As a rabid baseball fan, this is my favorite time of the year. Because of the playoffs? The postseason glory? The inevitable choking of the Cubs? Nope. Postseason awards.

And this year has a bunch of really good races for some hardware, including employees of my own favorite baseball club, the Seattle Mariners.

Here are my predictions for MLB’s 2009 awards, starting with the American League:

• MVP:
One of the tougher ones to call. Joe Mauer has to be near the top of the list. Anyone playing catcher and hitting a legit .367 has got to garner a ton of votes. Don’t count out Mark Teixeira. Dude has 85 extra-base hits, is No. 1 in RBIs and tied for No. 1 in homers. He’s hitting .295 and plays on the best team in baseball while Mauer will be sitting home this October. Miguel Cabrera and Ichiro are front-runners, too, and I’d love to pick someone from the Angels but they all have the same ridiculously very-good-not-great stats. Kendri Morales is the best of that bunch.
My pick: Teixeira

• Cy Young:
Ah, the great King Felix-Greinke-Sabathia debate. I’ve tried the numbers over and over again and I can’t make it come out with a reasonable winner. Felix isn’t No. 1in any category but may be the most complete pitcher. Greinke has the best ERA and has been dominant longer, even if his team is terrible. Sabathia has good all-around stats and pitches in a hitter’s park. I don’t think you reward a player for being stuck in a hitter’s park or for ding a player for pitching for a bad team or a pitcher’s park (like Felix does), so I think it’s between Felix and Greinke. If all things stay about the same, it’s a Royal win.
My pick: Greinke

• Rookie of the Year:
Nolan Reimold of Baltimore has hit well in limited time (.279, 35 Xbhs, .831 OPS), as has Chicago’s Gordon Beckham (.272, 42 Xbhs, .816 OPS). But I think it’s going to go to a pitcher this year, and I’m taking Andrew Bailey of Oakland, who has 26 saves and a 1.88 ERA, solidifying the A’s closer role. He’s a hair better than Jeff Neimann of Tampa, who has worked himself into a solid starting role for the Rays with a 12-6 mark, 3.94 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 29 starts.
My pick: Bailey

• Manager of the Year
Yes, Joe Girardi, your team is the best in baseball. Yes, Terry Francona, your Red Sox overcame a ton of injuries to make the playoffs. Yes, Ron Washington, your Rangers outperformed a ton of low expectations. Mike Scioscia, your team can hit. I understand. But my vote goes to Don Wakamatsu, the Mariners manager who took a 61-win team in 2008 and made them more than respectable again. Despite the second-worst offense in baseball (thank you, Pittsburgh), the Mariners are well over the .500 mark and looking at a bright future in 2010.
My pick: Wakamatsu

I’ll post my National League picks in the next blog.