Red Sox Mid-Season Awards

With all the injuries beleaguering the Boston Red Sox it’s amazing they even had five healthy bodies to send to Arizona to represent the team in the 2011 MLB All-Star game.  Despite the myriad of aches and pains accompanying the roster around the halfway corner the Red Sox have still managed to pony up to capture the best record in the American League heading into the break.  While the long journey is far from over, this achievement certainly deserves some recognition and there are a few players in particular whose contributions can be directly linked to the team’s success thus far.

We’ll begin this award show with the most prestigious honor of all:  MVP.  If you’ve followed the Red Sox at all this season this might be the most obvious choice among the various accolades.  Adrian Gonzalez has not only been the best player in Boston, but also, arguably, the best in the entire league to this point.  His numbers throughout the first 90 games are exactly what Theo Epstein and the rest of the Red Sox staff had envisioned when they traded for him this winter.

Nobody is seeing the ball better at the plate than A-Gon.  His .354 batting average and 77 RBIs are tops in all of baseball.  He has a .591 slugging percentage, which is second in the American League, and his .417 on-base percentage is third.  At his current pace, he is on course to hit 31 homeruns and drive in 139 runs while leading the league in hitting.  Although there are a couple players putting up great numbers for the Sox, it’s fairly easy to say that none of them are in the same stratosphere as Adrian at the moment.

To hand out the next award we must travel out 60’ 6” from the plate and visit our favorite fiery Texan, Josh Beckett.  A disastrous 2010 campaign has made this achievement even more unbelievable.  Beckett, like Gonzalez, has earned the top spot on the Sox but is also in the running for the American League honor as well.  He has put together a marvelous season so far that has not only silenced his doubters but has also earned him Boston’s mid-season Cy Young award.

Although his eight victories are not incredibly impressive, a deeper look inside the numbers will reveal a more accurate depiction of the brilliant performance Beckett has showcased for us so far.  The sparkling 2.27 ERA he has produced is the third best in the AL.  His 0.95 WHIP is tied for the third best in the AL.  And, if you’re still not impressed, his .187 BAA (Batting Average Against) is the best mark in MLB.  An intense competitor, expect Beckett to continue to use the criticism of a failed season as fuel to power his 2011 Cy Young ambitions as we surge into the second half of the season.

The Comeback Player of the Year award is not always necessarily one that a player would aim for due to the fact that it generally means it was preceded by an unfortunate set of circumstances.  Boston’s recipient suffered a horrific injury last season which permitted him to participate in only 18 games.  Jacoby Ellsbury’s play has given the organization a glimpse of just how bright his future in Boston is going to be.

Voted to the All-Star game by his peers, Ellsbury’s selection is a validation of his emergence as one of the premier young talents and one of the most electrifying outfielders in the game today.  His maturity as a hitter has been evident in the fact that he has already hit 11 HRs this year.  Prior to this season, his career high was nine!  Even more amazing is that he has racked up 49 RBIs as a leadoff hitter.  If he is able to maintain this season’s frenetic pace he will hit 20 HRs and knock in 88 runs, which would also shatter his previous career high of 60 RBIs.

While the elevated power numbers are welcomed, his speed remains his most potent weapon.  An absolute terror on the base paths, his 28 steals lead the American League.  The ability to swipe bags with relative ease and advance into scoring position on a regular basis is an invaluable asset for which the hitters in the order behind him are forever grateful.  His determination and resiliency in his recovery earned him this award but at the level he has raised his game to let’s hope this is the last time he is even a nominee for the award.

While no real trophies will be awarded to these fine players, it’s always nice to give credit where credit is due.  These players’ efforts have carried a team who some had left for dead after that miserable start to the year. Besides; with all the media attention being focused on the Bruins and their recent accomplishments, it appeared as though some of the Red Sox players were growing a little envious.  Therefore hold your heads high and be recognized.  There may not be a parade through the streets of Boston scheduled upon receipt of these imaginary mid-season awards, but if these performances continue then there just might be one of those in their future after all.