MLB Fantasy: First-Half Awards

We give out some fantasy awards to the best/worst players in the first half

July 8, 2008

By Carlisle Richards
Bodog Nation Contributing Writer

Last week, we outlined which fantasy stars to buy and sell in MLB's second half. Now, it's time to hand out the hardware for some of best (and worst) fantasy performers of the first half.

You won't see standard MLB.com categories like "First-Half MVP" or "Breakout Player" on this list. Instead, we've given out awards that fantasy owners would appreciate:

The "Doing What I Drafted Him to Do (and More)" Award

Winner: Lance Berkman, 1B/OF, Houston Astros

Owners drafted Lance Berkman, expecting better numbers than his 2007 output (.278 batting average, 34 home runs, 102 RBIs), and in turn, he's given them unrivaled fantasy production. Berkman has first-half numbers that put him into fantasy godliness: .348 BA, 22 HRs, 70 RBIs, and we've still got two-and-a-half months of baseball still to play. Even crazier, he's put an extra shot of espresso in owners' lattes with 12 stolen bases. He didn't swipe that many in 2007 and 2008 combined!

Runner Up: Chase Utley, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies

The "I'm a Frigging Fantasy Genius for Drafting this Guy" Award

Winner: Josh Hamilton, OF, Texas Rangers

Count yourself lucky if you drafted Hamilton early. (AP Images)

Hamilton was a top 100 fantasy player coming into 2008, but the problem was that he was still a high risk/high reward player. With a history of injury and more drug abuse than Tyrone, there's no telling if he would live up to expectations. Well, he exceeded them... Actually, he destroyed them. Along with a .308 BA and 19 HRs, Hamilton leads the majors with 85 RBIs, making fantasy owners who gave him a shot look like the fantasy equivalent of Steven Hawking.

Runner Up: Ian Kinsler, 2B, Texas Rangers

The "Waiver Wire Gold" Award

Winner: Milton Bradley, OF, Texas Rangers

He's nuts, but Bradley has always been good for temporary fantasy production before a) an injury slows him down or b) he does something stupid in a fit of rage. But this year, those who picked the outfielder off waivers have had their fantasy ego stroked with a top 30 fantasy player. Bradley is averaging .319, 17 HRs and 54 RBIs, and it doesn't look like his bat is slowing down. Will his body/brain last a full season? That’s the question. Regardless, he's already given owners more than they bargained for.

Runner Up: Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay

The "Why Did I Drop this Guy?" Award

Winner: Mike Mussina, SP, New York Yankees

I don't know if you're guilty of this one, but I am. Mussina is old; his production last year (5.15 ERA, 11-10) has proven that. Therefore, a mediocre start (April: 4.73 ERA, 3-3) made him expendable on a lot of fantasy rosters. How did he do after that? Nothing but All-Star digits. Mussina has gone 8-3 with an ERA in the low 3s since May, making owners regret they ever gave up on him.

Runner Up: Chad Billingsley, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

The "Sanjaya Malakar" Award

Winner: Blake Dewitt, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers

Like Sanjaya, Dewitt's fame lasted for about 15 minutes. (AP Images)

Everybody's talking about rookie third-baseman Longoria now, but rewind to May, and everyone was on Dewitt's jock. Dewitt was so nasty in May (batting .322, 18 RBIs, 5 HRs) that the Dodgers found Nomar Garciaparra - and his fragile body - expendable. Once "Rookie of the Month" May was over, his fame died faster than William Hung. After working owners into a frenzy, Dewitt is back on waivers with the Chris Sheltons of the world with a .265 BA, 5 HRs and 34 RBIs.

Runner Up: Justin Upton, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks

The "Like a Chris Snyder Shot to the Nuts" Award: The Detroit Tigers

You draft a player(s) this year expecting fantasy gold, only to get kicked in the groin repeatedly by their craptacular play? Then it must be a Detroit Tiger.

How has the most robust group of talent done fantasy-wise? Not one has been a top 75 fantasy player this year. OF Gary Sheffield is batting .225 when he's not on the disabled list. OF Curtis Granderson is not scoring runs or stealing bases like he did in 2007. SP Dontrelle Willis is on the DL. Magglio Ordonez, probably their best player so far, is on the DL until after the All-Star game. Miguel Cabrera is on pace for 89 RBIs and Justin Verlander is trying to recover from an April and May where his ERA hovered around 5.

If you have any of these guys, you might want to get your groin checked out, and hopefully, like Snyder, you won't require surgery.

Runner Up: Jeff Francoeur, OF, Atlanta Braves

The "This is Why You Don’t Draft Closers High" Award

Winner: Jason Isringhausen, CL, St. Louis Cardinals

Isringhausen has been a solid closer for years, topping at least 30 saves in seven of his last eight seasons. So some fantasy owners thought he might be able to dodge the cardinal rule in fantasy baseball: Closers are not reliable.

Those who drafted him early learned this lesson quickly. After running the closer job for St. Louis for six years, Isringhausen took himself out of the role by posting ugly numbers (5.34 ERA and seven blown saves). He lost the job on May 15, and he hasn’t regained it since.

Runner Up: Eric Gagne, CL, Milwaukee Brewers

The "Barry Zito" Award

Winner: Aaron Harang, SP, Cincinnati Reds

With the Reds' home known as a hitter's park, most owners steer clear of pitchers in Cincinnati. But Harang has been the exception to that rule, posting a 3.73 ERA with 16 wins and six losses in 2007. This year, however, he’s made owners pay for trusting him. Harang’s ERA ballooned in May and June and he has just three wins on the season despite 18 starts.

Runner Up: Erik Bedard, SP, Seattle Mariners

The "Just Take Him Off Your Watch List Already" Award

Winner: Barry Bonds, OF, free agent

Bonds will be making more video cameos and not playing baseball in 2008. (AP Images)

Poor Barry, one day Hank Aaron's congratulating him for breaking his record, the next he's making cameos in David Banner music videos.

Let's face it, nobody wants this 'roid monkey on their roster. And even if he did come back, he'll probably produce even less than his 2007 numbers, where he posted 28 HRs with a .270 BA. Do yourself a favor and stop checking the waiver wire for him.

Runner Up: Roger Clemens, SP, free agent/Chris Carpenter, SP, St. Louis Cardinals

TOP PHOTO: He may look like fat Elvis, but Lance Berkman has been an unstoppable fantasy force this year. (AP Images)