2013 MLB Picks and Predictions: Updated National League Award Favorites: With the 2013 MLB season starting to approach the halfway point, the early frontrunners for the top individual awards are starting to emerge. In the National League in particular, many of the awards have several worthy contenders, and unexpected names are in the mix for several awards, as well. Yes, there is still plenty of time for the pecking order to change, but a strong start to a season never hurt any player’s chances of collecting some hardware at the end of the year. With that in mind, here is a look at the current frontrunners for the top awards in the National League for the 2013 MLB season.
National League Most Valuable Player: Paul Goldschmidt, First Baseman, Arizona Diamondbacks
Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki has the best numbers, but a broken rib is going to sideline him for more than a month. Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks are sitting atop the West Division, and the emergence of Goldschmidt as a legitimate star is a big reason why. He is hitting .313 and leads the NL with 59 RBIs, and he also ranks fourth in both home runs and OPS. It is safe to say that he has come into his own sooner than anyone expected, and he has slugged his way to the top of the list of NL MVP candidates in the early going.
National League Cy Young: Jordan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals
Clayton Kershaw and Matt Harvey are nipping at his heels, but Zimmerman’s 9-3 record, along with his other statistics, has him out front. His 2.00 ERA ranks second in the NL, and he leads all starters with 0.89 WHIP. He also ranks fourth in the league with a .205 batting average against. Granted, Zimmerman doesn’t strike a lot of people, but his three complete games are tied for the most in the majors. More impressively, he has tallied his nine victories despite playing for a Washington team that has scored the second fewest runs of any team so far this season.
National League Rookie of the Year: Shelby Miller, Starting Pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals
The NL Rookie of the Year race is absolutely loaded this year and could definitely go down to the wire. There are 10 players that you could make an argument for already, and that doesn’t even include the recently-promoted Yasiel Puig, who seems to be making up for lost time. That being said, Miller gets the nod for a few reasons, including the fact that he ranks in the top five in the NL in both ERA and WHIP. He also ranks sixth in the league with 91 strikeouts, and he has a 7-4 mark for a St. Louis team that owns the best record in the majors.
Comeback Player of the Year: Kevin Gregg, Relief Pitcher, Chicago Cubs
Troy Tulowitzki could still end up winning the award, but like the rest of the preseason favorites, he is hurt again. As a result, the journeyman reliever has the inside track on Comeback Player of the Year honors in the NL. He is a perfect 7-for-7 in save chances since taking over the role for the Cubs, and he boasts an impressive 0.92 ERA to go with a 1.02 WHIP. For his career, Gregg has a 4.03 ERA and 1.37 WHIP so he definitely has something special going on in 2013.
Rolaids Relief Man: Jason Grilli, Pittsburgh Pirates
Plain and simple, Grilli has been nasty in the ninth inning for the surprising Pirates. He has converted all 23 of his save chances and has done so in dominating fashion. Grilli currently has a 0.94 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and .150 batting average against. He also 47 strikeouts compared to just six walks and has amassed his strikeout total in just 28.2 innings. Heck, he could make a run at the Cy Young Award if he keeps up this pace.
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