After watching the Philadelphia Phillies tear the Cinderella slippers off of the Tampa Bay Rays last October, the National League will do something it hasn’t done in nearly 30 years. The NL hasn’t won consecutive World Series titles since the 1981-1982 seasons.
Well, it’s going to happen when the New York Mets defeat the Minnesota Twins to win its first World Series since 1986.
Rookie of the Year
It’s hard to argue against Florida Marlins 22-year-old centerfielder Cameron Maybin earning the award.
After spending the majority of 2008 in the minors, Maybin cracked the opening day lineup for the Marlins and will become a fixture near the bottom of the order.
If Maybin can improve his terrible strikeout rate (29 K’s in 82 career at bats heading into ’09), he should move towards the top of the order to be driven in by Hanley Ramirez, Dan Uggla and Jorge Cantu.
Breakout Player
When thinking of the 2009 Los Angeles Dodgers, one might imagine a pudgy, child-like Manny Ramirez. By the end of the 162-game season, every baseball fan should know centerfielder Matt Kemp.
The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder broke through and sealed his spot in Joe Torre’s everyday lineup last season and proved he belongs, stealing 35 bases and knocking 18 HRs.
Look for Kemp to take the next step in becoming an elite player. He possesses amazing 30-30 potential and patrols centerfield with the best.
Cy Young
If I’m rocking the Mets to win it all, then I must have a large amount of faith in the left arm of Johan Santana.
I shouldn’t have to tell you how great he is. Santana has accumulated 106 wins over the past seven seasons. He’s only cracked 20 wins one time in his career (2004) and he’ll flirt with the number in ’09.
Santana is a legitimate triple-crown contender every year and I expect him to earn his third Cy Young award.
Most Valuable Player
The Florida Marlins surprised many by winning 84 games with a $22 million opening day payroll (Alex Rodriguez made $28 million in 2008).
Compared to his ’07 numbers, Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez experienced a down year. It’s not often to say 33 HRs, 35 SBs and a .301 average is a “down year.”
Ramirez moved to the third spot in the lineup this season and should see a spike in his RBI totals. He is the definition of a five-tool player and will take snatch the award away from defending MVP St. Louis’ Albert Pujols.