Series Awards: 2 Angels, 5/28 - 5/30

Jake Taylor Award
Although he was pretty much useless with the bat in Game 2, going 0-for-5 with 2 strikeouts, Curtis Granderson was pretty good in the other two games. For the series Curtis went 4-for-14, with 2 Home Runs and a Double. Those two homers put Granderson in a tie for 4th place in most HRs in MLB. If only Granderson would start running again (he has only 1 SB in 2012, after stealing 25 last season), then he could turn in another MVP-caliber season.

Gentry Award
Eric Chavez was not slated to be a regular starter for the Yankees, but in the series with the Angels he started all 3 games (DH twice, 3B once). Unfortunately he didn't help at all with his bat, going 0-for-10 in the series. He did reach base twice in Game 1 on a couple of walks, but I'm sure I'm not the only Yankee fan who can't wait for Gardner to return from the DL so we don't see Eric and his .253/.293/.427 triple-slash often at all.

Rick Vaughn Award
Like the Kelner Award in the last series, I can't give this award to anybody this time. All three starters for the Yankees, Hughes, Pettitte, and Nova, failed to give the team a quality start. In fact, Hughes gave up 7 earned runs, while both Pettitte and Nova gave up 5 earned runs a piece. And no relievers stood out well in the series either. Cory Wade did do well in Game 3, going 1.1 innings while not allowing a single baserunner, and striking out 3. But in Game 1 Cory gave up the walk-off home run to Mark Trumbo.

Kelner Award
As you could tell from the Rick Vaughn Award write-up, there were plenty of pitching performances to give this award to. But it was Phil Hughes that stood out to me as the worst. In Game 1 Phil lasted 5.1 innings, giving up 7 earned runs off of 11 hits. The one good thing that came out of the start? Hughes didn't walk anybody.

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*The awards are named after one of the best baseball movies of all time... Major League.

Jake Taylor Award - Awarded to the most valuable position player. Named after the hard-nose veteran catcher that, despite making the league minimum, was the heart and soul of the 1989 American League East winning Cleveland Indians.

Gentry Award - Awarded to the least valuable position player. Named after the very first man cut from the 1989 Cleveland Indians, #47 Gentry. A man so insignificant he wasn't even given a first name.

Rick Vaughn - Awarded to the best pitcher in the series. This one is, of course, named after the "Wild Thing". The man that made Clu Haywood look silly in the division deciding game.

Kelner Award - Awarded to the worst pitcher in the series. Named after the Opening Day starter for the '89 Indians. Not a good game for Mr. Kelner, as Indians' announcer Harry Doyle famously quipped "thank God" after Kelner left the game. And yet another bad player without a first name.