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As we pass the midway point of the MLB season and enter the dog days of summer, the award races have started to take shape. Though a lot will change between now and the end of the season, we can begin to take a look at who the top candidates will be for the major awards. Now, let's look at the 2009 NL Cy Young candidates.

The top candidate appears to be Dan Haren of the Arizona Diamondbacks, even though his record does not jump out at you. He leads the National League in ERA, and has posted a great K/BB ratio. He has not been getting great run support, which is why his record looks mediocre, but he should not be punished for the offense around him. The Cy Young is strictly a pitching award, and so record (which relies so heavily on offense) should not be a factor. Thus, I think Dan Haren is the frontrunner at this point for the Cy Young, even without the gaudy record.

Also in the race is last year's Cy Young winner, Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants. He has been dominant once again, ranking 2nd in the league in ERA and leading the NL in strikeouts. He has also shown very good control, and seems to be getting better and better, which is a scary thought for the rest of the National League. If he can maintain his pace and stay consistent, then he will have a very real shot at winning back-to-back Cy Young titles, which is pretty remarkable for someone his age. He is a pleasure to watch, as he has some of the most electric stuff in the Majors.

His teammate Matt Cain is right behind him, ranking 3rd in the league in ERA and sporting a 9-2 record. His peripheral numbers are not nearly as gaudy as Haren or Lincecum (meaning he walks many more and strikes out much less than either of these guys) but he has been very effective and at this point has to at least be considered a candidate for the Cy Young award.

After these three guys, the race looks very muddled. Yovani Gallardo of Milwaukee has to be up there, as his stuff is absolutely filthy and he is among the league leaders in strikeouts. Guys like Johnny Cueto and Jair Jurrens don't get the name recognition that some of the other candidates get, but when you look at their production, it's clear that they need to be considered. Josh Johnson and Javier Vazquez have also been very effective, though they appear to be a step lower than some of these other candidates.

There is still a lot of the season left to be played, but the award races are beginning to take shape. Though there is no clear cut favorite right now in the race for the NL Cy Young race, there are some candidates with stronger resumes than others. As of now, I would give the award to Dan Haren, with Tim Lincecum just a step behind. It will be interesting to see how the award race shapes up in the second half of the season!

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