MLB First Half Awards: National League

     With the first half of the MLB season coming to an end at the All-Star break next week, it's time to take a look at who preformed the best in the first half and who is on pace to win each of the big yearly awards.  The awards I give out for each league are MVP, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year.  There will also be a little sentence saying the next in line for each award.  I will focus on the National League in this post and the American League in a future post.
   

The Pirates look to MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen to lift them
to the postseason for the first time in almost 20 years.

     MVP: Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pirates.  A surprise, yes, but McCutchen has the numbers to be worthy of the league's most valuable player.  McCutchen is hitting .345 with 13 home runs and 45 RBI's and also has a .404 on-base percentage.  On top of that, he is electric on defense and continues to be one of the best centerfielders in baseball.  A huge reason McCutchen gets the award is how much the team depends on him.  The Pirates have no one on the team that is remotely near a .300 average, and is among the bottom of the league in offense, so Andrew McCutchen earns the MVP.
     Next in line: Joey Votto, 1B, Reds; Matt Kemp, OF, Dodgers; Melky Cabrera, OF, Giants; Carlos Beltran, OF, Cardinals

37-year-old R.A. Dickey looks to continue on his great first half for
the Mets.

     Cy Young:  R.A. Dickey, SP, Mets.  It is pretty weird when a knuckleballer wins the Cy Young Award, but Dickey sure does deserve it.  The 37-year-old Dickey has been a phenom for the Mets so far this season, going 11-1 in 14 starts with a 2.00 ERA.  He has also struck out 103 batters this season and is not allowing many baserunners overall, having a microscopic WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched) at 0.89.  Dickey has had recent outstanding performances, throwing one-hit shutouts in back-to-back starts against the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles.  Dickey is having the best success he has ever had in his career, and if he continues, he will win the Cy Young over many good pitchers in the National League.
     Next in Line:  Stephen Strasburg, SP, Nationals; Gio Gonzalez, SP, Nationals; Matt Cain, SP, Giants; Johnny Cueto, SP, Reds

Nationals rookie phenom Bryce Harper may help the
Nats reach the playoffs.

     Rookie of the Year:  Bryce Harper, OF, Nationals.  Harper wins the Rookie of Year by a landslide, mostly because there is no competition in the National League, but that doesn't mean Harper hadn't earned it.  One of the most talked about prospects in the last year, Harper has done very good with the spotlight on the 19-year-old former first-overall pick, hitting .281 with seven homers and 20 RBIs.  Harper has also been outstanding defensively, making web gems while switching around from centerfield and rightfield.  The way Harper is playing, and playing it with the heart and determination players should play with, expect him to easily win the voting in Rookie of the Year.
     Next in line:  Brandon Beachy, SP, Braves (Beachy will undergo season-ending Tommy Johns surgery)

     All three players mentioned have the chance to win the awards at the end of the season and help their teams make the postseason.  Next up, the American League first half awards.