Who Should Win the MVP?

Buster Olney got it started early this morning...

In the wide open AL Cy Young race, the frontrunners from here look to be: 1. Felix Hernandez. 2. Verlander. 3. Weaver. As of today.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 28, 2012

Though few people are happy to see Summer turn into Fall, at least we're finally at a good part of the year to have one of Baseball's most fun discussions.

As regular readers know, we particularly enjoy talking about prospects, pitching, hitting with patience and power, defense, and the Hall of Fame. The MVP or Cy Young discussion typically is open to casual fans. Sitting on any stoop, bus stop, or bar stool in America, you should be able to commiserate with a pal, or a stranger, over who should win the MVP or Cy Young Award.

Our opinions are below. Please leave your comments in the, um, comment sections.

American League Cy Young

Everybody Loves Raymond Felix

1. Felix Hernandez
2. David Price
3. Chris Sale
4. Justin Verlander
5. Jake Peavy

National League Cy Young
1. Stephen Strasburg
2. Clayton Kershaw
3. Matt Cain
4. Madison Bumgarner
5. R.A. Dickey

American League MVP
1. Mike Trout
2. Miguel Cabrera
3. Paul Konerko
4. Robinson Cano
5. Felix Hernandez
6. Austin Jackson
7. Adrian Beltre
8. David Price
9. Joe Mauer

Buster Posey is leading the Giants

10. Josh Hamilton

National League MVP
1. Andrew McCutchen
2. David Wright
3. Buster Posey
4. Ryan Braun
5. Matt Holliday
6. Matt Cain
7. Clayton Kershaw
8. Stephen Strasburg
9. Jason Heyward
10. Craig Kimbrel

Tell us what you think below, or let's discuss over a beer.

Cutting it in the Mexican Leagues

In 1974, David S. Ward won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for The Sting, and was nominated in 1994 for Sleepless in Seattle.

The Sting has to be David Ward's best work, but in many ways, Major League was his shining moment. As opposed to his Oscar nominated work, he also directed Major League.

Curiously, Major League's only nomination was for Best Foreign Film, by the Japanese Academy. As you probably know, the Best Foreign Film Japanese Academy Award in 1990 went to Die Hard, beating out Rain Man! (Wait, they didn't love Rain Main?)

Prepping the Hot Stove

At this time of year, baseball fans of leading teams spend a few minutes now and then daydreaming of postseason possibilities. Summer is easier to let go of when Autumn strikes if your baseball team is in contention.

Fans of teams like the Chicago Cubs learn to lean on the hot stove. Let's throw together a quick guide for fans of teams who aren't more likely thinking about December than October.

Grading the Trade Deadline of 2008

Everyone says you can't judge trade deadline, or draft class, winners and losers immediately, but baseball pundits still crank them our for major publications, like Sports Illustrated or ESPN.

The reasons for the existing of these rash writings are twofold:

1. They're fun. People like to read them.
2. They help maintain/increase readership.

As Dan Evans put it a couple of weeks ago, "It's fun to talk about transaction winners and losers, but no one really knows which is which, since it sometimes takes years after a deal for its full effects to become known."

If you're going to drink a macrobrew, drink a Michelob. If you're going to read a macroblog, read Jay Jaffe's on SI.

Mike Trout's future was affected in 2008