Davidoff: Midseason awards

AL Least Valuable Player:
Brandon Wood, Angels, whom I projected as my "AL breakout player" in Newsday's baseball preview section. Another candidate: White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham, whom I predicted to win the AL MVP. Double yeesh.

NL LVP:
Carlos Lee, Astros.If you're wondering why the Astros are terrible, Pedro Feliz and Tommy Manzella also are candidates, as are the Nats' Nyjer Morgan and the Cubs' Aramis Ramirez.

AL Cy Young Award:
Jon Lester.The lefty keeps getting better after returning from his 2006 battle with cancer. Runners-up are the Angels' Jered Weaver, Tampa Bay teammates Jeff Niemann and David Price, and Cliff Lee, who was traded Friday to the Rangers.

AL Belly Itcher Award:
Ryan Rowland-Smith of the Mariners has given hyphens a bad name with his dreadful performance.

NL Cy Young Award:
Josh Johnson, with Jimenez and Philadelphia's Roy Halladay not far behind.

NL Belly Itcher Award:
Chad Qualls, Diamondbacks.You have to be spectacularly bad to earn this dishonor as a reliever. Qualls has been that bad.

AL Rookie of the Half:
Brennan Boesch, Tigers. At 25, he's a late bloomer, and immensely valuable. Others who were considered include the Tigers' Austin Jackson, the former Yankees prospect, and Red Sox reliever Daniel Bard.

NL Rookie of the Half:
Jaime Garcia, Cardinals.St. Louis' starting rotation already served as a strength before Garcia came along. Cincinnati pitcher Mike Leake and Florida first baseman Gaby Sanchez also have excelled.

AL Manager of the Half:
Terry Francona, Red Sox. The Red Sox have been crushed by injuries but still are in contention, with Francona figuring things out on the run. Texas' Ron Washington and Detroit's Jim Leyland also deserve credit.

AL Mis-Manager of the Half:
Don Wakamatsu, Mariners.Granted, he probably didn't want Ken Griffey Jr. back at all, but Wakamatsu didn't handle the Griffey situation very well.

NL Manager of the Half:
Bud Black, Padres.Yes, the Padres play in the pitchers' haven of PETCO Park, but how are they winning with so little pop? Black knows how to run a bullpen. Credit also goes to Atlanta's Bobby Cox, the Reds' Dusty Baker and the Dodgers' Joe Torre.

NL Mis-Manager of the Half:
Lou Piniella, Cubs.If this is it for him as a manager, it's a brutal final chapter.

AL Front Office of the Half:
Rangers GM Jon Daniels, a Queens native, and his staff whiffed on Rich Harden but struck gold on Vladimir Guerrero, Colby Lewis and Darren Oliver. Oh, and they just got some pitcher named Lee. Tigers (Johnny Damon, Austin Jackson) and Rays (Rafael Soriano) also can puff their chests.

AL "The Office" of the Half:
Orioles, led by Andy MacPhail, imported veterans Garrett Atkins, Kevin Millwood and Miguel Tejada with the idea that they'd help the team contend. Whoops. Close second goes to the Mariners, who somehow thought they'd put together a presentable offense.

NL Front Office of the Half:
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the Mets.Omar Minaya, monitored more closely by Jeff Wilpon, found bargain-basement values such as R.A. Dickey, Rod Barajas and Henry Blanco and saw homegrown youngsters blossom. Scott Rolen, a 2009 trade acquisition, and rookie Leake have helped Cincinnati greatly.

NL "The Office" of the Half:
Phillies. How silly do the Phillies look for trading Lee to Seattle last December? Now they need pitching. Goodness.