Rotojunkie  has taken over the dynamic feature started by Baseball Happenings that draws on the collective knowledge of the blogging community to provide intelligence on which players are currently considered the leading contenders for the big three baseball awards - MVP, Cy Young and ROY - for the American and National leagues.  This week's AL voting should be available later today. 

Here is the way I voted.  My biases for voting in the Cy Young and MVP awards lean towards those hitters and pitchers playing on contending teams.  ROY determination is not tied are strongly to his team's record, but good rookies on expected paly-off contenders will get additional consideration.

AL Cy Young:
1.  Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians
2.  Ervin Santana, Los Angeles Angels
3.  Joe Saunders, Los Angeles Angels

AL MVP:
1.  Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
2.  Carlos Quentin, Chicago White Sox
3.  Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox

AL ROY:
1.  Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox
2.  Nick Blackburn, Minnesota Twins
3.  Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays

How is it the team with the best record in the American League, The Tampa Bay Rays, only gets one player considered for one of the top three awards, and that only because the rookie class behind Red Sox CF Jacoby Ellsbury is so weak?  I can't imagine the actual voters not "forcing" a Rays into the Top 3 in all the awards if the Rays make the play-offs.  The team will be the talk of the 2008 season, and the deisre to recognize it in the CY Young, MVP and Rookie-of-the-Year awards will be too strong to resist.

FOR ROY, Logoria is an easy choice to appear on the baseball writer's ballots.  My best guess would by CF B.J. Upton for MVP on the strength of his .400+ OBP and SBs total.  For Cy Young, James Shields would get the vote right now, but Scott Kazmir could get it if he remains in the rotation for the rest of the season.  He has already surpassed Shields in Wins for the season and is just 20 Ks behind him with 43.2 fewer innings pitched.

The 2006 1st round pick of the Colroado Rockies, Greg Reynolds, made his major league debut and took the loss.  The game's boxscore looked good through the 5th inning before the Reynolds allowed three runs in the 6th.  Don't think too deeply about it.  He struck out just one hitter and got 7 groundoutds and nine flyouts.

Cincinnati Reds' rookie Johnny Cueto was lit up a game after teasing fantasy pundits with a gem last time out against the Chicago Cubs.  Prior to that Cubs game, he last a mere 1.2 innings and K'd just two - as he did in the start before that.  Right now, Cueto is a match-up start and not the automatic start he was after his first two starts.

The Los Angeles Angels' 2008 ace, Ervin Santana, got lit up by the Tampa Bay Rays to the tune of five earned runs and ten runners allowed in 5.2 innings. Unlike Greg Reynolds, Santana's 7 Ks and one walk offer consolance that he will be better next time out.

A pillar of the Chicago White Sox climb from the basement in 2007 is former failed pitchign prospect Gavin Floyd.  Prior to yesterday's start, he has a stellar 2.50 ERA.  Following yesterday's 3.2 innings of work and five earned runs, he now sports a still-excellent ERA of 3.32.  However, his two BBs yesterday and zero Ks means he has now walked more hitters (20) than he has struck out (19).  I'd say sell high but do not believe anyone would take him.  It may be time to just cut him.

In the same game, Seatlle Mariners' middle reliver Brandon Morrow struck out two White Sox in an inning.  For the season, has has 9 strikeouts and two walks in 7.1 innings over ten appearances.  He struggled mightily with a K/BB in his rookie season that looked as if it would never be greater than one.

Oakland A's LF Emil Brown hit his 4th HR and drove in RBIs #31, 32 and 33. He also stole his second base of the season.  Can a player be a sell high if no one wants to buy him?

Sticking with the A's, are they trying to force the Texas Rangers to make catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia a 1B?  They stole five bases on him and his pitching counterparts.  I know runners basically steal off the pitcher, but tagging Salty's CS% with an 0-5 will make him look bad regardless.