The Cincinnati Reds second baseman Jonathan India was unveiled as the National League Rookie of the Year by the MLB on Monday. India captured the award in a convincing fashion, receiving 29 out of 30 first-place votes handed out by the Baseball Writers Association of America voters. The remaining ballot had him second behind pitcher Trevor Rogers of the Miami Marlins.

India had a total of 148 points, while Rogers collected 86 points to finish number two in the voting. St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson was third with 22 points.

India became the eighth player in the franchise history to win the Rookie of the Year honors and the first since Scott Williamson did it in 1999. He is also just the seventh second baseman with the award since the National League started giving it out. The most recent was the Dodgers’ great Steve Sax in 1982.

“That was just one thing that came to my mind at spring training,” India said during a video call with the reporters. “I could have said, ‘I want to hit 40 homers, or I want to get MVP,’ but that was the one thing that stuck to me before I started the year was, ‘you know what, I am going to win Rookie of the Year this year.’ I said it on interviews. I just had a feeling that’s was what I wanted, and I was going to accomplish it.”

Jonathan India was handed his first MLB action this season, but that didn’t stop him from putting together a stellar campaign. In 150 games he played in 2021, India posted a .269 batting average while adding 21 homers and 69 RBIs. He also led all the NL rookies in runs with 98, doubles with 34, and walks with 71.

The post Cincinnati’s Jonathan India Wins NL Rookie of the Year Award appeared first on SportzBonanza.

With the shortened MLB season coming to a close after just over two months of action, the races to decide the Most Valuable Players and Cy Young Award winners in both leagues are finally wrapping up.

Despite the 60-game slate, there have been plenty of pitchers and position players who have stood out in what will undoubtedly be a season for the history books.

Let’s predict the winners of the league’s top awards!

AL Cy Young: Shane Bieber, Cleveland Indians

The easiest award to hand out will be the AL Cy Young Award, where one player laps the rest of the competition: Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber.

Bieber is third in baseball in innings pitched, first in ERA, first in strikeouts, and has compiled an outstanding 8-1 record to push the Indians to yet another playoff berth. At just 25 years old, you can bet that this won’t be the only time that Bieber will be in the race for a pitching prize like this.

Runners-up: Kenta Maeda (Twins), Dylan Bundy (Angels)

NL Cy Young: Yu Darvish, Chicago Cubs

The NL Cy Young Award might be the tightest awards race in all of baseball. While there are other deserving candidates, the ace of a Chicago Cubs team that has led them to first place in their division despite pre-season doubts in an enormous comeback season is my pick: Yu Darvish.

Darvish has returned to his prime form this season, posting a minuscule 2.22 ERA in 11 starts for the Cubs. He has maintained an excellent 88:13 strikeout to walk ratio and kept opposing batters from making hard contact. This will be a close vote, but the Japanese ace is my pick to dethrone Jacob deGrom, who also has a real shot at winning.

Runners-up: Jacob deGrom (Mets), Trevor Bauer (Reds)

AL Most Valuable Player: Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians

No one would have expected Jose Ramirez to be the leader in contention for the AL MVP at this point a month ago, but a blistering hot final stretch to the season has led the Dominican infielder to 2nd place in the Major Leagues in home runs (17) and the sixth-best wRC+ in the league (158) for an Indians’ offense he helped ignite. Not only that, but he’s been one of the best defensive third basemen in the Majors.

Ramirez might lose out to teammate Shane Bieber for the award, but I think his day-to-day contributions both offensively and defensively have made him even more important for his team than their ace pitcher.

Runners-up: Shane Bieber (Indians), Jose Abreu (White Sox)

NL Most Valuable Player: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves

While Fernando Tatis Jr. looked to be running away with the NL MVP trophy just a few weeks ago, long-time superstar Freddie Freeman now looks to be the best pick for the league’s best player, which would give him his first MVP trophy.

Freeman has been the best offensive player in baseball (minimum 200 PA) according to wRC+ (185) and is posting an insane .457 on-base percentage along with 12 home runs and 51 RBI for baseball’s best offense, statistically. The Braves have overcome pitching struggles to win their division for a third straight season, and Freeman has been the straw that has stirred the drink for his team.

Runners-up: Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres), Mookie Betts (Dodgers)

The post Predicting the MLB MVP and Cy Young Races appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The 2019 MLB season is already one to remember. From the Dodgers’ 8 Opening Day home runs to the Angels’ combined no-hitter last Friday night, there has been plenty of excitement so far in the league this season.

There have also been unforgettable individual performances and breakout stars that have taken the next step to be some of the game’s elite most players. So, let’s take a look at the favorites for each MLB award at the All-Star Break.

NL MVP: Cody Bellinger (Dodgers)

Cody Bellinger has been the best player in the National League, powering the Dodgers to the NL’s best record with a .341 batting average and with a league-leading 33 home runs. He’s been absolutely unstoppable at the plate, and if it weren’t for Christian Yelich’s encore to his 2018 MVP year, no one else would be a close competition.

Close in the running: Christian Yelich (Brewers), Pete Alonso (Mets)

AL MVP: Mike Trout (Angels)

The best player in baseball has continued to be peerless in 2019, as he’s been baseball’s best player by the WAR metric. Trout’s 30 home runs and absurd .455 on-base percentage means that he’s on the way to the best season of a sure-fire Hall of Fame career, which is nothing to sneeze at. He is the runaway favorite.

Close in the running: Xander Bogaerts (Red Sox), Alex Bregman (Astros)

NL Cy Young: Max Scherzer (Nationals)

Mad Max looks to be the favorite to take home his 4th Cy Young Award after starting 2019 with a bang, leading the NL in strikeouts with 181 and in second place in ERA behind Dodgers standout Hyun-Jin Ryu. It’s a two-horse race at this point, but Scherzer gets the nod for having worked deeper into games than Ryu and for his gaudy strikeout totals.

Close in the running: Hyun-Jin Ryu (Dodgers), Zack Greinke (Diamondbacks)

AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander (Astros)

The lanky veteran right-hander for the division-leading Houston Astros comes out as a slight favorite in what is a very tight AL Cy Young race. It could be said that Morton, who has a better ERA, has had the better season, but Verlander has simply been the better team’s ace and has put up a 2.98 ERA in an extreme hitter’s park. He gets the edge (for now).

Close in the running: Charlie Morton (Rays), Gerrit Cole (Astros)

The post Sizing Up the MLB Award Favorites at the All-Star Break appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Cincinnati Reds second baseman Jonathan India was unveiled as the National League Rookie of the Year by the MLB on Monday. India captured the award in a convincing fashion, receiving 29 out of 30 first-place votes handed out by the Baseball Writers Association of America voters. The remaining ballot had him second behind pitcher Trevor Rogers of the Miami Marlins.

India had a total of 148 points, while Rogers collected 86 points to finish number two in the voting. St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson was third with 22 points.

India became the eighth player in the franchise history to win the Rookie of the Year honors and the first since Scott Williamson did it in 1999. He is also just the seventh second baseman with the award since the National League started giving it out. The most recent was the Dodgers’ great Steve Sax in 1982.

“That was just one thing that came to my mind at spring training,” India said during a video call with the reporters. “I could have said, ‘I want to hit 40 homers, or I want to get MVP,’ but that was the one thing that stuck to me before I started the year was, ‘you know what, I am going to win Rookie of the Year this year.’ I said it on interviews. I just had a feeling that’s was what I wanted, and I was going to accomplish it.”

Jonathan India was handed his first MLB action this season, but that didn’t stop him from putting together a stellar campaign. In 150 games he played in 2021, India posted a .269 batting average while adding 21 homers and 69 RBIs. He also led all the NL rookies in runs with 98, doubles with 34, and walks with 71.

The post Cincinnati’s Jonathan India Wins NL Rookie of the Year Award appeared first on SportzBonanza.

With the shortened MLB season coming to a close after just over two months of action, the races to decide the Most Valuable Players and Cy Young Award winners in both leagues are finally wrapping up.

Despite the 60-game slate, there have been plenty of pitchers and position players who have stood out in what will undoubtedly be a season for the history books.

Let’s predict the winners of the league’s top awards!

AL Cy Young: Shane Bieber, Cleveland Indians

The easiest award to hand out will be the AL Cy Young Award, where one player laps the rest of the competition: Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber.

Bieber is third in baseball in innings pitched, first in ERA, first in strikeouts, and has compiled an outstanding 8-1 record to push the Indians to yet another playoff berth. At just 25 years old, you can bet that this won’t be the only time that Bieber will be in the race for a pitching prize like this.

Runners-up: Kenta Maeda (Twins), Dylan Bundy (Angels)

NL Cy Young: Yu Darvish, Chicago Cubs

The NL Cy Young Award might be the tightest awards race in all of baseball. While there are other deserving candidates, the ace of a Chicago Cubs team that has led them to first place in their division despite pre-season doubts in an enormous comeback season is my pick: Yu Darvish.

Darvish has returned to his prime form this season, posting a minuscule 2.22 ERA in 11 starts for the Cubs. He has maintained an excellent 88:13 strikeout to walk ratio and kept opposing batters from making hard contact. This will be a close vote, but the Japanese ace is my pick to dethrone Jacob deGrom, who also has a real shot at winning.

Runners-up: Jacob deGrom (Mets), Trevor Bauer (Reds)

AL Most Valuable Player: Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians

No one would have expected Jose Ramirez to be the leader in contention for the AL MVP at this point a month ago, but a blistering hot final stretch to the season has led the Dominican infielder to 2nd place in the Major Leagues in home runs (17) and the sixth-best wRC+ in the league (158) for an Indians’ offense he helped ignite. Not only that, but he’s been one of the best defensive third basemen in the Majors.

Ramirez might lose out to teammate Shane Bieber for the award, but I think his day-to-day contributions both offensively and defensively have made him even more important for his team than their ace pitcher.

Runners-up: Shane Bieber (Indians), Jose Abreu (White Sox)

NL Most Valuable Player: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves

While Fernando Tatis Jr. looked to be running away with the NL MVP trophy just a few weeks ago, long-time superstar Freddie Freeman now looks to be the best pick for the league’s best player, which would give him his first MVP trophy.

Freeman has been the best offensive player in baseball (minimum 200 PA) according to wRC+ (185) and is posting an insane .457 on-base percentage along with 12 home runs and 51 RBI for baseball’s best offense, statistically. The Braves have overcome pitching struggles to win their division for a third straight season, and Freeman has been the straw that has stirred the drink for his team.

Runners-up: Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres), Mookie Betts (Dodgers)

The post Predicting the MLB MVP and Cy Young Races appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The 2019 MLB season is already one to remember. From the Dodgers’ 8 Opening Day home runs to the Angels’ combined no-hitter last Friday night, there has been plenty of excitement so far in the league this season.

There have also been unforgettable individual performances and breakout stars that have taken the next step to be some of the game’s elite most players. So, let’s take a look at the favorites for each MLB award at the All-Star Break.

NL MVP: Cody Bellinger (Dodgers)

Cody Bellinger has been the best player in the National League, powering the Dodgers to the NL’s best record with a .341 batting average and with a league-leading 33 home runs. He’s been absolutely unstoppable at the plate, and if it weren’t for Christian Yelich’s encore to his 2018 MVP year, no one else would be a close competition.

Close in the running: Christian Yelich (Brewers), Pete Alonso (Mets)

AL MVP: Mike Trout (Angels)

The best player in baseball has continued to be peerless in 2019, as he’s been baseball’s best player by the WAR metric. Trout’s 30 home runs and absurd .455 on-base percentage means that he’s on the way to the best season of a sure-fire Hall of Fame career, which is nothing to sneeze at. He is the runaway favorite.

Close in the running: Xander Bogaerts (Red Sox), Alex Bregman (Astros)

NL Cy Young: Max Scherzer (Nationals)

Mad Max looks to be the favorite to take home his 4th Cy Young Award after starting 2019 with a bang, leading the NL in strikeouts with 181 and in second place in ERA behind Dodgers standout Hyun-Jin Ryu. It’s a two-horse race at this point, but Scherzer gets the nod for having worked deeper into games than Ryu and for his gaudy strikeout totals.

Close in the running: Hyun-Jin Ryu (Dodgers), Zack Greinke (Diamondbacks)

AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander (Astros)

The lanky veteran right-hander for the division-leading Houston Astros comes out as a slight favorite in what is a very tight AL Cy Young race. It could be said that Morton, who has a better ERA, has had the better season, but Verlander has simply been the better team’s ace and has put up a 2.98 ERA in an extreme hitter’s park. He gets the edge (for now).

Close in the running: Charlie Morton (Rays), Gerrit Cole (Astros)

The post Sizing Up the MLB Award Favorites at the All-Star Break appeared first on SportzBonanza.