We're officially on the door step, Opening Day for 28 of the 30 MLB teams is tomorrow! Time for storylines from Spring Training get put to the test-- young stars trying to establish themselves in the league, while some vets push to try to hold onto a roster spot.
Plenty to talk about over the next seven months, but for today, we're going to make our predictions for who wins baseball's major awards in 2024! Struck out on these last year, which means we're due for a breakout! We'll kick off with our... 443-735-8975
MVP's
American League: Julio Rodriguez is my pick for this one. I think if Seattle's going to make a playoff push, J-Rod is going to be an integral part of the effort. He'll hit for average, brings plenty of power and is a star in center. At +1000, the up and comer has some appealing value too.
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| Photo: Kevin M. Cox/ Associated Press |
Call me a homer, won't be the last time in this article, but Gunnar Henderson at +1800 is also very intriguing. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year batted .440 in Spring Training, but was ripping well over .600 for most of it. He was previously listed at +2000, meaning money's coming in on the kid! Worse bets to make.
National League: This selection could be a number of Dodgers, or Braves for that matter, but I'm going to roll with Mookie Betts at +650. The 31 year old has really found his power stroke out in LA, without any sacrifice to his ability to hit for contact. With Freddie Freeman and Shohei batting around him in the lineup, he'll have runners to drive in and no way to pitch around him. Look for Betts to routinely deliver.
Cy Young Winners
American League: I'm not sure I've ever seen an Orioles pitcher as the favorite for the Cy Young Award, but here we are with Corbin Burnes sitting at +800 in front of a wide open group. The righty has completely dominated the AL during his career, going 12-2 with a 2.56 ERA over 27 starts. No reason to think that won't continue.
Tanner Bibee at +4000 could be a fun play too, especially if the Guardians manage to be competitive. He's only 25 years old and coming off a really solid rookie campaign and could make some noise in the crappy AL Central.
National League: Don't be surprised if this is a Brave, but let's go with Justin Steele at +2000. The Cubbies' ace posted an outstanding 16-5 record with a 3.06 ERA in 2023, confirming that his previous season was not an aberration. 2024 is the year it all comes together for the lefty, as he brings home some hardware.
Rookies of the Year
American League: Surely I can't suggest another Oriole, right? Jackson Holliday's currently third in the ROY odds, but he'll start down in AAA-- providing him a slightly smaller window of opportunity than some of his peers. So we'll look elsewhere!
Wyatt Langford, this draft's most recent #3 choice, is the current favorite after rocketing through the minors, but I'm leaning toward his teammate Evan Carter at +320. Carter was a key part of the Rangers' World Series run, managing to reach base safely in all but 1 of the 39 games he played in September/October. Time for his work to be recognized.
National League: Jackson Chourio at +550 for NLROY is awesome value while the gambling world remains enamored with Yoshinobu Yamamoto. As iffy as Milwaukee's pitching will be, their lineup should have no problem helping facilitate a huge year out of their up and coming star. On top of his productivity at the plate, expect Chourio to add some highlight reel material defensively from center field.
Managers of the Year
American League: Chalky pick here, but AJ Hinch and the Tigers have a good bit of upside for the price (+550). They showed some promise in '23 and have an infusion of young talent on the way, making him the favorite for a reason.
Tampa Bay's Kevin Cash is in play too, currently at +900. Given the Franco controversy and McClanahan injury, the Rays competing would be a testament to his coaching ability.
National League: Following my gut on this one, but Pittsburgh's Derek Shelton is who I'm thinking takes home the NL Manager of the Year. Outside of the backend of their rotation, this Pirates' team is far from the saddest that we've ever seen take the field at PNC Park, with quality reinforcements waiting in the wings. At +1200 too, it's a tasty line.
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@Choppinglines
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