With the All Star Game approaching and half of the Major League Baseball season already in the books, it is time to take a look back and hand out the Midseason Awards.

First up is the American League MVP

Joe Mauer, Catcher Minnesota Twins

Mauer is currently has the highest batting average in MLB at .388 and he also has 15 home runs and 48 RBI’s and all of these stats come after missing the first month of the season. If Mauer had been healthy in the beginning of the season, the Twins may be in first place right now instead of struggling to stay above .500.

American League Cy Young

Zack Greinke, Staring Pitcher Kansas City Royals

Even though Greinke has lost four of his last six decisions, he still deserves to be the Cy Young winner for the first half of the season. Greinke leads the American League with an ERA of 2.12, is tied for second in wins with 10 and is third in strikeouts with 129. Through his first ten starts, Greinke was 8-1 with an ERA of 0.84. If the Royals are going to try and contend in the American League Central for years to come, Greinke needs to be the ace starting pitcher he has proved he can be.

American League Manager of the Year

Ron Washington, Texas Rangers

In a division routinely dominated by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Rangers jumped out to a big lead in the West and currently still hold on to the division, but barely. With the return of Josh Hamilton will be the spark the Rangers need to try and hold off the Angels for the rest of the season. With having five quality outfielders for only four positions (including DH), how Washington is able to juggle the lineup while still keeping all of his players happy may prove to be the key to how the Rangers finish the year.

American League Rookie of the Year

Rick Porcello, Starting Pitcher Detroit
Tigers

Porcello has struggled in his last two starts, but it doesn’t take away from the year the he is having for the Tigers. The 20 year-old Porcello leads all rookies with 8 wins this year and his development as the third starter for the Tigers gives them a solid top of the rotation after Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson. When Manager Jim Leyland takes the pitch count off of Porcello look for him to become a solid seven innings pitcher every time he takes the mound.

National League MVP

Albert Pujols First Baseman St. Louis Cardinals

“The Machine” has a chance to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1967. Pujols is currently second in batting average at .336, first in home runs and RBI’s with 32 and 85 respectively. He leads his team in two other major categories with 71 runs and he leads the team with 10 stolen bases on the season. Pujols is the most important player to any team in the league and is deserving of my first half MVP and the MVP trophy at the end of the season.

National League Cy Young

Tim Lincecum, Starting Pitcher San Francisco Giants

Lincecum, like his American League counterpart Zack Greinke, is in the top three in the three major pitching categories in the National League. He is second in ERA at 2.33, tied for second in wins with 10, and leads all pitchers in both leagues with 149 strikeouts so far this season. Lincecum is the best pitcher, on what could become one of the best pitching staffs in the league that includes Matt Cain, Barry Zito, Randy Johnson, and Jonathan Sanchez who threw the first no-hitter of the season on July 10th.

National League Manager of the Year

Joe Torre Los Angeles Dodgers

When Torre left the Yankees took the job in sunny southern California, most thought that the stress level for him in his new home would drop, but not so fast. Enter slugger Manny Ramirez with his antics and 50-game suspension for violating the leagues steroid policy would make any manager lose his mind, but not Torre. He inserted Juan Pierre, the speedy, single hitting anti-Ramirez, and the Dodgers never missed a beat. They remain in first place and have the best record in the league, and some of the credit for that has to go back to the cool-headed Torre.

National League Rookie of the Year

Colby Rasmus, Centerfielder St. Louis
Cardinals

Rasmus leads all rookies with 11 home runs and 34 RBI’s on the season so far. His solid play, along with the struggles of Rick Ankiel, make Rasmus all the more valuable to the Cardinals as they continue to hold the lead in the NL Central division. He is also important as the Cardinals number two hitter in the line-up in front of slugger Albert Pujols. The more Rasmus is able to get himself on base, the better the Cardinals offense goes, and having that much pressure on a rookie is tough, but Rasmus seems to be handling it well so far this season.