Cleveland Indians 2016 Midseason Awards

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Cleveland Indians 2016 Midseason Awards

What a first half it’s been for the Cleveland Indians, who currently have a 52-36 record and are six and a half games up on the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central. Not bad. Not bad at all.

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The Indians have played good all around baseball this year, so they have plenty of players who are deserving of not only team awards but maybe even some MLB-wide awards. Let’s get into it.

1st Half Most Valuable Player: Francisco Lindor

Francisco Lindor has been a key cog for the Indians since they called him up to the majors a little over a year ago, as he put up big numbers in 2015 en route to him finishing 2nd in American League rookie of the year voting. But many predicted Lindor to go through a sophomore slump this year, as pitchers would have a full off-season to adjust to the young phenom. They were wrong.

Lindor has been an absolute monster this year, as he has a .823 OPS to go along with 10 home runs, 45 runs batted in, and 10 steals. He’s also still a human highlight reel on defense. This slick fielding combined with his production led Lindor to be named to his first (but definitely not last) All-Star game. Lindor has been a big reason for the Indians success this year, leading him to be my midseason Indians MVP.

Honorable mentions: Rajai Davis, Danny Salazar, Jason Kipnis, Corey Kluber, Jose Ramirez

Next: 1st Half Cy Young & Least Valuable Player

1st Half Cy Young: Danny Salazar

The Indians are finally getting a return on their investment into Danny Salazar. The Indians always knew that Salazar had ace potential, but he was plagued with inconsistency for the first three years in his big league career. Salazar has bucked that trend in 2016, as he is currently 10-3 with a 2.75 ERA, which is the second-best ERA in the American League. Salazar currently has 118 strikeouts and just 48 walks in 104 2/3 innings this year, and his stuff has been so nasty this year that Sports Illustrated actually said that Salazar’s changeup was the best in baseball. And while his changeup may be disgusting, he can still blow it by batters with his fastball when need be. Salazar was also named to his first All-Star game, though he did not pitch due to a sore elbow. Look for Salazar to be a catalyst for the Indians second half success.

Honorable mentions: Corey Kluber, Dan Otero, Jeff Manship, Carlos Carrasco

1st Half Least Valuable Player: Yan Gomes

It’s been a tough first half for Gomer. Yan Gomes spent most of his 2015 season on the disabled list after he sprained his MCL in April, and he still did not look like himself after he came back from injury. Now many figured that this offseason would be a good period of rest for Gomes and that he would come back 100% in 2016. This might not have been the case, and Gomes is mired the worst year of his professional career, as he’s batting a measly .166 with 8 home runs and 32 RBI. Gomes still has the potential to have a strong second half, as he has a career average of .276 after the all-star break. But overall this has been a first half to forget for the Brazilian backstop.

Honorable mentions: Zach McAllister, Abraham Almonte, Marlon Bryd

Next: The Biggest Surprise of the 1st Half?

Biggest surprise of the first half: The clutch hitting of Jose Ramirez

Jose Ramirez has had quite a ride with the Indians. He had his ups and downs in his first two full years with the Indians, as he had his ups and downs, but his tenure with the Indians hit a low point after 2015, as he finished the season with a batting average of a measly .219, and was viewed by many as an organizational afterthought, but Ramirez converted into an outfielder this past offseason, and has now embraced the super utility role for the Indians.

Ramirez has a OPS of .769 with four home runs and 38 runs batted in. But what’s been even more impressive is his clutch hitting. Ramirez is currently batting .377 with runners in scoring position, which is good for fifth in the American League. 2016 is looking like the year that Rameriz is finally putting it all together.

Honorable mentions: Carlos Santana‘s 20 Home Runs, The emergence of Tyler Naquin, Jason Kipnis’s 14 Home Runs

Next: Former Indian Drew Pomeranz Has Another New Home

So there you have it, a few of the 2016 Cleveland Indians Midseason Awards. Do you agree with the winners? Who are your award winners? Let us know in the comments section below.

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