2005 MLB AWARDS

The White Sox were not on anyone’s radar entering the season. However, from the start with a team based on speed and defense the White Sox established themselves as the best team in the AL, building a 15 game lead. Although it got tight near the end the White Sox were able to hold on and for that fiery Manager Ozzie Gullien gets the credit he deserves.

After struggling last season and much of the first half this year Barry Zito found what was wrong and became a dominant pitcher again as the lone survivor of the big 3 was able to help keep the A’s in the race for the AL Western Division until the final week of the season.

After playing just 23 games due to an elbow injury, Richie Sexson was able to justify his free agent contract with the Mariners and get his career back on track in foul swoop as he hit 39 Homers and drove in 121 RBI on an otherwise, poor Mariners team that spent the entire season mired in last place.

When called up, the Yankees were struggling badly and in need of a spark, young Robinson Cano provided what they needed. Cano was solid at the plate with 14 homers and a .297 average as he gave the Yankees some youth an energy which was badly needed on an old team full of veterans, as the Yankees would rebound and win the AL East again.

With 47 homers and 147 RBI there is not much else David Ortiz could do as he got the Red Sox back into the playoffs again, with clutch hit after clutch hit, as he became the most dangerous man to face with the game on the line especially if the game was in Fenway.

Where would the Yankees be without Mariano Rivera? That has been a question asked for a number of years now, but this year more then ever he was the most important closer in baseball as the Yankees starting staff was mediocre at best. However thanks to Rivera if they got the lead they won the game as he was untouchable in the pen for the AL East Champs.

The race comes down between Alex Rodriguez the Yankee and David Ortiz of the Red Sox. A-Rod beat out Ortiz by 1 for the AL HR crown, while Ortiz led the league in RBI, A-Rod had a much better batting average, while both teams made the playoffs at 95-67. However in the end its simple A-Rod is a gold glove 3B; Ortiz can’t play the field and is a DH, and thus when it’s this close that is the deciding factor.

From the start of the season the Braves were ravaged with injuries as starters Mike Hampton and John Thompson were out most of the season. The Braves would also lose Chipper Jones for 2 months and had to rely on rookies to stay afloat. Well they would more then just stay afloat they would win their division again, and for that Bobby Cox deserves another Manager of the Year Award.

After injuries shortened his season in 2004, Andy Pettitte showed why the Astros paid all that money for him, winning 17 games and leading the was for the Astros in the second half as they were able to capture the NL Wild Card for the second year in a row.

For the first time in 4 years Ken Griffey Jr. who was once considered the best player in baseball managed to play in over 100 games, and b y staying healthy he was able to look like a himself again hitting 35 homers driving in 92 RBI, and hitting .301, all numbers he had not come close to since 2000.

Exit Jim Thome, enter Ryan Howard, when the Phillies star 1B was lost to a season ending injury things looked bleak in the City of Brotherly Love, but out of nowhere came Ryan Howard who hit 22 homers as the Phillies battled for the Wild Card until the final day of the season becoming the new fan favorite and making Thome the new Wally Pipp.

While leading the Cardinals to the best record in baseball Albert Pjuols established himself as arguably the best player in baseball as he finished near the top of all 3 triple-crown categories while establishing himself as MVP candidate yet again.

With a solid consistency from the start of the season Chirs Carpenter helped lead one of the best pitching staffs in the game to the best record winning 21 games and posting a solid 2.83 ERA, and 213 strikeouts all good enough to place him in the top 3 of each category, and earn him the hardware.

When Chipper Jones went down Andruw Jones stepped up and carried the Braves on his back leading them to yet another division title as he led the Majors in homers with 51 while also leading the NL in RBI at 128. In addition he continued his gold glove caliber play in the OF running down balls that seemed impossible to catch.