Midseason awards

It's time for the midsummer pseudoclassic, the Baseball All-Star Game. In the spirit of everydorkwhohasanopinion, the Monk weighs in here with his mid-season award winners. Note that John Kruk favorite Eric Milton (high win total, crapola ERA) won't be on the list.

AL MVP -- I can't stand the SOB, but he's the best hitter in the league by far and pounded the A's and Rangers this week = Manny Ramirez (RedSux). Others in the running: David Ortiz (also RedSux), Vlad Guerrero (Angels), Pudge Rodriguez (Tigers), Michael Young (Rangers).

NL MVP -- will be renamed the Barry Bonds Award. Without him, the Giants stink; with him, they're pennant contenders. Chasing second place: Scott Rolen/Albert Pujols (Cards), Jim Thome (Phils).

AL Cy Young -- Must be Mark Mulder. He's 12-2 and his team has missed its best hitter for much of the year, had its only former CYA winner on its staff struggle (Barry Zito, 4-7), and still has a stinko bullpen. Mulder has carried the team and is the main reason they're only 2 games back at the break despite some rancid performances. Others in the running: Curt Schilling (RedSawx), CC Sabathia (Indians), Mariano Rivera.

NL Cy Young -- Right now this is between Ben Sheets, who has turned the corner and is the pitcher baseball folks anticipated he would be after he shut out the Cubans to win the 2000 Olympic baseball gold medal for the US, and Jason Schmidt. Schmidt is carrying the Giants' staff like Bonds is carrying the offense; Sheets' numbers are actually a bit better and he is a big reason that the Brewers are in the wild card race. Others under consideration: Roger Clemens, Tom Glavine.

AL RoY = I'm never as up on the rookies as on the other players but here's the stab at it: Shingo Takatsu (White Sox) -- this guy's a shocker because he throws in the low 80s but is virtually unhittable. He has some quirky delivery that made him a huge success in Japan and now he's showing the AL that he can flat-out pitch. Moreover, he may have a huge say in the pennant race because the WhiteSox are using him as their closer. Plus, I'm not prejudiced against Japanese pros who are making the crossover to the majors -- that's the bulls't argument used to deny Hideki Matsui the RoY award last year when he was FAR superior to any other candidate. Others = Bobby Crosby (A's), Nate Robertson (Tigers), Joe Mauer (Twins).

NL RoY = I originally had Akinori Otsuka and Khalil Greene as my top picks, but Jayson Stark convinced me to go with the Pirates' Jason Bay.

AL Manager of the Year to Date = Lou Piniella, close over Alan Trammell and Buck Showalter.

NL Manager of the Year to Date = Ned Yost of the Brewers, close over Tony LaRussa, Felipe Alou and Bobby Cox.

Positive surprises of the Year: Tigers, Brewers, D'Rays.

Negative surprises of the Year: Orioles, BJays, Mariners, Royals, and especially the Astros.