"Every baseball team that's struggling likes to point out that it's early.

It's not as early as they think.

This weekend unofficially wraps up the first quarter of the season, with most teams having played 40 games.

At this time a year ago, the American League playoff teams -- Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers -- were already in postseason position. In the National League, the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds were in position.

So we have a good idea of what teams are going to be good this year. We also have a better idea on who's doing what. So here's a look at the First Quarter Awards, which aren't to be confused with the Halfway Awards, which will come about 40 games from now.

AL MVP: 3B/OF Jose Bautista, Toronto. Maybe the most wide open of the awards. Bautista is proving he's not a one-year wonder. He's hitting .365 and leads all the trendy statistics, like on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS and wins above replacement. He's still hitting home runs (12), but has become a better all-around offensive player.

AL Cy Young: RHP Trevor Cahill, Oakland. The best pitchers are in the West, with Cahill being pushed by the Los Angeles duo of Jered Weaver and Dan Haren. But Cahill is 6-0 with a 1.72 ERA. The Oakland ace has already beaten the Rangers twice. He's allowed more than one earned run in just one of his first eight starts."