Posted March 22, 200520 yr Article Baseball 2005 preview: A.L. predictions By Ken Rosenthal - SportingNews Sporting News Insider Ken Rosenthal scans the American League and offers the following observations on the season ahead. MVP: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees. No. 2 hitters rarely draw MVP consideration, but A-Rod will get plenty of RBI opportunities batting behind leadoff man Derek Jeter and, after the first inning, No. 9 hitter Tony Womack. Cy Young Award: Randy Johnson, Yankees. In September 2002, a Diamondbacks official told me, "Look out. Randy can sniff it." Johnson won his fifth Cy Young that season. Bet he's already sniffing No. 6. Manager of the Year: Alan Trammell, Tigers. You've got to root for this one. The Tigers won 43 games in Trammell's inaugural season two years ago. If everything clicks, they could double that total. Rookie of the Year: Huston Street, A's. Only two relievers have won this award since 1989 -- the Reds' Scott Williamson in 1999 and the Mariners' Kaz Sasaki in 2000. Street will have a chance if he becomes the A's closer. Batting champ: Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners. Can he hit .400? Not unless he starts drawing more walks. Ichiro's 704 at-bats last season were the second-highest total in major league history. He would have needed 20 more hits on top of his record 262 to reach .400. Home run champ: Mark Teixeira, Rangers. Teixeira hit 26 of his 38 home runs last season after July 1. If he carries that kind of production into '05, a 45-homer season should be within reach. First manager fired: None. Any changes are more likely to occur after the season. The Royals' Tony Pena is signed through 2006. The Orioles' Lee Mazzilli is secure knowing that owner Peter Angelos never has fired a manager during a season. The A's Ken Macha declined to entertain an extension only because his mother was ill. Biggest name traded before July 31: Alfonso Soriano, Rangers. The Rangers could use Soriano, who can become a free agent after '05, to acquire pitching, then play the emerging Ian Kinsler at second base. If the the Royals' Mike Sweeney can stay healthy, he would be a more likely candidate to be traded. Biggest free-agent bust: Matt Clement, Red Sox. Several teams wanted him, sensing he's on the verge of a breakthrough. That could happen, but Clement, a quirky creature of habit, stands an equally good chance of freaking out in Boston. Senior writer Ken Rosenthal covers baseball for Sporting News. Email him at [email protected].
March 23, 200520 yr I don't know how they didn't pick Vlad for MVP, especially with what he did last year.
March 23, 200520 yr A-Rod won't be MVP. Miguel will win the Most Valuable Tejada award again. 718367[/snapback] Thats my pick as well.
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