MIAMI _ Now that we've arrived at the official halfway point of the season, if not the mathematical, it's time for two of baseball's annual rituals, at least in this particular space.
The All-Star Game is Tuesday, so as a tuneup, let's once again take a look at my pre-Opening Day awards picks (published April 2) and see how I'm doing midway through the year. And in those cases where I whiffed badly, I've supplied an updated selection, adjusted to first-half performance.
With baseballs flying out of ballparks at a record pace, and the growing suspicion that it's all because of some nefarious plot hatched by the Commissioner's Office, we already have some idea what the central theme will be to 2017. As for surprises, there's been more than a few.
The NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers is high on that list, along with the Diamondbacks and Rockies trying to nail down the two wild-card berths before August. The young Astros figured to be good, but a 15{-game lead in the first week of July? And are we looking at one-and-done, with another 100-year wait, for the Cubs?
About those home runs. No one figured that the Yankees' Aaron Judge, even at 6-7, would be big enough to break Joe DiMaggio's rookie record for home runs (30) _ and require just half the season to do so. Over on the other coast, Cody Bellinger flicked on a power switch that the Dodgers probably never imagined. Unfortunately, both are in the same bracket for Monday's Home Run Derby at Marlins Park, so that score will be settled before the final round.
Anyway, on to the picks.
