Joe Mauer is my AL MVP, and these are my award ballots (cont.)

Zack attacks are dumb

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Some have suggested that Zack Greinke might need to win a few more games to earn the Cy Young award. But that's just plan silly. The fact that he is barely cracking the top 10 in victories -- he's 13-8 - is unlikely to be held against him.

Unlike some with greater sabermetric leanings, I do not view victory totals as worthless, or even especially overrated. It's just another piece of the puzzle, and in this case, a small piece. Whether anyone finishes with three or four or even five more wins than Greinke, it's pretty easy to see that he has been the best pitcher in the American League so far this year. A strong case could be made that he has been the best in baseball (I would make that case), and unless something changes dramatically I'd be shocked if he didn't win the Cy Young award.

And for those holding to the view that there's a New York bias, I would follow Greinke with Roy Halladay and Felix Hernandez,. I would say that Justin Verlander is fourth, with the Yankees' two candidates, CC Sabathia and Mariano Rivera, at 5 and 6 now.

AL Cy Young

1. Greinke. Leads AL in quality starts (23), complete games (six), shutouts (three), ERA (2.22) and a bunch more stats. Big start (0.40 ERA in April) and big finish, too, with 15-whiff performance and one-hitter among last few outings.

2. Halladay. A case for him would have to be built on a much tougher schedule of games than Greinke, as Ken Rosenthal pointed out on MLB Network on Tuesday night.

3. Hernandez. If anyone wants him this winter, they'll have to offer the moon (and the sun, too).

NL Cy Young

1. Carpenter. By percentage he's the best at winning (16-3 record) and preventing runs (2.16 ERA). Only a handful have led these two categories and failed to win the Cy Young.

2. Lincecum. Has many more innings and whiffs than Carpenter. Plus a case could be made that a slightly worse winning percentage is mitigated by a weaker hitting team.

3. Dan Haren. Strikeout-to-walk ratio of almost exactly six to one (180 K's, 29 BBs) is eye-opening in tough field that also includes Adam Wainwright, Matt Cain and Josh Johnson.

For rookies, a couple of starters

Some have suggested that there haven't been any standout rookies this season. On the contrary, I'd say there have been plenty. Here are my choices for the best of the best at this point.

AL Rookie of the Year

1. Rick Porcello. His 12-8 record at age 20 goes a long way toward making up for non-performances by Jeremy Bonderman, Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis. Job well done by manager Jim Leyland, pitching coach Rick Knapp, catcher Gerald Laird and, of course, Porcello himself.

2. Elvis Andrus. Great fielding shortstop has aided the surprising success of Texas' rotation.

3. Andrew Bailey. Closers on bad teams get overlooked, but he was worthy of making the All-Star team.

NL Rookie of the Year

1. J.A. Happ. Ranks fifth in NL in ERA (between Wainwright and Haren) in a hitters' park. Has ignored the duress of pitching in a pennant race and being mentioned in more trade rumors than anyone else.

2. Andrew McCutchen. Terrific talent gives hope to fans of perennial losers.

3. Chris Coghlan. Forty-seven hits in August helped keep Florida in the race.

Around the majors

• The conventional wisdom is that Jim Riggleman won't win the permanent Nationals managing job. There have been discussions behind the scenes about possible replacements, but club president Stan Kasten insisted in a recent phone interview that Riggleman has a chance. "Sure he does,'' Kasten said. My take: He has a chance, but it's probably a small one.

• Kasten disputed the notion that he may decide to move elsewhere. At first he said, " I expect to be here,'' before upgrading that slightly to, "I plan to be here," and finally to the more definitive, "Yes, I am going to be here.'' There was word that Blue Jays acting president Paul Beeston was considering naming Kasten to replace him. But most folks around baseball now believe that Beeston will stay and see through the Jays' rebuilding process.

• There hasn't been any hint of renewed negotiations between the Angels and ace pitcher John Lackey, and they'll presumably wait until the winter at this point. The Angels made an offer last winter, and it's presumed to have been roughly comparable to Derek Lowe's new deal in Atlanta ($60 million for four years).

• The Rockies continue to amaze. They have now built a five-game winning streak despite injuries within the past several days to Aaron Cook, Huston Street, Tulowitzki, Ubaldo Jimenez and Ian Stewart.

• Madison Bumgarner disappointed some scouts by throwing only between 88-91, according to AOL's Jeff Fletcher, in his much-anticipated debut. The left-hander has been compared to a Jon Lester or a young Andy Pettitte.

• The Yankees may consider employing Joba Chamberlain in a relief role in the AL playoffs, when extra off-days may not necessitate a fourth starter. Joe Girardi hasn't said who'll start Game 2 for them. But Pettitte, Joe Torre's usual Game 2 pitcher, deserves the call over A.J. Burnett.

• Pettitte said family considerations mean he won't decide whether he plans to return until he gets home to Houston this winter.

• Time to go tweet. Follow me at: http://twitter.com/SI_JonHeyman.