Baseball in Review: August-October

We have come to the end of the 2012 Major League Baseball season, but before officially closing the curtain on the regular season, we look back at the best and the worst of the final third of the season, where the postseason race reached its conclusion.

Most Surprising Teams: AL

Who would have thought that by the end of the season, the Detroit Tigers and the Oakland Athletics would win their respective division titles at the end of the season? The A's returned to form thanks to their league record 53 wins by rookie pitchers and a final series sweep of the Texas Rangers while the Tigers leaned on Miguel Cabrera's batting Triple Crown effort to snatch the AL Central for the second straight time. Whether they were inspired by the movie 'Moneyball', the A's are indeed back in the postseason, and Oakland fans were there to witness. As for the Tigers, a return to postseason was a decent achievement, especially after signing prolific slugger Prince Fielder for millions in the offseason. 

Most Surprising Teams: NL

The St. Louis Cardinals are happy that they kept their season alive despite losing Albert Pujols to the Angels. The defending World Series champions quietly maintained a winning record for much of the season, eventually clinching one of two Wild Card slots. This despite missing ace Chris Carpenter for a long stretch due to injury. Their Wild Card playoff opponents, the Atlanta Braves, made sure there were no late-season collapses by storming through the final two months with consistent hitting and 'small ball' offense. The Braves are happy to be in the postseason again, but unless they dethrone the Cardinals on Friday, Chipper Jones' legendary career may end sooner than expected.

Most Disappointing Teams: AL

The Chicago White Sox led the AL Central for much of the second half, but then coughed up and eventually ceded the division to the Tigers in the final two weeks of the season. The Cleveland Indians also led the AL Central at one point, but their collapse was more dramatic than Chicago's, ending the season near the AL Central cellar amidst a poor combination of injuries, mediocre play from both sides, and questionable managerial decisions on now-dismissed manager Manny Acta. Both teams have a lot of questions to answer in the offseason. Also worth noting is the 93 losses by the Boston Red Sox, who just couldn't put their act together under Bobby Valentine.

Most Disappointing Teams: NL

Thankfully the Houston Astros will no longer be in the National League after a pair of 100-loss seasons. The latest, a 55-107 record, was a typical 'throw in the towel' bombshell, going deeper to their farm system to develop their talent. But with a new manager and a move to the pitcher-friendly American League (designated hitters replace batting pitchers), the Astros only hope that this latest rebuilding project won't stall for the next several years. As for the Chicago Cubs, their rebuilding process under Theo Epstein began on a sour note, losing 101 games. Still, there's a long way to go for Epstein to build the team like what he did in Boston, in hopes of ending a 100+ year title drought. Honorable mention goes to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who endured another late-season choke job to again finish with a losing record for the 20th straight time. 

Most Valuable Player: AL

A unanimous choice for AL MVP, Miguel Cabrera surged late in the season to capture the first batting Triple Crown since Carl Yastrzemski achieved the mark in 1967. Despite moving back to his original position of third base, Cabrera maintained his hitting form for much of the season, leading the Tigers to another AL Central title. The high point of Cabrera's hitting spree was when hit .357 with eight homers, 24 RBIs and 35 hits. He picked up his play in the final month of the season, norming .339 with 11 homers, 30 RBIs and 38 hits. Finishing with a .331 batting average, 44 homers and 139 RBIs, Cabrera's romp would one day lead him to Cooperstown once he is done. 

Most Valuable Player: NL

Ryan Braun may be in line for another NL MVP award, but Buster Posey is also a deserving contender. Posey stepped up his game in the wake of Melky Cabrera's PED scandal, norming .371 with six homers, 21 RBIs and 33 hits. In the final month of the season Posey continued to hit .371, this time with five homers, 21 RBIs and 39 hits. Finishing with a .336 average, Posey made sure that the batting title stayed in San Francisco. More importantly, Posey returned to form after suffering a broken ankle last season, helping the Giants return to the postseason two years after their World Series triumph. 

Best Rookie: AL

Mike Trout was just several hits away from becoming the first rookie to win the batting title since Ichiro Suzuki, but he nevertheless made his case for the AL Rookie of the Year award with a .326 average, 30 homers, 83 RBIs, and 182 hits. He also became the youngest player of the 30-30 club upon finishing with 30 homers and 49 stolen bases. Trout stayed consistent despite dropping to .284 and .279 batting average in the final two months, helping the Angels stay in the postseason hunt until the final week of the season. The future looks bright for Trout as he emerged as one of baseball's most versatile offensive players.

Best Rookie: NL

Becoming a reliable offensive weapon at only 19 was an achievement for Bryce Harper. Helping the Washington Nationals earn the league's best record was an even higher achievement. To be honest, Harper should win the NL Rookie of the Year after playing  139 games and norming .270 with 22 homers, 59 RBIs, 144 hits and 18 stolen bases. September saw Harper at his best with a .330 average, with seven homers, 14 RBI, 37 hits and five stolen bases. Though no longer a teenager come the postseason, Harper's surge to the NL's batting elite should serve him well in the years to come. 

Best Pitcher: AL

Before Jim Johnson, the last 50-save pitcher was Francisco Rodriguez of the Angels in 2008. His rise as one of the best closers in the game coincided with the Orioles' renaissance. Finishing with 51 saves, Johnson helped lead the Orioles back to the postseason after a 15-year absence. Combined with the Orioles' extra-inning dominance, Johnson's value to the team proved enormous through every save converted. The last reliever to win the Cy Young Award was Dennis Eckersley in 1992, but Johnson's impressive performance in a relief role should earn him a nomination, if not a Cy Young Award victory. 

Best Pitcher: NL

With Stephen Strasburg on the shelf due to recovery from Tommy John surgery, Gio Gonzalez stepped up his game to become the postseason ace of the Washington Nationals. Winning 21 games proved to be his calling card, as he led one of the NL's best pitching staff to the league's best record at the end of the season. And coupled with prolific offensive weapons such as Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman, Gonzalez's emergence proved to be a huge benefit in leading Washington to the top of the Major Leagues at the end of the season. He should be a cinch to win the Cy Young Award.

Baseball in Review: June-July

Two-thirds of the baseball season is complete, so we look back at Major League Baseball's best and worst. After four months of slugging and striking, we've now reached the boiling point, where postseason races intensify and the race for October heightens.

Most Surprising Teams: AL

Forget their early season slip-up. The New York Yankees are playing like the Yankees of old, a seemingly invincible monster with 27 World Series championships bagged. And they got better with a former AL batting champion in Ichiro Suzuki. The Yankees, however, would have to deal without Brett Gardner and Mariano Rivera, their two supporting stars lost to injury for an extended period. Still, it is exciting to see Derek Jeter climb the hitting charts, Alex Rodriguez climb the home run charts, and CC Sabathia climb the wins and strikeouts charts, as their legacies continue to be enhanced in the Bronx. Honorable mention goes to the Chicago White Sox, thanks to the resurgent bat of Adam Dunn, and reliables such as Paul Konerko, A.J. Pierzynski and new White Sox addition Kevin Youkilis.

Most Surprising Teams: NL

While Washington kept winning despite the rash of injuries, June and July belonged to the Cincinnati Reds. They proved their dominance by winning ten straight games to end July, all without All-Star first baseman Joey Votto on the lineup. Johnny Cueto, Bronson Arroyo and Mat Latos supplied strong pitching, while Aroldis Chapman excelled in the closer's role. Brandon Philips, Jay Bruce and rookie Zack Cozart providing superb offensive support. Honorable mention goes to the San Francisco Giants, who enjoyed a superb June and July to go from the middle of pack to at least the top of the NL West. The All-Star Game saw Giants Pablo Sandoval, Buster Posey, Matt Cain and MVP Melky Cabrera orchestrate the NL's shutout of the AL, and the momentum continued the rest of the month, as San Francisco locked themselves in a power struggle with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Most Disappointing Teams: AL

Obviously, Boston continues to be the biggest AL disappointment, but Seattle appears to be the team that is on a new direction. Ichiro Suzuki is aging fast, and the Mariners, after a 116-win 2001 season and years of excellent hitting from Ichiro, has hit a roadblock. And just before a mid-July series with the Yankees, they decided to trade Ichiro to the Bronx. And while Ichiro stayed in Safeco for the series, he did go to the Yankee clubhouse and wear the iconic interlocking 'NY' cap for the first time. It was a sad departure, but for Seattle fans, they are happy to start over. Honorable mention goes to the Minnesota Twins, who found themselves struggling despite the on-field returns of Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer, their key components during their runs to the AL Central title. 

Most Disappointing Teams: NL

Also going nowhere are the Philadelphia Phillies. After five straight win-loss improvements, they basically went from a top contender to a bottom feeder in the NL East. Injuries to Chase Utley and Ryan Howard were the primary culprits to their sudden fall from grace, but it also had to do with subpar pitching from Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay and Jonathan Papelbon, the lack of capable offensive power, and poor defense. They decided to start over as they traded Hunter Pence to San Francisco, Shane Victorino to the Dodgers, and Jim Thome to Baltimore. It is clear that Philly's NL East dominance is fading, and a new identity is needed. Honorable mention goes to Miami, as the Marlins' struggles continue on the field, and following trades of Omar Infante and Anibal Sanchez to Detroit, Hanley Ramirez to the Dodgers, and Gaby Sanchez to Pittsburgh, the Marlins, like the Phillies, are looking to rebuild for 2013.

Most Valuable Player: AL

The Angels, despite their high-profile signings of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, caught a big fish through its minor league system. Mike Trout debuted with the Angels last year, but in 2012 he was undoubtedly a rookie of the year candidate, thus we name him too as the AL Best Rookie for June and July. In June he batted .372 with three homers, 42 hits and 16 RBI, and in July he improved to .392 with 10 homers, 38 hits and 23 RBI. Trout's overall season numbers of .348 led the majors at the end of July, and he was the reason why the Angels leaped back into contention in the AL West. 

Most Valuable Player: NL

The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the same position as they were a year ago, posting a winning record at the end of July. Andrew McCutchen was the key during those periods. In June, McCutchen had a .370 batting average, and posted seven homers, 26 RBI and 40 hits. In July he continued his torrid stretch by norming seven homers, 15 RBI and 41 hits for a .446 average. That stretch raised his season batting average to .373, leading the NL in the category. They failed to end the futility record last year with McCutchen struggling towards the end, so his bat will be the key for the Pirates as they look to end a streak of 19 straight losing seasons. 

Best Rookie: AL

(see AL Best Player Mike Trout)

Best Rookie: NL

Once again, Bryce Harper takes the nod in the NL. The wonder kid continued his hot hitting spree by norming a .274 batting average, though he struggled in July norming just .222. Still, his bat contributed to his elevation to the top of the batting order, and with it, the Nationals kept winning despite a rash of injuries that come along with it. Harper made history as the youngest All-Star position player ever at age 19, although his night in Kansas City was forgettable as he bobbled a routine fly ball from Mike Napoli in the game, and finished 0-1 with a strikeout and a walk. The NL Rookie of the Year should be a runaway for Harper, provided he stayed out of the injury list and perform excellently.

Best Pitcher: AL

Jered Weaver had his stuff going during the no-hitter against Minnesota in May, but in June and July, he was as devastating as ever. He went undefeated through eight games, posting ERAs of 0.71 and 2.23 respectively, all towards lowering his season ERA to an AL-leading 2.29. Weaver's pitching is also the key reason why the Angels surged back to contention in the AL West, and if all goes right for Weaver and the Angels, they may as well break the two-year stranglehold of the Texas Rangers in the AL West. 

Best Pitcher: NL

R.A. Dickey made the All-Star team this year because of his success in the month of June, going 5-0 with a no-decision and a 0.93 ERA. Perhaps it's the mystique of the knuckleball that baffled opposing batters, or because Dickey's ammunition seems to be working to perfection. Whatever the reason, Dickey is enjoying a breakout year at age 37, an age where players are entering the twilight zone. Although his ERA went up to 5.13 and had a 2-1 record with three NDs, Dickey's 14-2 mark continues to lead the NL, and the Mets will need his arms more in an effort to make it back to the postseason. 

Baseball in Review: April-May

One-third of the baseball season is complete, so we look back at Major League Baseball's best and worst. Don't be surprised how things turned around following our March previews. The playoff race is too early, so no talk about playoff possibilities at this moment.

Most Surprising Teams: AL

The Tampa Bay Rays made the playoffs last year on the last day. Now they are chasing the Baltimore Orioles for AL East supremacy, at least for the first two months. The Orioles' rise was a surprise, as many predicted the Orioles will wallow through the division cellar, if not the entire American League. However, their offense and pitching has carried them through, with Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, J.J. Hardy and Matt Wieters providing the hot bats, and Jason Hammel, Wei-Yin Chen and Jim Johnson providing the strong arms. Meanwhile, the loss of Evan Longoria didn't hurt the Rays, as the pitching of David Price, James Shields, Jeremy Hellickson and unlikely closer Fernando Rodney carrying them.

Most Surprising Teams: NL

A few minutes' drive from the Orioles park were another surprise team. The Washington Nationals have finally realized the potential of their two young stars in Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. Throw in newly-acquired pitchers Edwin Jackson and Gio Gonzalez, then the Nats have one of the strongest staffs in the National League. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers were playing like it was 1988, as Matt Kemp was supplying the power and Clayton Kershaw the pitching. Even though both teams slowed down a bit due to key injuries (Kemp and Wilson Ramos), they are still holding the fort in the NL East and West, respectively. 

Most Disappointing Teams: AL

The LA Angels of Anaheim are supposed to get stronger with Albert Pujols, but it took 110 at-bats before hitting his first homer. Pujols' struggles also underscores the fact that the Angels were inconsistent from both pitching and offense, despite trailing Texas in the AL West race. The Boston Red Sox  failed to find a groove under new manager Bobby Valentine, as injuries, poor defense and pitching, unconventional lineup changes and cold offense dragged them to the AL East cellar, though they soon rebounded at the end of May.

Most Disappointing Teams: NL

They faced off in the postseason a year ago, yet the Milwaukee Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks were back into their doghouse ways. The loss of Prince Fielder and the offseason distractions on NL MVP Ryan Braun affected the offensive production of the Brewers, and even their pitching was suspect. The Diamondbacks staff were likewise a far cry from last year, despite adding Trevor Cahill to the staff. Any hope of a turnaround will need a tweak or two to change their fortunes.

Most Valuable Player: AL

After suffering from an alcohol relapse in the offseason, Josh Hamilton started out with a blaze of glory. Through the end of May, Hamilton had smacked 21 homers, the most impressive run coming in a game at the Baltimore Orioles on May 8, where he became only the 16th player to drive four home runs. Hamilton's hitting was one of the reasons why the Texas Rangers are leading the American League at this first third of the season. 

Most Valuable Player: NL

Picking up from his best season in Kansas City, Melky Cabrera continued his hot-hitting ways in San Francisco. Through the end of May Cabrera hit .373 with 78 hits, capping off the month by tying Randy Winn's franchise record of 51 hits in a single month. Cabrera has proven to be a good pickup for the Giants, who badly needed offense after missing the playoffs the year after winning the World Series. 

Best Rookie: AL

As much as the offense was carrying the Texas Rangers, it was the pitching that is helping them win. They have a plethora of great arms like Colby Lewis, Derek Holland and closer-turned-starter Neftali Feliz, but Yu Darvish has proven to be an excellent pickup by the defending AL champions, winning seven decisions through nine games. And while he is still finding his way in the United States, Darvish's future appears to be in good hands. 

Oh, and he also won the AL Best Pitcher too.

Best Rookie: NL

Even though he debuted in the majors late in April, Bryce Harper broke out in a big way, impressing fans and other players alike with his speed and hitting prowess. One play against the Phillies showed how fast Harper can be, stealing home plate past Carlos Ruiz for a run. Then during the month of May Harper hit his first four Major League homers, while averaging .274 for the season. Along with Stephen Strasburg, Harper is now a major cornerstone the suddenly contending Nationals can build on. 

Best Pitcher: AL

(see AL Best Rookie Yu Darvish)

Best Pitcher: NL

Lance Lynn was a reliever last year, helping the St. Louis Cardinals win through his strong arms and keen sense of the strike zone. This season, Lynn became a starter after losing ace Chris Carpenter to injury, and he did not disappoint. Through nine games, Lynn led the National League with eight wins, helping the Cardinals continue their winning ways despite losing franchise leader Albert Pujols to the Angels.