The no-name Padres were supposed to be one of the worst teams in baseball and thus, full-fledged sellers by now. Instead, Black has guided the team with the second-lowest payroll in baseball ($40 million) to the best record in the league for most of the season. Will they fall back to the pack? Probably. But with a pitching guru in Black at the helm, pitching will remain the Padres' strength.
(HALF) CY YOUNG AWARD
Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado Rockies RHP
Key stats: 15-1, 2.20 ERA
Two to consider: Florida Marlins RHP Josh Johnson (1.70 ERA), Philadelphia Phillies RHP Roy Halladay (1.05 WHIP)
Spring training pick: Giants RHP Matt Cain
The skinny: This used to be the playground of two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum. But there was a passing, if not outright taking of the torch on Memorial Day at AT&T Park. That's when Jimenez threw a four-hit shutout against the Giants with nine strikeouts and two walks while Lincecum didn't make it out of the sixth inning. Jimenez, who also has a no-hitter this season, saw his ERA drop to a season-low 0.78 after beating Lincecum.
ROOKIE OF THE (HALF)-YEAR
Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves RF
Key stats: .251, 11 HRs, 45 RBIs
Two to consider: Washington Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg (1.01 WHIP), Giants C/1B Buster Posey (.350)
Spring training pick: Heyward
The skinny: Heyward made an immediate impact, homering in his first big-league at-bat, but he will not participate in the All-Star Game, for which he was voted a starter, because of an injured left thumb. Strasburg has made seven starts since being promoted in early June but is the real deal. So is Posey, who is leading N.L. rookies in batting.
Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.