The 2024 season is rounding third and heading home. The biggest prize of them all (a world championship) is on the line, as are several of the most prestigious and historic awards in sports.
Dave is doing it again, this time with the Phillies (photo, PhillyVoice)
World Series: This season has many good teams, and my pick to win it all is the Philadelphia Phillies. Strength begins in the front office with President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski, who has built champion-level teams with the Marlins, Tigers, and Red Sox. He’s on pace to do it again with the Phillies. As for AL competition, other teams fall short either because of uneven pitching or insufficient hitting. The Yankees fall into that problematic pitching category– without starters after Gerrit Cole.
MVP: Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani are two names that are pretty much a lock to win. Judge is batting .333 for the AL with 51 home runs, 156 hits, and 123 RBIs. He could break the 62-home run record he set in 2022 at the pace he’s going. Ohtani is the sixth player in history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in the same season. At his pace, it might be in the 50-50 club. He has a .295 batting average with 42 home runs, 95 RBIs, and 152 hits. The Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. and Francisco Lindor of the Mets are other names to consider.
CY Young: Atlanta’s Chris Sale, with a 15-3 win-loss record, 2.58 ERA, and 197 strikeouts, is the likely favorite for the NL. If he wins, this will be his first Cy Young Award. Tarik Skubal of the Tigers is leading the AL for the Cy Young with a record of 15-4, a 2.58 ERA, and 195 strikeouts. In addition, both pitchers are strong candidates for the Triple Crown Award for leading a league in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average. Paul Skenes (Pirates) and Corbin Burnes (Orioles) are other names to consider.
Rookie of the Year: Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes leads the way with an 8-2 record, a 2.23 ERA, and 136 strikeouts. Called up in early May, Skenes has been impressive, and he got the nod to start the All-Star Game. But there’s also San Diego’s Jackson Merrill with a .291 batting average, 20 home runs, and 76 RBIs. While it will be close in the NL voting, the AL pick is almost certain. It will be Baltimore’s Colton Cowser, who has 20 home runs, 60 RBIs, and a batting average of .248. His defense is impressive, too; he leads AL rookies to amass ten outs above average, ranking seventh among outfielders. Luis Gil and Mason Miller are also possible but are long shots to win.
It should be interesting and exciting. Enjoy!
