MLB Awards Watch: Corey Seager separates from the pack
By Brad Rowland
The entire MLB world is focused on the trade deadline, which arrives later in the week. July 31 becomes quite crucial for a number of the league’s franchises, and that includes both sides of the aisle. Some teams will be looking to add significant talent to make a push for the World Series, while others are looking to “sell” in order to plan for the future above all else.
Still, players often operate in a vacuum when it comes to baseball, and we judge them as such. Here is a look at this week’s MLB awards watch, beginning with NL Rookie of the Year.
NL Rookie of the Year
71. <p>Corey Seager is 22 years old and that is preposterous. The talented shortstop already looks like a top-10 player in baseball, and that is doubly true if you examine his production from the 2016 MLB season. Seager boasts a 138 wRC+ with 17 home runs and 65 runs scored in 96 games, and that is just the beginning. He is also an elite-level defensive player with solid plate discipline and ferocious upside, and Seager is a cut above the rest when it comes to rookies in both leagues right now.</p>. SS. Los Angeles Dodgers. Corey Seager. 1. player
108. <p>I’m hesitant to stick Story in this position, even if it is the obvious choice. I’ve been championing a couple of other candidates for second place throughout the campaign, but Story’s numbers are difficult to ignore. Even with the caveat of playing half of his games at Coors Field, Story has blasted 27 home runs in only 396 plate appearances, and he boasts a .584 slugging percentage on the season. That is comical power production from a shortstop, and he plays passable defense and gets on-base (.345 OBP) just enough to warrant this spot.</p>. SS. Colorado Rockies. Trevor Story. 2. player
3. player. 71. <p>If you want to go with Aledmys Diaz in this spot, I won’t argue. The youngster has been out of this world this season, and Cardinals fans justifiably have his back in terms of this award. Still, I’m going with Kenta Maeda, who is even more important now in the wake of Clayton Kershaw’s injury. Maeda sports a 3.25 ERA in 20 starts (113.2 innings) this season, and that isn’t a mark that appears unsustainable. His FIP is below 3.50 and Maeda is striking out more than a batter per inning while owning nearly a 4-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio. He’s a stud, and I don’t care that he’s already 28 years old.</p>. SP. Los Angeles Dodgers. Kenta Maeda
Next: AL Rookie of the Year