Giants Fighting For First, Athletics Struggling In Last
With the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics through a third of the season already, it's time to look back at the season so far and give out the mid-season MVP and Cy Young awards.
Of course, awards and accolades through a third of the season don't mean much, but it's a good way to know what each team has to look forward to for the rest of the season.
Both teams came in to the 2015 season with high expectations. The Giants were coming off its third World Series win in the last five years, and the Athletics reached the postseason in each of the last three seasons.
The two Bay Area teams had drastically different off-seasons. The Giants spent the off-season celebrating another championship and making small adjustments to an already proven roster.
The Athletics, on the other hand, did a full reload. They shipped out All-Stars and brought in players who have shown a lot of potential in their respective careers, but just haven't lived up to it yet.
So, let's start with the first third of the season for the Giants.
They currently sit at a record of 30-24, just two games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the N.L. West.
The way in which the Giants have won games hasn't really changed over the past few years. They get good pitching from the rotation and the bullpen, and the lineup provides timely hitting.
No team is going to be scared of San Francisco's line up. They have some good hitters like Buster Posey, Hunter Pence, and Angel Pagan, but not one of them is going to carry an offense for a certain period of time.
But that doesn't seem to matter for the Giants. Each hitter in that lineup knows what they have to do in any situation at the plate.
Good pitching, defense and timely hitting will win ball games, and the Giants have proved that.
MVP: Brandon Crawford
The 28-year-old shortstop has always been known to have a great glove, but his production at the plate has made him one of the best all-around shortstops in the game today.
He's currently hitting .297 and leading the team with 36 RBI and tied for the team lead in home runs with eight.
In a lineup that relies on every single part equally, the production from Crawford is unexpected but welcome.
CY Young: Madison Bumgarner
Of course.
That shouldn't really be a surprise to anyone. The start of the season was a bit shaky. It looked like the amount of innings he has thrown in the past few seasons was getting to him, but he has turned the season back around.
He currently has a record of 6-2 with an ERA of 3.12 and 61 strike outs.
He is the ace of the staff and has proven to be the best left-handed pitcher in the league.
As for the Athletics, it has been a tough season.
Not only will the team miss the playoffs for the first time since 2011, but they could possibly be the worst team in baseball right now.
The A's have been hit with a lot of injuries, but that's no excuse for a 21-33 record.
Oakland has by far had the worst defense and bullpen in the league.
The starting rotation has been better than expected with the young pitchers and the injuries to the staff, and the offense has produced even with missing pieces, but neither of those mean a thing if the bullpen and defense can't hold a lead.
With that said, the Athletics do have two players who are still shining and should be locks for an All-Star appearance.
MVP: Stephen Vogt
At this point, there's no reason not to believe in Stephen Vogt.
Vogt was a career minor league catcher until he made it to the Athletics. He has turned his career around and is currently the best hitting catcher in baseball.
He leads all catchers in batting average at .314, home runs with 11, and RBI with 38.
The Oakland catcher most likely won't get voted in by the fans as an All-Star starter, but his spot on the American League team should be guaranteed.
CY Young: Sonny Gray
Sonny Gray is not only the best pitcher on the Athletics, but he is also one of the best pitchers in the American League.
For this being only his second season in the big leagues, his numbers are ridiculously good. He has a 1.82 era and 66 strike outs which has lead him to a record of 6-2.
That record is not just impressive because he is tied for third in the A.L in wins, but because the A's bullpen and defense has been so atrocious that having six wins at this point in the season shows just how dominant he has been.
The two teams are going to continue to go in separate directions.
The Giants will stay close to the Dodgers throughout the entire season, but a Wild Card spot for San Francisco will most likely be the landing spot at seasons end.
As for Oakland, they won't get worse than they have been, but with the success of almost every other team in the A.L. West, it could mean last place for at least a majority of the season.
