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BOSTON SPORTS EXTRA’S MLB AWARD PREDICTIONS (MIDSEASON EDITION)

With the Major League Baseball season halfway over, our baseball writers have collaborated to make our award picks for the rest of the season. In this article we detail who will win the major awards for 2018; Most Valuable Player, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year for both leagues. This is a follow-up to our preseason predictions.

AMERICAN LEAGUE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Scott Frizzell – At the start of the season I took Mike Trout, and the only reason to change my mind now would be due to the Angels record. Trout is the best player in baseball. Then again, this year Mookie Betts has been better so far and has to be the favorite at the break. My dark horse was Francisco Lindor, who is batting .291 with 25 home runs, so I’m feeling good about him too.

Matt O’Halloran – Mike Trout was my preseason pick with Jose Altuve being the runner-up. I am now changing my pick to Mookie Betts as the MVP with Trout as the runner-up. Betts has a higher batting average, OPS, and two fewer home runs despite playing in 19 fewer games. Also, Betts’ team is 38 games above 500 and the Angels will not come close to making the playoffs.

Kyle Porch – Betts is still lighting it up this season. There are very few reasons he shouldn’t be MVP.

Justin Gonzalez – Original Pick: Mike Trout, New Pick: Mookie Betts

This is tough for me to change but having Mike Trout as my answer for 2018 AL MVP is not a bad thing what so ever. However, the numbers that Mookie Betts is putting up are unreal. He has a mind-boggling 202 wRC+, .359/.448/.691 slash line with 23 homers and 51 RBIs. Mind you, he has 20 fewer games played than Mike Trout. All in all, Betts is having a historic season and he deserves to beat Trout this year for the award.

Jun 1, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts (50) celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles after at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: USATSI-259846 ORIG FILE ID: 20160601_ajw_gb3_093.jpg

NATIONAL LEAGUE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Scott Frizzell – Well, my Bryce Harper pick has proven to be garbage. Christian Yelich as a dark horse is having a good year, but certainly no threat for MVP. Right now, Jesus Aguilar of the Brewers has a serious argument for first half MVP, and yet his inclusion in the All-Star Game somehow came down to the final vote

Matt O’Halloran – Arenado was my preseason pick with Corey Seager being my runner-up. Seager was decent stats but has only played in 26 games. I am sticking with Arenado at MVP, with Jesus Aguilar being the runner-up. The third baseman is hitting .312 with 24 home runs and a .395 OBP. Both players are on teams that will come close to making the playoffs, so no significant gap there.

Kyle Porch – Bryce Harper. After picking Arenado in the beginning, I realized Harper is going to tear it up in the second half.

Justin Gonzalez – Original Pick: Bryce Harper, New Pick: Nolan Arenado

This is an easier change from my original pick. Basically, Harper could go on a tear for the rest of the season and still not win the MVP award. He’s batting an abysmal .213 on the season and has a 1.5 fWAR for the first half; Not good. Instead, I will go with Colorado Rockies phenom Nolan Arenado. 23 homers, 68 RBIs, 145 wRC+ along with his stellar defense is hard to beat. Best of all, his BABIP of .335 says that he will more or less sustain this level of performance for the rest of the season, barring injury.

AMERICAN LEAGUE CY YOUNG AWARD

Scott Frizzell – I like going with sleeper picks for Cy Young, but going with the usual candidates this year would have been better. Lance McCullers is having a good season at 10-4 with a 3.77 ERA and 9.5 K/9 after a poor final start before the break. James Paxton was my dark horse, he has thrown a no-hitter and struck out 11.7 batters per nine innings on the year. Both are good, but neither will win the award.

Matt O’Halloran – My preseason pick was Verlander taking home the award with Sale being the runner-up. I am going with the same players but flip the order. Sale has a 2.23 ERA while Verlander’s is 2.29. Sale has struck out 16 more batters in 8.2 fewer innings. I am a bit worried about Sale because of his performance in August and September, but Cora seems to have managed him well over the season.

Kyle Porch – Chris Sale. Leading the al in strikeouts again, Sale is still dominant. End of story.

Justin Gonzalez – Original Pick: Chris Sale

I’ll be sticking with the best pitcher in the AL as of right now, and it’s easy to see why. He has some ridiculous numbers this season (2.23 ERA, 4.9 WAR, 188 strikeouts, .90 WHIP) and best of all, the Red Sox are starting to score some runs for the guy. It’s a combination that makes opposing teams crumble.

NATIONAL LEAGUE CY YOUNG AWARD

Scott Frizzell – I took Noah Syndergaard, who hasn’t pitched a ton. I feel very good about my dark horse candidate though, Aaron Nola. Nola has continued his second-half breakout from last season into this year, going 12-3 with a 2.30 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and over a strikeout per inning. He is arguably the Cy Young of the first half.

Matt O’Halloran – My Clayton Kershaw preseason pick is a dud. He has good numbers, but injuries have caused him to only throw 75.2 innings. Max Scherzer as a runner-up is looking good, but I am now going with Jacob DeGrom to win the Cy Young. His jaw-dropping 1.68 ERA should guarantee him this award, however trade rumors could mess that up.

Kyle Porch – Max Scherzer is on the rise. Kershaw hasn’t been his normal self.

Justin Gonzalez – Original Pick: Clayton Kershaw, New Pick: Jacob DeGrom

Clayton Kershaw has not been the dominant pitcher we all knew him as. He has had issues staying healthy and as a result, only started 13 games this season. Granted, he can pick it up in the second half but Jacob DeGrom is just having a Kershaw type of season. Posting a first-half ERA of 1.68 to go along with a WHIP of 0.97 and an xFIP of 2.73 to support his sustainability, it is now officially his award to lose. The most interesting thing about this whole thing will be the number of wins he ends up with. As we all know, wins do not solely reflect a pitcher’s season or skills but he can’t help the fact that he is pitching for one of the worst offenses in the league. I have faith that voters will see through this and give him the award, rightfully so.

Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire

AMERICAN LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Scott Frizzell – My pick of Willie Calhoun isn’t coming to fruition as he has spent most of the season in the minor leagues. Calhoun has been hot of late but who knows when a call-up may occur. Gleyber Torres is the front-runner at the moment.

Kyle Porch – Shohei Ohtani, even though he can’t pitch the rest of the season. He can still light it up offensively as a DH.

Justin Gonzalez – Original Pick: Eloy Jimenez, New Pick: Gleyber Torres

Gleyber Torres has been on an amazing pace since he got called up from the minors. Posting a .294/.350/.555 slash line in 63 games is impressive. Imagine being a rookie and doing that and you have a superstar in the making on your hands. He shows all the attributes to be an extremely successful player in the majors and I am pretty excited to see what kind of player he turns into down the road.

Matt O’Halloran- I did not make preseason ROY picks, but I will go with Yankees slugger Gleyber Torres now. He has 15 home runs and 42 RBI’s in just 42 games. Ohtani is my runner-up pick, but injuries and his schedule are the reasons why I would not vote for him.

NATIONAL LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Scott Frizzell – Ronald Acuna has been okay, but not what many expected yet. He is very young though and holding his own. Currently, he is behind several in the race, most notably Juan Soto, but I am not ready to concede the pick. Acuna could still win this award with a big second half.

Kyle Porch – Ronald Acuna has been a bit of a letdown, but look for him to make a run in the second half.

Justin Gonzalez – Original Pick: J.P. Crawford, New Pick: Juan Soto

This was harder than you may realize. The Marlins also have a contender for rookie of the year named Brian Anderson. Both players are having terrific seasons but Soto’s is a bit better. With a rookie leading 151 wRC+ figure, he looks to be the clear-cut winner, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Anderson gave him a run for his money. All in all, I’ll bet on Soto.

Matthew O’Halloran- Juan Soto is my pick to win it, with Ronald Acuna being the runner-up. They’ve had polar opposite seasons with Acuna being a letdown and Soto coming from out of nowhere. Soto has two more home runs and his batting average is 52 points higher.

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Fresh Take Friday: Mookie Betts Is Better Than Mike Trout Right Now (@jackbuffett_)

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The AL MVP Race Consists of Two Players- Mookie and Mike

For years, Mike Trout has reigned supreme as the face of Major League Baseball. He has two MVP awards to his name already. Until this year, no one questioned his status as the best player in baseball. However, Mookie Betts is dominating this year for the first-place Red Sox. The results of the All-Star Game fan voting showed him with 600,000 more votes than Trout. While this is by no means an accurate measure of their skill, the stats show that it’s time to consider Mookie the best player in baseball right now.

Photo via USA Today

(Disclaimer: note that this is RIGHT NOW. Trout has had a far more successful career. Just making it clear.)

The Stats

Let’s get this out of the way right now: yes, Mike Trout has a better WAR than Mookie Betts. Trout’s is 7.1, Betts’ is 5.9. Some people think that is the end-all, be-all of baseball statistics. It is not. That is a conversation for another time, though.

Photo via Getty Images

Let’s start with batting average-the most basic baseball statistic. Mookie Betts currently leads all of baseball in this area, currently hitting .352. Mike Trout is hitting .314. Trout has a higher on-base percentage, beating Mookie .457 to .440. All that means is that more of Trout’s appearances on base come from walks, while Mookie hits more, but draws walks less. Mookie’s slugging percentage is .683 right now, leading the MLB. Trout’s is .618. Betts also leads the league in OPS (on-base plus slugging), with an absurd 1.123, in front of Trout’s 1.075. If you’re looking at solely these numbers, you’re thinking Betts is better, no?

Maybe you’re not a percentage fan. If that’s the case, take a gander at these numbers. Thus far this year, Trout has had 415 plate appearances and Mookie has 341. During these PA’s, Mookie has the same number of hits (102), seven more doubles (25 to 18), and two fewer homers (25 to 23). Not too shabby for having 74 fewer appearances at the plate. This season, Mookie also has just one less RBI, and has scored five more runs. However, Trout has been far better at drawing walks, taking 81 bases on balls to Betts’ 43.

Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images

Look at the numbers. Mookie Betts is statistically a better baseball player than Mike Trout this season. It doesn’t hurt that number 50 is leading the Sox to the MLB’s best record at 66-29, riding a ten-game win streak. Meanwhile, Trout’s Angels are 48-46. A team’s record is obviously not indicative of an individual’s success (see Machado, Manny), but it’s worth mentioning.

As the league approaches the All-Star break, both players are destroying the rest of the league. The two are in a tier all by themselves, above the rest of the MLB. Don’t discount how good of a baseball player Mike Trout is. It’s crazy what he’s been able to do for years. However, right now, Betts is the best player in baseball. We’ll see who takes home the MVP award at the end of the year.

*Stats accurate as of Friday, June 13th.

Follow me on Twitter: @jackbuffett_

Boston Sports Extra’s MLB Award Predictions

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With the Major League Baseball season almost upon us (finally), our baseball writers have collaborated to make our picks for the coming season. In this article we detail who will win the major awards for 2018; Most Valuable Player, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year for both leagues. We will follow this one up with a part two article covering our picks for the division winners and the postseason.

American League Most Valuable Player

Scott Frizzell – Mike Trout is my pick for this year’s MVP winner because he is awfully hard to pick against. Trout is the best player in baseball, and his first six seasons match up pretty favorably with just about any player in the game’s history. He could be a top ten player of all-time once he hangs them up. Dark Horse Candidate – Francisco Lindor

Matt O’Halloran – Mike Trout seems like the best pick, as he has been for the past five years. He won the award in 2014 and 2016, and has been close to winning it in the other years. The Angels missed the Wild Card by five games in 2017, and a playoff run combined with a healthy season should guarantee a third MVP for the outfielder. Runner up – Jose Altuve

Kyle Porch – Mookie Betts will win MVP this year because he has a lot to prove. Simply put, he got robbed of the award two years ago by Mike Trout, and he needs the numbers to get the extension he wants. With a third straight gold glove award in sight, the five tool player can rip it up offensively to which we have seen the last two seasons.

Justin Gonzalez – It has always been Mike Trout’s award to lose ever since he stepped foot in the MLB. Widely renowned as baseball’s best player, Trout seems to be catapulting himself towards a first ballot hall of fame vote already at the age of 26. Last year was seen as a down year for him since he only played in 114 games but was still able to post a 1.071 OPS, 33 HR, 72 RBI, .306 batting average while swiping 22 bags. Now batting in the best lineup he has ever been in, it is time for Trout to show us what he is truly capable of and all we can do is sit back and enjoy the show.

David Latham – It’s Altuve’s world, and we’re all just living in it. I’ve been a huge fan of Altuve ever since he entered the league, and outside of Mike Trout, there’s no other player I’d rather have on my team. He’s everything you want in a baseball player: he can hit for average, power, he’s a great athlete, and he gives 110% every single play.

Brandon Fazzolari – Carlos Correa is in the middle of a lineup that tests pitchers every step of the way, setting Correa up to produce huge numbers.

National League Most Valuable Player

Scott Frizzell – Bryce Harper has more or less become the player he was supposed to become over the last three seasons. Last year, his season was derailed by injury, but he was putting up big numbers before he went down. Now entering his first contract season, expect Harper to play as well as he ever has. I think numbers similar to his 2015 campaign are within reach. Dark Horse Candidate – Christian Yelich

Matt O’Halloran – Nolan Arenado has been consistently great during his career, but never really talked about. It could be the Colorado market or blind fans chalking up the success to Coors, but that silence changes this year. Arenado is in a contract year, which should bolster his already impressive stats. The young third baseman is an outstanding defender and great hitter (even out of Coors). The Rockies made the wild card game last year, and another postseason berth combined with impressive numbers should get him the MVP. Runner up – Corey Seager

Kyle Porch – Nolan Arenado will win the NL MVP award simply because of a continuation from last season. The Rockies third baseman will continue on his upward trend while earning a massive payday next season.

Justin Gonzalez – It must really suck to be Harper. I mean think about it: he has luscious hair, a beard that a lumberjack would approve of, a career WAR that is one point higher than his actual age (26 over 25), and is heading into one of the biggest contract years ever. Okay, maybe that doesn’t suck, but what I was getting at is imagine a baseball world without Mike Trout. We would be talking about Harper like he was the second coming of Ken Griffey Jr. I believe that this contract year for Harper is what will put him on the map clearly as the second best baseball player in the world.

David Latham – There are very few baseball players more talented than Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper. Another guy that can do it all, Harper is set to hit unrestricted free agency at the end of 2018. Look for Harper to have an absolutely crazy 2018 before breaking the bank in 2019.

Brandon Fazzolari – Bryce Harper is a versatile performer that can hit for average and power from the left side. Barring injury, this award should be his.

Photo by Patrick Smith

American League Cy Young Award

Scott Frizzell – I like to dig a little deeper on AL Cy Young oftentimes, so my pick is going to be Lance McCullers this season. McCullers just needs to stay healthy, as he has never pitched more than 22 games in a season. His first two seasons he had a 3.22 ERA, and he struck out 11.8 batters per nine in 2016. When he went down with an injury last June, McCullers had a 2.58 ERA and 10.4 k/9. He pitched well in the postseason and so far this spring he has been lights out. Dark Horse Candidate – James Paxton

Matt O’Halloran – Justin Verlander posted a 1.06 regular season ERA after he was traded to the Astros on August 31st. The ace was a big part of their world series run and should put up impressive numbers again. He won the award in 2011, and was a runner up in 2016. He has been consistently dominant since he entered the league in 2006, and there is no reason to believe that will stop. Runner up – Chris Sale

Kyle Porch – Chris Sale will give hitters deja vu of his 2017 season to win the award. While working out with Jason Groome over the offseason, he has built muscle and the velocity has improved while under-exerting himself during spring training.

Justin Gonzalez – The 2017 Cy Young award runner up has some unfinished business to take care of in 2018. He got his inaugural Red Sox season out of the way and is looking to take back what was clearly his in the first half of the season. Sporting the highest career SO/W (strikeout per win) figure in MLB history, Sale does two things extremely well: strikeout batters and win games. Pitching in front of a better lineup than last season, he has a chance to have a career year. Pair all of this with his longevity boosting workout regimen and he is really in line for another spectacular season.

David Latham – For the first four months of the 2017 season, this award was Sale’s to lose. Unfortunately, fatigue set in and Sale had a rough end of the season. He ended up finishing second for the award, behind Cleveland Indians ace Corey Kluber.

Brandon Fazzolari – Chris Sale is the consummate power pitcher. He shows no signs of slowing down in his prime.

National League Cy Young Award

Scott Frizzell – Sticking with my theme of underdogs for Cy Young, I am taking Noah Syndergaard to win in the NL this year. Syndergaard isn’t quite the underdog McCullers is, but anyone not named Kershaw or Scherzer in the National League seems like a bit of one. After missing most of last season, Syndergaard is healthy and strong for this season. He came out firing 100 miles per hour early in spring. Dark Horse Candidate – Aaron Nola

Matt O’Halloran – I could have flipped a coin between Kershaw and Max Scherzer. It is a two man race barring a major injury because they are the only best pitchers in the NL and whoever is third is a distant third. I predict Kershaw just because the Dodgers should finish ahead of the Nationals in the standings. He won the award in 2011, 2013, 2014, and was a runner up in 2017. Runner up – Max Scherzer

Kyle Porch – Clayton Kershaw will continue his dominance by winning another Cy Young award. The Dodgers pitcher could opt out and with his 4th award he can get a huge payday.

Justin Gonzalez – Want to read a preposterous sentence? Clayton Kershaw could possibly have a better career than Trout when it is all said and done. Everyone knows that he is the best pitcher in baseball (you do know that, right?) but just how good is he? Well for starters, he hasn’t had an ERA over 2.50 since 2012 (2.53) and has only had an ERA over 3.00 ONCE in TEN seasons (his rookie year). Get my point? He already has a career WAR of 60.6 and is heading into a contract season. His recent injuries would be the only thing that would stop him from winning the award for the 4th time, but then again, injuries could happen to anybody on this list. I would be absolutely floored if Kershaw didn’t run away with the award yet again.

David Latham – Clayton Kershaw is the best pitcher in baseball, and it’s not even that close. Until someone dethrones him as the best, this award will always be his to lose.

Brandon Fazzolari – Joining most others, I am picking Clayton Kershaw to win this award. It’s hard to believe Kershaw is still just 30 years old because he has been so good for so long.

Clayton Kershaw during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies, Wednesday, April 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

American League Rookie of the Year

Scott Frizzell – Shohei Ohtani seemed to be the clear favorite for this award before his lousy spring training. I wanted to go elsewhere with this pick anyways, Ohtani was too easy. Willie Calhoun of the Rangers is starting the season in the minors, but I think he will be up by the end of April. A former fourth round pick, Calhoun batted .300 with 31 home runs in AAA last season. In a hitter’s paradise in Arlington, Calhoun should make his mark this season. Dark Horse Candidate – Austin Hays

Kyle Porch – Willie Calhoun has great speed not only in the outfield, but on the base path as well. If he can continue his hot hitting from the minors, he should be a lock for Rookie of The Year.

Justin Gonzalez – Eloy Jimenez ranks as the number four prospect in all of baseball and seems to be overshadowed by another soon to be star, Yoan Moncada. Originally from the Cubs organization before being traded to the ChiSox in exchange for Jose Quintana, Jimenez seems to be a player that can really be a pivotal piece towards the White Sox rebuild. The 21 year old has an eye-popping OPS of 2.381 in his first Spring Training. Jimenez recently got optioned to double-A, but there should not be any reason why the White Sox wouldn’t promote him at some point during the season.

David Latham – If Rafael Devers were eligible, I’d pick him here. However, he’s not, so the award goes to Texas Rangers outfielder Willie Calhoun. Calhoun is a power bat on a popular organization that should be average at least, so why not him?

Brandon Fazzolari – There’s a lot to like about the multi-talented Ohtani, but mostly that he’s in a lineup alongside Mike Trout.

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

National League Rookie of the Year

Scott Frizzell – It is hard to pick against Ronald Acuña at this point. He will start the season in the minor leagues, but that is only to extend his years under team control. Acuña will be up before long and he is one of the most talented prospects to come up in sometime. Acuña has some all-around ability to his game in the vein of Mike Trout. In three stops last season. Acuña batted .325, hit 21 home runs and stole 44 bases. So far this spring, he has batted .432 with 4 homers and 4 steals. Dark Horse Candidate – A.J. Minter

Kyle Porch – Ronald Acuña has flown through the Braves minor league system. Their number 1 prospect is expected to branch out in the majors this season.

Justin Gonzalez – J.P. Crawford seems to be one of the more overlooked players to get excited about in today’s baseball world. In a league where shortstop seems to be a position abundant with raw talent, it is hard to get noticed. However, Crawford will be the everyday shortstop for a Phillies team that has suddenly become decent. The acquisition of Carlos Santana, a full season of Rhys Hoskins and a hopeful season for Maikel Franco will really help Crawford out from the get go. His patience at the plate along with his ability to hit to all fields as well as his plus defending makes him one of the early front-runners for the NL Rookie of the Year.

David Latham – The Dodgers will be good this year, and Walker Buehler should be a big part of that. He won’t be the top arm in the rotation, which honestly should help his win total. He’s got a lot of talent, making it to the majors after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2016.

Brandon Fazzolari – If spring training is any indication, Acuña should win this award in a cakewalk.

Is Brad Marchand a Hart Trophy Contender?

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Hart Trophy Contenders

As of now it appears that Nikita Kucherov, Taylor Hall, and Nathan Mackinnon are the frontrunners for this year’s Hart Trophy. Kucherov leads the league with 88 points and has dominated all season. Hall and Mackinnon have also had career years, yet both teams remain on the playoff bubble. Many fans and analysts have actually used this to strengthen the argument for both of them. They say that their individual production is essentially the only reason New Jersey and Colorado are in contention. Heading into the season neither team had high expectations, so this is a valid point. But can’t the same logic be applied to Brad Marchand and the Bruins? If we’re talking about one player stepping up his game and allowing his team to defy expectations, Marchand absolutely needs to be in the conversation.

By the Numbers

They made the playoffs last year, but the Bruins have been on the outside-looking-in for a while now in terms of being a cup contender. Prior to the season, the consensus was that the Bruins would be a bubble team come the latter part of the season. One set of preseason rankings from www.sportingnews.ca even had the B’s listed as the 20th best team in the league, falling behind Montreal, Ottawa, and Carolina.

But with Marchand continuing his dominance that we saw last season this prediction has become far from accurate. He leads the team with 67 points despite having played in 13 less games than the second leading scorer, David Pastrnak. This averages out to 1.29 points per game, good for fourth in the league and only 0.05 points per game behind Nathan Mackinnon, the current leader. This is something that the Bruins haven’t seen in a while. If Marchand can keep this pace up, he’ll have the most points per game by a Bruin in a single season since Joe Thornton back in 2002-03. Thornton managed to put up 101 points through 77 games that year, and even those numbers narrowly beat Marchand’s current points per game at 1.31.

We all know what Marchand’s reputation is outside of Boston- he’s pretty much hated unanimously. Fans, players, coaches, analysts- you name it, they all can’t stand him. He’s been suspended six times throughout his career and hasn’t made too many friends around the league. He’s always straddled the line between “chippy” and down-right unacceptable. But the effect that it has on the team is overblown.

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Marchand for MVP

So far this season Marchand has 53 PIMs in 53 games. This doesn’t even crack the NHL’s top 50 and averages out to just one minor penalty every other game. For some teams this would cause problems, but the Bruins penalty kill is more than capable of weathering the storm. They’ve managed to kill off 82.4% of penalties this season, good for 10th in the league. We also can’t look past how this time in the box relates to his style of play. Unlike most scorers he plays his best hockey while trying to get under the opposing teams skin. Scoring and being a pest are a package deal, and he’s equally talented in both categories. With the amount that he throws the other team off their game, I’ll take a minor penalty every other night.

Even despite all this, it remains unlikely that Marchand will take home the Hart Trophy. He’s missed too much time with suspensions and his reputation has taken a bigger hit than ever. Keep in mind that the Hart trophy is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. Most of them probably hate him too. But his production when in the lineup has been just as good as anyone in the NHL, and it shows with his 1.29 points per game. He’s part of the best line in hockey and has given Bruins fans scoring that we haven’t seen in 15 years. It’ll be interesting to see if Marchand can pad his stats down the stretch and become more of a solidified Hart Trophy candidate.

The Top Second Basemen in Baseball Long-Term

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If you were to start a team from scratch, which second basemen would you target? You need to factor in not only play, but age and longevity as well. I don’t see any debate over the top spot, but beyond that point someone could go any number of directions. From two through ten there is a lot of jockeying. I did my best to put them in order balancing age and performance, but there are still a few very solid players not inside the top ten.

1. Jose Altuve

The MVP stands head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd, even if he literally stands head and shoulders below them. Altuve has been the best second baseman in baseball over the past four seasons and doesn’t turn 28 until May. During those four seasons Altuve has won three batting titles and led the league in hits all four seasons. He has also led the league in stolen bases twice, won an MVP Award and placed third in another vote. Altuve also collected 22 base hits and seven home runs during postseason play this past year, helping the Astros to their World Series title.

Altuve has proven he can do just about anything at the plate he wants. He has transformed himself from the singles and doubles hitter he was in 2014, to someone who can pop homers over the fence without sacrificing doubles. In 2014 when he batted .341, Altuve only homered seven times while hitting 47 doubles. The last two seasons he has hit 24 home runs in each while still hitting 81 doubles. His average over these past two seasons has been .341, the same it was the year he hit seven home runs. Altuve is remarkable, without even thinking about the fact he stands just 5’6″.

2. Brian Dozier

Brian Dozier is the biggest power hitter at the position. Not only that, he steals some bags and plays excellent defense. Since his first full season, Dozier has averaged 29 home runs and 16 stolen bases per season. His home runs increased each season through 2016, culminating with him setting the American League record for home runs by a second baseman in a season (42). Not like he fell off horribly last year, homering 34 times. Dozier also stole 18 bags in 20 tries in 2016. With 76 home runs and an .871 OPS over these past two years, Dozier seems like he has settled in as a true threat.

As for his defense, Dozier has made less than 10 errors in each of the last three seasons. Last year he only made five all year, putting up a .993 fielding percentage. This led to him winning his first Gold Glove. Dozier is a great all-around player, and turning 31 this May, he should be for a while to come.

Photo by Hannah Foslien

3. Javier Baez

Baez has been consistently improving since he entered the league with large fanfare in 2014. Baez mashed a lot of home runs in the minor leagues and entered the 2014 season as the 5th best prospect in baseball according to Baseball America. He wasn’t ready for the majors though, striking out in over 40% of his plate appearances that season. Baez still rarely walks and has a lot of swing and miss in his game, but has cut back his strike out rate significantly. He has also batted .273 two seasons in a row after hitting .169 that first year. Baez homered 23 times last year and posted a .480 slugging percentage. At just 25 years old for this season, Baez can be expected to make continued improvements.

Baez is stellar in the field as well. It seemed like every night there was some highlight of him making a play this past season. He played a lot of shortstop this past season as well, but second base is his most likely position moving forward. His added versatility only makes him more valuable though. Baez has posted 3.1 dWAR over the past two seasons.

4. Jonathan Schoop

Schoop was a solid prospect, but no one expected quite what he did last year. Schoop has improved with each season he has been in the big leagues, going from a .209 hitter in 2014 to the one we saw last year. He batted .293 and hit 32 home runs last year while making his first All-Star Game. He does have his subtractors though; Schoop struck out 142 times against just 35 walks last year. This was after walking just 21 times the year before.

At just 26, maybe Schoop should be ahead of Baez at least based on last year. However, based on his approach at the plate I don’t expect Schoop to ever duplicate what he accomplished last season. I see him being closer to the hitter he was in 2016, when he batted .267 with 25 home runs while posting a .752 OPS. He is still a good player, but not the star we saw last year. Time will tell if I am wrong. One more added bonus to Schoop is his ability to play every day. Schoop has only missed two games over the last two seasons.

5. Daniel Murphy

If this list were just for this season, Murphy would place second or third. However, Murphy is 33 years old on April 1st, so his position drops a bit. Murphy also isn’t the best fielder, posting a negative dWAR in six straight seasons. Murphy is one of the very best hitters though, so his spot is safe. From 2011-2015, Murphy batted .291 while averaging 10 home runs per year. He has always been a solid hitter. Since then, Murphy has made adjustments to his approach at the plate and started hitting the ball in the air more.

Murphy took the postseason by storm in 2015 when trying to do more damage with his at-bats. He hit seven home runs in the playoffs and won NLCS MVP. He continued with this new approach and has homered 48 times the last two years while leading the league in doubles both seasons. In 2016, he came in 2nd in the MVP vote after leading the league with a .985 OPS. He has batted .334 while averaging 24 home runs, 45 doubles and a .956 OPS over those seasons. At 33, he shouldn’t decline for a couple of years still, but he also doesn’t have nearly the time left of most others on this list.

6. Ozzie Albies

Albies doesn’t even have a full season in the Major Leagues, but he looks like a potential star. Albies was on all prospect lists the past two years, and came in at number 11 on Baseball America heading into last year. He batted .304 over parts of four minor league seasons. A line drive hitter, Albies has added a little bit of pop in recent years, as power usually develops with age. He isn’t expected to ever be a power hitter, but he could hit 15 home runs while hitting for good averages. Last season he hit 15 home runs between AAA and the majors. He hit .286 with six home runs over his first 217 Major League at-bats last year.

Albies also has a lot of speed. He stole 102 bases in his minor league career. That’s over 25 stolen bases per season and he wasn’t even playing full seasons in two of those. Last year, Albies stole 21 bases in 23 tries at AAA Gwinnett. After being called up to Atlanta, he stole eight more bases while only being caught once. Albies is also expected to have a good glove, and he made only three errors with a .987 fielding percentage with the Braves.

7. D.J. LeMahieu

Whether or not you want to argue about the affects of Coors Field, D.J. LeMahieu is an excellent hitter. LeMahieu has only surpassed 100 strike outs in one season, consistently putting the ball in play. Over the past three years he has made two All-Star Games and batted .319. LeMahieu has batted over .300 in each of those seasons and won the batting title in 2016. Even playing in Coors, he doesn’t have much power, but with averages like that does it really matter?

LeMahieu is also a stellar defender at second, making just 34 errors across parts of seven seasons. He has never made double digit errors in any season, giving him a career .991 fielding percentage at the position. LeMahieu was able to capture his second career Gold Glove this past season.

8. Yoan Moncada

This selection is all about projection. At just 22, Moncada has not shown much at the big league level yet. He batted just .231 this past season, although he did put up a .338 on-base percentage. He also managed to hit 8 home runs in 199 at-bats, showing his power potential.

Moncada’s reason for showing here is his big-time potential. Moncada was third in Baseball America’s prospect rankings for 2016, and 2nd for 2017. He has not only shown power potential, but the ability to steal a lot of bases. In 2015 he stole 49 bases while only being caught three times. The next year he stole 45 bags while hitting 15 home runs. His steals have dwindled the higher he has climbed, but between AAA and the White Sox last season he did post a 20-20 season. He has the lowest floor of anyone on this list, but one of the higher ceilings.

9. Rougned Odor

Odor is not your typical second baseman. Odor strikes out a lot, never walks and hits a lot of home runs. That is someone you might expect to find at first base or DH. His power at second base is hard to ignore entirely for this list, but his questionable ability to get on base drops him down to a fringe candidate. Odor was much better the two seasons prior to last year, so based on that potential I am including him.

Odor put up a .791 OPS his first two full seasons despite drawing just 42 walks. In 2016, he homered a lot more often than he drew a walk, 33-19. It was a very strange season, as he put up a weak .296 on-base percentage but had a stellar .502 slugging percentage. Last year he homered 30 times again, and upped his walks to a still meager 32. However, his average tanked, hitting a paltry .204 for the season. I am going to assume he is better than that and put him ninth.

10. Robinson Cano

There are several options still left for this tenth spot, but I am giving the nod to the future Hall of Famer. Cano is approaching top ten all-time status at second base, if he isn’t already. But Cano is 35 now and has shown signs of decline. He is still a very good player, but being so much older and already on the decline he doesn’t have as much value as these younger players.

Cano was awesome two years ago, bashing a career high 39 homers to go with his .882 OPS. However, his other three seasons in Seattle, although good, have been far inferior. Last year he dropped off to .280 with 23 home runs. That season was more in line with what he did in 2015, leaving 2016 as a massive outlier. So in those other two seasons surrounding 2016 he has batted .284 with an average of 22 home runs per season and an OPS below .800. That seems to be more the player Cano is right now. Whereas that is still good, he only has maybe two or three seasons left like that.

Seattle Mariners’ Robinson Cano watches his two-run homer at Yankee Stadium.
Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Honorable Mentions:

Whit Merrifield, Starlin Castro, Scooter Gennett, Dustin Pedroia, Cesar Hernandez

Feature picture from The Atlantic

IT’S KYRIE’S WORLD, WE’RE JUST LIVING IN IT

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DANCING TO A DIFFERENT BEAT

“I see you. I see everyone. More than just your physical presence, I see your energy. I feel it. I know it.”

These were some of the words spoken by Kyrie, to the people at the Thanksgiving meal for the Boston Center for Youth & Families. I think it is safe to say Kyrie Irving has a different focus than most people. In interviews, there is a sense that he is on a completely different page than the reporters asking the questions. It makes for occasionally odd answers to simple questions. Most people write it off as weird, but he just might be on to something. After all, his focus has taken him to heights not many human beings can even fathom.

Still, Kyrie has been known to say some outlandish things. For instance, when he challenged the dimensions of the earth. Knowing Kyrie has never been afraid to challenge ideas and provoke thought, I wondered if there was an ulterior motive to his viewpoint.

“..literally the whole intent was just to open up for people to do their own research. That was the only intent. It wasn’t to, OK, let me figure out and go against science. Let me go against what I’ve been told and what’s right and all this stuff. It was just literally with the intent of just wake up and do your own research instead of actually assuming something that’s been told to you.” -Irving on Geno Auriemma’s podcast

After that conversation, I truly believe Kyrie just wanted to challenge something that was obviously against the grain. He wanted to stir things up, just to show people that it’s okay to question something. Further, his point is that it’s important to question everything by doing your own research. It’s actually a good lesson, albeit probably not the best way to get the message across. But that’s Kyrie, always wanting to be epic.

CLUTCH KYRIE

Speaking of epic, he’s done some amazing things on the court already in his young career. The dagger stepback 3 in game 7 of the 2016 Finals immediately comes to mind. This year for the Celtics, he’s become as good a closer as Isaiah Thomas was last season. That’s saying something considering IT earned the nickname, King In The Fourth, after averaging nearly 10 points in the 4th quarter alone. Kyrie is proving he can step up for the big moments at the end of the game, what he calls “winning time.”

And man, does he love to win. Kyrie’s clutch stats this season(+/- 5 in last 5 min) are elite. Despite falling outside the top 20 in total clutch time minutes, he is second only to old pal Lebron James, in both FGM & FGA in the clutch. He has shot just one less shot than Lebron, and has one less make, sitting at 26/43. That’s over 60% in clutch time minutes for Kyrie. Out of players with more than 15 attempts in clutch time, he is behind only Lebron & Dion Waiters by a hair. Also, the man with the highest FG% in clutch time (min 15 attempts) in teammate and ultra-impressive rookie, Jayson Tatum. Tatum is sitting at 63.2%. Jaylen Brown recently dubbed Kyrie, Mr. 4th Quarter, but Mr. Clutch might be more accurate.

KYRIE WINNING ON MVP LEVEL

I mentioned in a previous article that Kyrie is going to need to play at an MVP level for this team to do anything special this year; especially in the absence of Hayward. Not a month into the season, he was starting to get MVP chants in buildings across the league. In the Garden, they were still waiting for the right time. Kyrie has been great, but most Celtics fans would agree that Al Horford has been the real MVP of the Celtics this season.

Sensing the pressure to perform up to what mainstream media was ready to call him, an MVP candidate, Kyrie had his first takeover game against the Mavericks. He poured in 47 points in an OT game, in which every last one was needed. Since then, he has taken his game to another level, bringing up his shooting percentages, and improving his looks. Most importantly, he is taking over the game in the clutch, as discussed above. I hate to sound like a broken record, but what he is doing to close out games really can’t be overstated.

KYRIE BRINGS WHAT GAME NEEDS

My favorite quote about Kyrie was made by Brian Scalabrine. He said “Kyrie brings what the game needs.” This is true over the course of almost the entire game. If you ask me, it goes back to him saying he can feel energy. He just knows what he needs to infuse in the game, at any given time, to make his presence felt. It might be scoring 47 some nights, but it usually won’t be.

Most of the time, we see flashes throughout the game of his scoring. He times this perfectly, waiting to attack until the offense is sputtering a bit. Sensing this, he gets aggressive, and looks for his own shot to get the team back in the fight. He then falls back, tries to get his teammates involved, and waits for closing time to strike again.

We probably won’t see Kyrie completely dominate many games like he did against the Mavericks in the regular season. There will be times when he feels the need to be more aggressive, but he is showing he loves to play in the big moments, and almost waits for them to come around so he can take over. In the playoffs, every moment is big, so Kyrie will be playing up to match the moment.

NO PRESSURE

Brad Stevens stated in a recent interview that, “basketball isn’t real pressure” when compared to real life. It’s a game, and that’s how he approaches it. He wants to win, but it’s not life or death. Kyrie epitomizes this. He doesn’t feel pressure on the court. It’s all fun and games for him, and he wants to have more fun than everybody. That’s where his clutch gene comes from– a genuine, fearless excitement in his approach to win basketball games. After his 47 point outburst against the Mavericks, in which he made some big plays down the stretch, Kyrie was feeling himself.

“I don’t want to say the NBA is like playing in the park, but to me…”

His voice trails off as he shrugs his shoulders. When you watch him play, you know he’s telling the truth. The court is Kyrie’s world, and if you aren’t on his team, you’re just in the way. Never fear, he’ll evade the entire defense when necessary, as well as he evades a poorly worded question post game.

CALM & CONFIDENT

It really is amazing how calm and confident Kyrie is in the clutch. As a fan, I feel confident when he has the ball late, and the fate of the game is in his hands. It makes you wonder if we’ve been looking at Kyrie, the man, all wrong. Maybe he has it together more than any of us. He knows the naysayers will always be around, so he doesn’t care about the media. He knows at the end of the day they’ll have their own story, far removed from the picture he would paint, if only he had the brush. It makes sense.

What doesn’t make sense is a person who has a life full of problems being so confident and free in their craft, especially in crunch time. On the contrary; I would say Kyrie derives his in-game confidence from the real-life confidence he has in himself and his beliefs. He doesn’t care if you doubt him, or disagree with him. That’s the point. It’s okay to think differently, to be your own person. That’s the picture he’s been trying to paint, with every move in his life.

He’s even willing to throw himself into the spotlight and take criticism, whether it be for challenging science, or himself taking a step into the unknown in his career, and leave what most thought was a picture perfect situation; for most, sure, but not for Kyrie Irving. He paves his own path, and he’s going to keep pushing forward until he reaches the end of the earth. Or arrives right back where he started, depending on how you look at it.

Barry Bonds Needs to Be in the Hall of Fame

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Barry Bonds belongs in the Hall of Fame. Whether you believe he is the legitimate home run king, or you hate how he helped make a mockery of the game, or you think he is a jackass, he remains one of the greatest outfielders to ever play the game. He was one of the best all-around players in the game without steroids and was already a slam dunk for the Hall.

Pre-Steroids

Barry Bonds’ career began in 1986. By 1990 he had broken out and won the MVP Award. He then proceeded to win two more MVPs and finish 2^nd in the other vote over the next three seasons. Bonds presumably played clean through the 1998 season. At that point he already had three MVPs, eight Gold Gloves and seven Silver Sluggers. Bonds had also slugged 411 home runs and stolen 445 bases, making him the first player ever to hit that many homers and steal that many bases. Oh, he was also 34 years old and at the top of his game. He had plenty of time to add to those stats. He had achieved all-time great status, a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame.

Not even going back to his days in Pittsburgh, the picture on the right is Barry Bonds circa 1996. The one on the left is in 2007.

Steroids

Bonds’ ego probably led to his steroid use. With McGwire and Sosa chasing home run records and getting all the attention, Bonds likely looked at them with disgust thinking “I’m better than those guys.” Bonds was also coming back from injury that season, missing the season’s first couple months. He could have taken some substances to come back from injury faster. That season, turning 35 in July, Bonds posted his best home runs per-at-bat ratio of any season during his career. During each of the next six seasons he posted an even lower HR/AB ratio. Steroids made guys like McGwire and Sosa and others home run machines. Barry Bonds had reached all-time great status; steroids made him a video game character. From 2000-2004, Bonds batted .339 and averaged 52 home runs per season. His 174 walks per season aided in giving him an outrageous slash line of .535/.781/1.316. That’s just absurd. In 2004, at the age of 40, he racked up a .609 on base percentage. He really did make a mockery of the game and the record books, but he illustrated the problem with steroids and what it can help guys accomplish.

Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants hits his 714th career home run, tying Babe Ruth for second place on the all time home run list. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Conclusion

Would Bonds be the all-time home run king if he had played clean? No. Would he have a .444/.607/1.051 slash line? Again, no. But during the first nine years of the 90s he had a .438/.600/1.038 slash line while averaging 36 home runs and 36 stolen bases per season. And those seasons I bet he played clean. He would probably still own 500-500 club solo, while winning plenty of awards along the way. I don’t think he gets in this year with such a crowded ballot. However, the Hall of Fame exists for the greatest players to ever play, and you cannot have that without Bonds.

Isaiah Thomas: The 5’9 Giant

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Championship Mike Drop

The clock ticks down under 10 seconds. The game is tied in overtime. The Staples Center in LA is packed. Jersey number two in black is still dribbling calmly in place just past half court. The people closest to him know what happens next, as he prepares to show the rest of the world what he is all about. Isaiah Thomas starts to drive hard left. He gets inside the perimeter enough to sell the drive. He gets a sliver of space and then takes a step back with a distance comparable to that between Man and the Moon itself to get behind the line. A two-point victory wasn’t good enough for him. (It ended up being called a two but I dispute it to this day). You can probably guess what happens next: swish. “COOOLLDD BLOODED!!” the announcer can be heard yelling over all the chaos.

Special Person, Special Player

That was the scene of the PAC-12 (then PAC-10) championship game on March 12, 2011, and the exact moment I became an Isaiah Thomas fan. You see, certain players bring more to basketball than just talent. IT plays with a fierce passion unmatched by most. You have to bring up the names of greats just to find somebody on his level in that regard. Then there’s that smile. You can always tell he’s having a blast on the court, and for his teammates, it’s contagious. Complement these things with an unrealistic confidence and you have the makings of a special player. He is willing to say he wants to be the best player in the NBA, and he doesn’t care if you doubt him. As a fan, you have to love a guy like that. Especially when he’s able to back it up with top-five level play, which is right where he found himself in the MVP race at the end of last season. Say that again?

Down Draft

Speaking of doubt, let’s fast forward from that day at the Staples Center to a few months later at the 2011 NBA draft. You’ve probably heard the story. Thomas was taken with the last pick, far beyond the point where a team can typically find someone worth a roster spot. Well, the Kings struck gold. Not only did he make the team, he averaged 11.5 ppg as a rookie. He jumped up to 20.3 ppg by his third year. Despite showing promise as a young player, the Kings weren’t satisfied and dumped him for nothing in a sign-and-trade move with the Suns. He played in Phoenix for only half of the 13-14 season. Even though he continued to play well, they doubted Thomas and his role in their long-term plans. They viewed him as the third-best point guard on the roster.

Little Big Man

When I heard the Celtics landed Thomas before the trade deadline of the 2014-2015 season, I was ecstatic. Right away I felt we had the scoring punch we needed to maybe make a run at the playoffs, and he took us there as a mid-season acquisition. But he wasn’t satisfied; he won the starting role, and in the 2016-2017 season threw it in the face of his doubters and had himself an MVP caliber season.

Some of the things he did this past season literally brought me to tears. There’s the Miami game where he notched a career- high 52 points, and we needed every last one of them to win. The King of the Fourth came to play that day, breaking Larry Bird’s franchise record with 24 in the final period.

Need a day off? The very next game, he recorded a career high 15 assists behind 29 pts, and it started to seem like he could do anything. Just two games in the line of a franchise-record 43-straight, 20-point games. And in the playoffs, when he bested his 52 with a gritty 53-point performance on a bad hip, on what would have been his sisters 23rd birthday. She passed away in a car accident weeks before. If you weren’t a fan of his after that game, you didn’t have a pulse.

He fought through that personal tragedy for the rest of the playoffs and beyond. The missing tooth game, the game winner in Atlanta, I could go on and on. We were witnessing greatness out of “the little guy” every single time he stepped on the floor. He fought so hard for everything, and he finally felt at home. He was in a good situation where his coach allowed him to be himself and it was paying dividends. Even the doubters where starting to diminish. Imagine that, it took an MVP level season for most to realize this guy is pretty darn good.

…Another, New, Era?

What happens next, well, is simply heartbreaking. As I’m writing this, I’m torn between excitement for the future and borderline depression that the hard nosed Celtics led by Thomas will never step on the floor together again. While the culture remains, the fact is this is a much different team led by a different floor general. Isaiah wears a Cavaliers jersey now. And get this; reports reveal the Cavs didn’t care much about Thomas being part of the deal, but were more enamored with Crowder and the Nets pick. Two great assets, sure, but the message was clear; we don’t think he can do it again. Definitely not after the hip injury. They even demanded more out of the deal after it was agreed upon when concern was expressed about their results from Thomas’ physical. IT’s newest team has become his latest doubter.

Is the hip a concern? Yes. Is he shorter than your roommate, who thinks he would’ve made it to the NBA if he was taller? There’s a pretty good chance. The concerns have always been logical, but does it really matter? I answered that question for myself the second the ball left his hands in the final seconds of that OT game on March 12th 2012 in the sold out Staples Center. It didn’t matter whether it went in or not; I had seen enough to know this kid had guts. The fact that it dropped was the proverbial icing on the cake.

Cleveland Doubts Thomas

Certain players, certain people, defy logic with their craft. Coincidentally enough, some people call it the “IT” factor, and the man whose initials and most popular nickname is I.T. has “IT.” Magical might be a more appropriate word than logical when talking about Thomas. He has defied logic time and time again, and you won’t find me giving any reason why he can’t do it once more. So when it was reported that Isaiah was really just the icing on the cake for the Cavs, the only reasoning I can come up with is that their front office is full of odd individuals who only eat the icing.

P.S. I wanted to help direct Cleveland here, as they will almost certainly be needing this service in the near future. You earned it IT!!

Isaiah Thomas said when asked about his looming payday next offseason that they better bring in the Brinks truck, and took it a step further with these. Here’s a clip of the shot in the 2011 Pac-10 title game. Stat line: 28-5-7. COLD. BLOODED.

Who Will Win the 2017 NFL Awards?

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Curious about who will win the major awards in the NFL for the 2017 season? Trying to make your own predictions? This is always a fun little exercise for any sport you enjoy watching. Read below to find out my picks for the upcoming football season. Compare them to your own picks, comment what you picked differently.

Most Valuable Player

Even without Julian Edelman, I have Tom Brady winning the MVP. The loss of his most trusted receiver will hurt. The Patriots third-down percentage might drop off some. But I still see Brady throwing for 4,500 yards and 40 touchdowns this season. He has a large array of weapons at his disposal, and his play hasn’t dropped off one bit. With Brandin Cooks added to the fold and a variety of running backs who can catch the ball out of the backfield, defenses have their hands full. With a 15-1 record and the above stats, Brady will be the easy choice for MVP at seasons end.

(Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Offensive Player of the Year

Two years in a row and four of the last five this award has been given to the same player who won the MVP Award. It makes sense, if he’s the best player in football why wouldn’t he win the OPOY? Occasionally a guy puts up monster numbers on a team that was average so he isn’t considered the “most valuable.” If you took Tom Brady off the Patriots, they will lose a few more games. But his 4,500 yards and 40 touchdowns predicted would certainly be worthy of winning this award.

I want to go with someone different though, and that direction would be to Arizona. Running back David Johnson seems to be on a level of his own right now as a dual threat. After putting up 581 rush yards and 457 receiving yards in a part-time role as a rookie, Johnson took off last year. He scored 20 touchdowns and more than 2,100 total yard of offense. I think he will even add to his receiving totals from a year ago. By racking up catches and yardage the Cardinals will try to help him become the third back ever to reach both 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season. He might even catch 100 balls. The Cardinals want the ball in the hands of their best player. With Bruce Arians reportedly growing tired of his receiving corps, he’ll call on Johnson extensively as a receiver. 1,300 yards rushing, 1,050 yards receiving, 21 touchdowns.

David Johnson shoves cornerback David Amerson to the ground. August 12, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona.

Defensive Player of the Year

Von Miller has not yet won this award. I’m picking him based on the fact it seems he should win at some point, so it must be his time. Denver again goes into a season with a good looking defense, but questions remain on the offensive side. They will need their defense to win games and stay in the playoff hunt, and that all starts with Von Miller. Miller has never played a full season in which he got fewer than 11 sacks. He set a new career high last year with 78 tackles. Look for Miller to again anchor the Denver defense, a huge reason why the Broncos win several games. I predict 15 sacks, which would be the second highest total of his career. With his relentless pressure on quarterbacks the voters will give him his due this season.

Von Miller celebrates after recording a sack. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

Offensive Rookie of the Year

Christian McCaffrey gets the nod due to his versatility. He can return kicks, run the ball effectively, and catch the ball with the best of them. His returning kicks makes him a cinch to lead all rookies in all-purpose yardage. He might lead them all in yards from scrimmage, too. Jonathan Stewart might get more carries, but McCaffrey will split out wide some while also catching the ball out of the backfield. He should act as a security blanket for Cam Newton this year. His ability to find space down low should help limit Newton’s need to take off running this year, something the Panthers want to reduce to keep Cam healthy. Stewart is also one of the more fragile backs in the league. McCaffrey will probably be the main back for a few games. I’m putting him down for 60 receptions and 1,300 total yards.

Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers runs the ball during a preseason game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on August 19, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Defensive Rookie of the Year

Reuben Foster was a player I wanted on the Patriots. A beast at linebacker, how could teams let him slip to the 31st pick? Foster is a hard hitting, tackle machine. Playing at Alabama, Foster played in the toughest conference and was a unanimous pick for first team All-American and All-SEC. Foster also won the Butkus Award for the nations best linebacker. He had 115 tackles last season, 13 of which netted the offensive team negative yards. He should be on the field a lot playing for a poor 49ers team. This will lead to more tackle opportunities. Not only will the defense be on the field more, but the opposing team should run the ball a lot with a lead. I think Foster will end up in the top 10 for tackles in the NFL this season, and maybe threaten the top five. He could make a Luke Kuechly-type impact.

Reuben Foster #56 of the San Francisco 49ers tackles C.J. Anderson #22 of the Denver Broncos at Levi Stadium on August 19, 2017.(Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)

Comeback Player of the Year

Keenan Allen has barely played since November of 2015. Allen pulled in more than 70 receptions in each of his first two seasons. In 2015 he lacerated a kidney during the Chargers eighth game, done for the season. At that midway point, Allen already had 67 catches, putting him on pace for a whopping 134 for the season along with eight touchdowns. Last year his season almost ended before it began. In week one, he had already racked up six catches when he went down with a torn ACL in just the second quarter. This guy knows how to play, and he can pile up the catches. With Philip Rivers chucking the ball around, volume should not be an issue. Allen just needs to stay on the field. I don’t believe he will be quite what he was before the injuries, but then again that would be an easy 100 catch receiver if he were. 90 catches, 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns should net him this award after essentially missing a year and a half.

San Diego Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) catches a touchdown over Baltimore Ravens secondary players Jimmy Smith (22) and Kendrick Lewis (23) during the second quarter on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun/TNS)

Coach of the Year

The NFL doesn’t like giving this award to Bill Belichick. He hasn’t won the award since 2010, despite winning 12 or more games in each season since. He has had his run-ins with the league, but I think he’s also just too easy of a pick. Everyone knows he is great, they expect the Patriots to be great and want to pick someone else. Is a 15-1 record good enough to win it? I believe so. He hasn’t won the last six years, with a 15-1 record it will be hard to pass him over. I do like the Titans to step up this year and win 11 games and the AFC South, which makes Mike Mularkey a good candidate. However, that’s only a two-win improvement on last year, not enough to overtake a 15-win Bill Belichick for the award.

Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots pats The Vince Lombardi at the Super Bowl Winner and MVP press conference on February 6, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)