San Francisco Giants Morning Minute: Midseason Awards Edition

On this edition of the San Francisco Giants Morning Minute, we hand out awards at the midway point of the season.

Good morning, San Francisco Giants’ fans, and welcome to the first All-Star break edition of the Giants Morning Minute. With the season at its unofficial halfway point, now seems like as good a time as any to hand out midseason awards. With 90 games in the books, here’s the Giants MVP, Cy Young, and top rookie.

Let’s get down to business.

1 – Most Valuable Player: Brandon Crawford

The Giants have had some huge offensive performances in the first half. Buster Posey, after a slow start, has caught fire and is again a feared presence in the middle of the team’s lineup. Brandon Belt is showing that he was worth every penny of his big contract extension, and is an All-Star (deservedly so) for the first time. But on both sides of the ball, no San Francisco player makes a bigger impact than the shortstop, Brandon Crawford.

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After a breakout season last year, during which he led the Giants in home runs and set career-highs in just about every offensive category, Crawford is topping himself this season. His .281 average and .353 on-base percentage are both well above his career marks. His 61 runs batted in leads the team, and are the most for a Giant at the All-Star break since 2006, when Pedro Feliz had 62. His strikeout rate is down nearly three percent from last season, and his walk rate is up nearly three percent.

But what really sets Crawford apart is his glove, and after winning the Gold Glove for the first time last season, he’s managing to get even better. He’s committed four errors in 356 chances, good for a career-best .989 fielding percentage. He leads everyone, all players at all positions, with a 20.4 defensive rating, according to FanGraphs. His 19 defensive runs saved are tied for most in baseball, matched only by Chicago White Sox center fielder Adam Eaton. His 16.6 UZR is second to Eaton.

Crawford should be joining Posey and Belt in San Diego, but he goes down as one of the biggest snubs this year. But there’s a bigger picture to all this. Crawford isn’t an All-Star, he’s becoming a legitimate MVP candidate.

2 – Cy Young: Madison Bumgarner

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The race to be the Giants’ best pitcher has been neck-and-neck between Johnny Cueto and Madison Bumgarner, but Bumgarner received one extra start before the All-Star break. That one extra game solidified that he’s the man in that rotation.

On Sunday, with ESPN cameras watching his every move on the mound, Bumgarner flirted with perfection into the fifth inning, and then a no-hitter into the eighth inning. Though he would allow a single with one out in the eighth, he would complete his fourth career one-hit shutout.

Bumgarner has been one of baseball’s best for years, but he’s cranked it up to another level this season. Over 19 starts and 129.2 innings, Bumgarner owns a 1.94 ERA (second-lowest in baseball) and 0.964 WHIP (third-lowest). He’s third in the game with 146 strikeouts, well on pace to shatter his previous career-high of 234 strikeouts. His .197 opponent average and .575 opponent OPS are both fifth-lowest in baseball. His 6.46 hits allowed per nine innings is sixth.

Simply put, Bumgarner has been even more dominant this season than in season’s past, as hard as that is to believe. He entered the season as the Giants’ best pitcher, and it has stayed that way through the All-Star break.

With that said, Cueto himself has been no slouch. The National League’s All-Star Game starter has a 2.47 ERA, 0.997 WHIP, and is walking a career-low 1.6 batters per nine innings in a league-leading 131.1 innings pitched. The Giants have won 16 of Cueto’s 18 starts, with Cueto being the pitcher of record in 13 of those victories.

3 – Top Rookie: Derek Law

With all the injuries the Giants have dealt with in the first half, the rookies have had a chance to shine. While Jarrett Parker‘s power, Mac Williamson‘s strength and defensive brilliance, and Albert Suarez‘s steadying hand in the rotation and bullpen have all been big contributors to the best first half in baseball, Derek Law has quickly become one of the Giants’ top relievers in a very short time.

Since making his big league debut on April 15th, Law has become a sort of calming presence in the bullpen. His 2.90 ERA and 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings are both second among Giants’ relievers behind Santiago Casilla (Sergio Romo‘s ERA is better, but he’s only made seven appearances). His 1.097 WHIP and 1.5 walks per nine innings leads the bullpen. His .29 home runs per nine is the lowest on the entire staff. He’s worked 11 perfect innings, best among the bullpen.

Law was hailed as the Giants’ “closer of the future” before his elbow injury and subsequent Tommy John surgery in 2014, and he has certainly looked the part this season. With other relievers going through their share of struggles, Law’s role should continue to expand as the calendar gets closer to October.

Next: Giants Morning Minute: Bumgarner Dominates, First-Half Tidbits

And that will do it for another edition of the Giants Morning Minute. Through the All-Star break, we’ll have more to talk about, including a recap of the All-Star festivities, and some potential under-the-radar bullpen additions.