MLS Midseason Awards: Analyzing the Stars of the First Half

In the words of Bon Jovi, "Oh, we're halfway there," and for many teams, the midpoint couldn't have come soon enough.

While some teams hit the halfway mark hotter than a burning pop tart, others have started to slowly fade from playoff contention. As the contenders and pretenders start to sort themselves out, I will analyze who deserves some significant recognition from the first half.


Rookie of the First Half: Joao Plata

The third-round pick has single-handedly raised 17 coaches’ eyebrows after a terrific first half of his rookie season. Plata worked his way into the TFC lineup in Week 3 and has never looked back. He is currently third on the roster in stats with two goals and two assists. Some may have an argument for Will Bruin, but the truth is that Plata has been more consistently surprising.


Newcomer of the First Half: Charlie Davies

After such a satisfying resurgence back to goal-scoring greatness, it’s hard not to feel ...

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