Chicago White Sox Midseason Awards

It is the metaphorical “middle of the season” as every team heads into the All Star break. There are teams who have been surprisingly good and surprisingly bad. The same goes for individual players. DewsSox79 and I are going to go through the White Sox and select our players or coaches who we think deserve each award.

Best Rookie

DewsSox79: The closer! Addison Reed. Is there any doubt when he comes in that he is going to get the job done? Not me.

TheChicagoFan: It’s got to be the entire group of rookies in the bullpen. Reed, Santiago, Omogrosso, Jones, and Septimo. They’ve all had ups and downs so far this season, but as a group they’ve done a lot better than most people would expect out of a bullpen full of rookies.

Best Fielder

DewsSox79: Gordon Beckham is my pick for best infielder. I know when there is a routine play at 2nd he will take care of it, when there is a tough play I trust he will make it as well. He is fun to watch.

TheChicagoFan: I think Beckham is by far the best fielder on the team. His fielding is so good that it overshadows how bad he has been at the plate in previous years and this year. He is one of the best defensive second basemen out there, but doesn’t get enough recognition for it. Definitely the best fielder out there for the White Sox

Best Coach

DewsSox79:  Wow! this one is the toughest. Which way do you go? Do you go with Robin who is a rookie manager with a team playing fundemental baseball? Parent and what Dunn and Rios have comeback from? Or the allmighty Don Cooper who has righted the ship with rookies in the pen, and a replacement Quintana for Danks. Im going to say they are all equally important and will give the award to all of them.

TheChicagoFan: It’s got to be Cooper. Ventura has been great as the rookie manager, and Parent has been great helping the White Sox offense bounce back from a bad year last year, but Cooper has been the best in my opinion. The rookie bullpen, rookie starters, Sale, and Peavy. All of that has been as good as it has because Cooper is so good. Probably the best in the game.

Best Pickup

DewsSox79: Kevin Youkilis as of now has to be the biggest pick up. Key RBIs in tough situations and has played an above average defense. Lets not forget what we gave up for him, that being a bench player and a starting pitcher who still hasn’t found his way.

TheChicagoFan: Definitely Youkilis. The White Sox haven’t really made any other pickups and Youkilis has been great. Especially considering that the Sox only gave up a pitcher that had an ERA over 5 and a utility man they hardly used. Youkilis gives the Sox more options as far as rest days and now Jordan Danks will get to have more chances in the outfield.

Comeback Player

DewsSox79: Tough call. Yes Dunn has comeback from a horrendous season but a guy that has comeback from a rare surgery and has dominated the way he has, I have to go with peavy.Consistent, consistent, consistent.

TheChicagoFan: This is the hardest to choose. There’s Dunn, Rios, and Peavy all in the running for it, but I have to choose Peavy. It’s been almost two years since he had a surgery that almost nobody else has had before. Now he’s having a great year and is an All Star. It’s tough to argue against that.

Best Pitcher

DewsSox79: Hands down the best pitcher on this staff is Chris Sale. There is no other pitcher I feel more confident in going into a game. Longevity of a season can be a question mark for him with innings pitched, but if the medical staff is as elite as they say, I will avoid concern until something happens.

TheChicagoFan: Chris Sale without a doubt. He’s been one of the best pitchers in the American League this year so being the best pitcher on the White Sox isn’t even a question.

MVP

DewsSox79: Going against the grain on this one. I believe AJ Pierzynski is the teams MVP for the following reasons: Has been hitting and hitting for power, great with the young starting staff, and what gets lost his how durable he is. Without him we are in trouble.

TheChicagoFan: Until the past couple weeks, it would have been Paul Konerko hands down. Now I think it’s Alex Rios. He’s been hitting great with average and power. He’s been driving in the runs that Dunn and Konerko haven’t been able to. In the end, I think it’s tough to choose one MVP because at different points in the year different guys have stepped up when others haven’t. But right now it’s Rios.

Favorite Moment

DewsSox79: Escobars walk off hit due to after the game an announcement being made that we got Kevin Youkilis.

TheChicagoFan: I think it has to be Humber’s perfect game just because whenever I want to hurt Humber for his terrible pitching, I think about that game.