Whose your first half mvp?

[Fnazxc0114]

AL Josh Hamilton probably biased becasue im a rangers fan, but i dont think there is another hitter in the al with his bat or outfielder with his speed and arm.
NL-Ubaldo Jimenez i normally wouldnt pick a pitcher, but in my mind the numbers he is putting up make him the most valuable player on his team. I wonder wheree the rockies would be if he wasnt there?

[xpress34]

AL Josh Hamilton probably biased becasue im a rangers fan, but i dont think there is another hitter in the al with his bat or outfielder with his speed and arm.
NL-Ubaldo Jimenez i normally wouldnt pick a pitcher, but in my mind the numbers he is putting up make him the most valuable player on his team. I wonder wheree the rockies would be if he wasnt there?

2nd both of those.

Just got home a bit ago from watching Ubaldo dismantle the Cardinals line-up while the Rox lit up Carpenter.

Baldo is now 15-1 going into the AS break (where he will START!!!) with a 2.22 ERA.

DOMINATING is the word that comes to mind.

Hamilton looks like he is locked in as well as any hitter I have ever seen...

All the best -

Chris

[yanks12025]

AL: Robinson Cano

And i agree with your NL pick.

[Fnazxc0114]

i didnt know cano was putting up those kind of numbers. Probaly have 30 hr's and 200 hits, thats pretty impressive.

[WadeInBmore]

MVP is kinda hard for me right now...so many good choices. Really nice watching new stars shine so brightly.

AL-Hamilton, Cano...jeez both good choices

NL-Jimenez is having a great year so far, potential 30 game winner I also am on the Votto train, he's got what 22 hrs so far!!!

AL ROY- Detroits LF Brennan Boesch
NL ROY- Atlantas OF Jason Heyward (but he's gotta get healthy if hes gonna wint it)

This is the first time in a long long while that I've even been able to talk ROY or MVPs. The next generation isn't disappointing to say the least. I hate it when a pitcher gets the MVP cause they often get the cy young as well. Hope the second half delivers!!!

wade

[shoremen44]

MVP

AL-Hamilton - I think he cotinues to rake... and takes the Rangers to the playoffs

NL-I think Votto gets it if he continues to hit and can lead the Reds to the division crown... but watch out... if my boy Pujols starts bombing them in the second half, and raises the avg... and the Cards take the division... I am not sure if Sir Albert wins it... but he make it easier for someone to steal from Votto

[BradleyERyon]

I hate to jump on the bandwagon, but my first half choices are:

AL MVP-Josh Hamilton and NL MVP (and CY)-Ubaldo Jimenez.

[legaleagle92481]

My picks:

AL MVP-Miguel Cabbera. Texas and the Yankees have several other big hitters in their lineups and Detriot does not. Miggy is also actually closer to the Triple Crown than Hamilton.

NL MVP-Adrian Gonzalez-Ubaldo's having an amazing year but a pitcher only pitches once every five days so he is not more valuable than a guy who plays everyday. I saw the Padres play the Nats the other day and the rest of that lineup is minor league quality (the Hairston brothers, Gwynn Jr.) without his bat they would not be in contention despite their stellar pitching.

[flota89]

AL- Hamilton. Didn't have to think much for that one.

NL- This one is tough. First I pulled some stats from who I believe to be the two hitters so far. I will bold whoever is better in each category.
Pujols. 21HR, 64RBI, .305AVG, 43SO, 96HITS, 21DBLS, .411OBP, .571SLG
Votto. 22HR, 60RBI, .315AVG, 71SO, 95HITS, 14DBLS, .421OBP, .593SLG
Looking at that, Votto is a close winner to me (although I don't think Votto will outhit Pujols the rest of the year).

Now you have the argument of Ubaldo being first half MVP. I will use stats for who I think are the top 3 pitchers also.

Ubaldo Jimenez. 2.20ERA, 3CG, 2SHO, 127IP, 87H, 46BB, 113SO
Adam Wainwright. 2.11ERA, 4CG, 1SH0, 136.1IP, 102H, 35BB, 127SO
Josh Johnson. 1.70ERA, 1CG, 0SHO, 122IP, 89H, 28BB, 123SO

Out of those three pitchers, Jimenez actually is the worst one to me. I like Johnson because of that 1.70 ERA.

Even with the good pitching, they only help one out of five days, and Votto helps every day. So I say Joey Votto is first half MVP but I think Albert Pujols will have a better second half and win it.

[gingi79]

If Ubaldo or Votto win it, no one would be surprised. But the best player on a good team that has carried them through some tough months, Martin Prado is his teams MVP. If the Braves continue to play like they have since late May, they will not only win their first NL East crown since the epic 14 in a row but could make some serious noise in the postseason.

Some things to consider:

Prado leads MLB in hits. More than even AL MVP Hamilton

When Chipper, McCann, Glaus, Melky, Diaz and Escobar were hitting sub .225 as a team, it was Jason Heyward and Prado who kept them in it. Now they will lead the NL East at the All Star game. The last time the Braves were in first this late in a season was 2004. (BTW Look at that divisions w/l record against each team in the NL East:

Braves 16-14
Mets 18-19
Phillies 15-17
Marlins 17-16
Nationals 15-15

They are all almost .500 against each other. That tells me no one is feasting on weak opposition.)