Taking stock of the season at the All-Star Break: Who is leading the races for baseball's major awards? Looking ahead at the second half, these are the leaders at the halfway mark.
American League MVP
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Magglio Ordonez is on a first-place team in Detroit and with a league-leading .367 with 70 RBIs, but Alex Rodriguez is having his best season under the biggest microscope. The Yankees are scuffling, but it's not his fault with 30 home runs, 86 RBIs and a .316 average at the All-Star Break. He's been robbed of this award in the past and he could get robbed again, but so far he's worthy of his third MVP in 2007.
On his heels:Ordonez, Angels OF Vladimir Guerrero, Indians C Victor Martinez, Red Sox DH David Ortiz.
National League MVP
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Almost every American League candidate is having a better season than anybody in the senior circuit. It's a wide-open race, but for now I'll take Miguel Cabrera of the Florida Marlins. He's a model of consistency over the past three years and is a fantastic combination of power and average. He hit .324 with 18 home runs in the first half.
On his heels: Brewers 1B Prince Fielder, Rockies OF Matt Holliday, Mets SS Jose Reyes, Reds OF Ken Griffey Jr.
American League Cy Young Award
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Another tight race that's far from decided. John Lackey of the Angels and Justin Verlander of the Tigers are worthy candidates on first-place teams, but they're just a shade behind Red Sox ace Josh Beckett, who is 12-2 with a 3.44 ERA at the All-Star break and 92 strikeouts in 102 innings for another first-place team in Boston. He's much improved in 2007 - even though he won 16 games in 2006, but his ERA was 5.01.
On his heels: Lackey, Verlander, Twins P Johan Santana, Indians P C.C. Sabathia, Athletics P Dan Haren.
National League Cy Young Award
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Like Beckett, Brad Penny teased us with his talent with three wins in the 2003 postseason with the Florida Marlins and is living up to his potential after two somewhat rough seasons in Los Angeles. Penny is 10-1 with a 2.39 ERA at the All-Star Break for a Dodgers team in the thick of the playoff race.
On his heels: Chris Young, Padres; Jake Peavy, Padres; Cole Hamels, Phillies, Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks, Ben Sheets, Brewers.
American League Rookie of the Half-Year
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The hype has calmed down since Daisuke Matsuzaka's debut for the Red Sox (and people will argue that really not a rookie after six seasons in Japan), but Ichiro won this award in 2001 after seven seasons in Japan. Matsuzaka is 10-6 with a 3.84 ERA, and 123 strikeouts in 119 innings, and he'll get plenty of runs support in Boston in the second half.
On his heels: Reggie Willits, Angels; Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox; Hideki Okajima, Red Sox; Jeremy Guthrie, Orioles.
National League Rookie of the Half-Year
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This one isn't even close. Hunter Pence of the Houston Astros is leading the National League in hitting at .342 and has 11 home runs, 23 doubles, six triples and seven stolen bases. No rookies were picked to the All-Star team, but he was deserving.
On his heels: Josh Hamilton, Reds; Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies; Ryan Braun, Brewers.
