Cy Young coming his way? <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congrats <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a> ace <a href="https://twitter.com/kidkeuchy">@kidkeuchy</a>, AL Pitcher of the Month for August! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoBeardOrGoHome?src=hash">#GoBeardOrGoHome</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Whiff?src=hash">#Whiff</a> <a href="http://t.co/NoDoxQms6H">pic.twitter.com/NoDoxQms6H</a></p>— Houston Astros (@astros) <a href="https://twitter.com/astros/status/639166940112523264">September 2, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="ht" dir="ltr">AL Pitchers of the Month: April: Keuchel May: Keuchel July: Kazmir August: Keuchel</p>— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chandler_Rome/status/639167380535402496">September 2, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
It's going to be a very interesting Cy Young race... I think he and Gray have separated themselves from the Sale's, Price's and Archer's. If he gets to 20 wins, I think he'll cinch it. The Astros are very likely to win AL Manager of the Year, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year. And let's not discount Chris Carter's MVP chances*... Pretty incredible. (Honestly, he deservedly has zero chance, given how good Trout and Donaldson have been - but Altuve has been huge this year; really impressive stretch from him when this team really needed it. I argued against the Astros pursuing Donaldson last offseason *and* was ready to write Altuve's 2014 off as an anomaly. I was wrong on both counts. Altuve is the t***.)
It's probably Keuchel's to lose - assuming they both pitch well, Keuchel has the added benefit of pitching in far more meaningful games. Throwing a no-hitter to clinch the division would help, too...
But you'll gladly accept it. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">"I'd much rather win a World Series ring than a Cy Young Award." - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/kidkeuchy">@kidkeuchy</a>. <a href="http://t.co/7pStWMLfpH">pic.twitter.com/7pStWMLfpH</a></p>— Houston Astros (@astros) <a href="https://twitter.com/astros/status/639188211378614272">September 2, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Slow your roll a little there. AJ Hinch does not deserve AL Manager of the Year, Texas is 3-4 games behind the Astros with a 125 run differential. I am not calling the man a terrible or even below average manager but he hasn't been the best manager in the AL. Yeah with Donaldson a lot of people missed the boat. I really wanted him but I didn't think he would be THIS good. I cannot imagine where the Astros would be with Donaldson playing third over the human suck pop up machine Valbuena. Lowry would be playing first and Chris Carter would be on set to sea on fire as an offering to the 2010-2013 Astros team.
The Astros lost 92 games last year, on the back of 4 consecutive 100+-loss seasons. If they make the postseason, he's the team's biggest awards lock. I'm not saying you're wrong; but no way the BBWAA is putting that much thought into it.
Yea Hinch should be a lock for MOY People give him a hard time about lineup decisions, but guys like Marisnik and Conger and Valbuena and Carter and I could go on and on, aren't consistent players who are easy to manage. He hasn't had much time at all with Altuve and Springer and Correa all here and healthy at the same time He has done a great job and will very likely be rewarded for it
And the BBWAA isn't going to dive into a pool of minutiae and break down his managerial decisions on a nightly basis. If the Astros blow this and fall out of the playoffs - and if Hinch has some culpability in that regard - I suppose he could lose it. But right now? He would seem to be the favorite. His team's in playoff contention into September after losing 92 games last year. And he's a first year manager. That's such an easy narrative I'm not sure there's anything he can do to lose it, frankly.
