Official End of the Year Awards Thread

[SportsTop]

Love 'em or hate 'em, here are my picks for baseball's hardware this year:


NL MVP

Barry Bonds - San Francisco Giants (.362/45 HR/.609 OBP/.812 SLG)

I can start a whole new thread on why Bonds is the NL MVP. The short of it is that without him, the Giants don't even sniff .500, let alone the playoffs. We've grown so accustomed to his mind-boggling numbers that we come to expect it from him every year. The man is in a class all by himself. Adrian Beltre gets the nod for runner-up with the breakout performance people have been predicting for the last three seasons.

NL Cy Young

Randy Johnson - Arizona Diamondbacks (16-14/2.60 ERA/290 K/.900 WHIP/26 QS)

I must've typed Randy Johnson, then replaced it with Roger Clemens and vice versa over ten times by now. This is easily the most difficult of the awards to vote for. If Clemens would've started the season finale and clinched the NL Wild Card with another Clemens-esque performance then my vote would've gone to him. But what Randy Johnson has done on a team full of AAA players and AA prospects is nothing short of miraculous. Johnson dominates every single major pitching category except wins and ERA (2nd) and is tied for fourth worst in run support with 3.99 runs per game. All this and he pitched a perfect game too.

NL ROTY

Khalil Greene - San Diego Padres (.273/31 2B/65 RBI/67 R)

Another tough one. I have to admit that I'm biased to Greene because I was fortunate enough to see him play defense night in and night out. His ability at SS as a true rookie is already being compared to another Wizard with the glove at that position. His offensive numbers take a huge hit from playing at PetCo and the fact that he batted eigth most of the season. Jason Bay is also deserving of the award and I wouldn't be surprised (or upset) if he did come away with it. He is a former Padre after all.

NL Manager of the Year

Bobby Cox - Atlanta Braves (96-66)

Year in and year out his team keeps winning their division. In a year when it was expected that the Braves would have to fight just to stay above .500, Cox found a way to get his team to believe and they responded by running away with the NL East. Honorable mention to another unexpected division winner in Jim Tracy and the L.A. Dodgers.

NL Comeback Player of the Year

Jaret Wright - Atlanta Braves (15-8/3.28 ERA/32 GS)

He was 2-5 with a 7.35 ERA last season and left for dead. He came up huge for another Atlanta Division winner and was lights out in the second half of the season (9-3/2.95 ERA). Trevor Hoffman gets honorable mention coming off of shoulder surgery to again post a 40 save season after missing nearly all of last year.

AL MVP

Vladimir Guerrero - Anaheim Angels (.337/39 HR/126 RBI/124 R)

He was a monster through the last week of the season when the Angels needed him most including a bomb in the Division clincher on the second to last day of the season. It's hard to vote Manny Ramirez or David Ortiz in this spot when it's tough to decide which one of them is the MVP of their own team, let alone the league. Honorable mention to Gary Sheffield who carried the Yankees when they were falling apart at the seams in late August and early September.

AL Cy Young

Johan Santana - Minnesota Twins (20-6/2.61 ERA/265 K)

Of all the major awards, this is the no-brainer of the group. Schilling gets honorable mention with his 21 wins, but in the end, it really isn't even a tough decision.

AL ROTY

Lew Ford - Minnesota Twins (.299/15 HR/89 R)

While Bobby Crosby got all the publicity with the A's, Ford had a very solid season on the best team no one has heard of up in Minnesota. Crosby is a close runner up, but his low batting average and OBP (.239/.319 respectively) overshadow his other achievements.

AL Manager of the Year

Buck Showalter - Texas Rangers (89-73)

Who would've thought the Rangers would be in the post-season race into the last week of the season?

AL Comeback Player of the Year

Jon Lieber - New York Yankees (14-8/4.33 ERA/27 GS)

He missed all of last season after undergoing "Tommy John" surgery to have a solid campaign on a weak Yankee starting staff.

[rocker78]

Re: Official End of the Year Awards Thread

agree with ever pick except beltre should be the mvp.

[rocker78]

Re: Official End of the Year Awards Thread

agree with ever pick except beltre should be the mvp.

[Stoud]

Re: Official End of the Year Awards Thread

agree with ever pick except beltre should be the mvp.

Beltre should be the Comeback Kid of the year. I agreed with a few, especially Jon Lieber, but I still say Ichiro deserves AL MVP. He'll never get it, but what the hell.

[Stoud]

Re: Official End of the Year Awards Thread

agree with ever pick except beltre should be the mvp.

Beltre should be the Comeback Kid of the year. I agreed with a few, especially Jon Lieber, but I still say Ichiro deserves AL MVP. He'll never get it, but what the hell.

[Blzer]

Re: Official End of the Year Awards Thread

No, Beltre should not be MVP. There is not one stat that Beltre has a clear edge over Bonds that makes him be MVP... 3 home runs more says nothing, especially when the one with 3 less home runs has 179 more walks than the other on the year.

Also, it's not just Bonds' stats per AB, it's also the two intangibles... 1) The way he makes them pitch to him, and 2) the way he makes them pitch to the other guys on the lineup.

Let me explain... Bonds' walks aren't just the only times he gets pitched around, many of his at bats are produced from 3 ball counts. Not to mention, pitchers will CONTINUOUSLY pitch to the outside until an umpire calls a strike at that zone. Bonds also has his own lefty specialists come in against him, you know, the submarine lefties and such, and also, there's no such thing as a fastball count when Bonds is up. Whether it's the first pitch or 3-2, there's a chance the pitcher will risk walking him with his strikeout pitch... whether it's a sinker or slider, or change up, Bonds is the only guy that MUST decide on what pitch he should look for, or he's gonna pay, because he can't look fastball, because he probably won't get a fastball.

Now, about the other thing... when the game starts, and Durham is leading off, I can assure you that the manager is seeing that Bonds is batting 4th. So, they will do anything they can to try and get a 1-2-3 inning. Meaning, they are going to make sure that they are throwing strikes... you don't get that often. Pitchers surely don't like to walk guys, but it's never to the extent where it's either walking somebody, or getting to a high ball count, it's that they gotta throw strikes in that at bat. They want him to ground out or fly out, etc. Also, when the #3 batter is up, do you think that the pitcher, the manager, and the second baseman cares about him? No! They are all looking at that on-deck circle, and that will give the #3 batter the best pitches of his life, because they don't want a free runner on when Bonds comes up. Even moreso, if Bonds comes up with a runner on first, at times, there will be a wild pitch, or should I say a "wild pitch", so that the runner can move over, and they have an excuse for intentionally walking him. They also do it because they feel they can get the #5 hitter out, so they try very hard to give him fat strikes.

The Giants were 2nd in the NL in runs scored, and Bonds wasn't the only person driving them in... HOWEVER, that doesn't mean he wasn't the cause for it, either. Because he's in that lineup, it changes the way that they pitch to him and the rest of the lineup, and they score many runs that way. With Bonds not in the lineup, a walk fearing the big man may be on deck is just not there, and those walks aren't as costly.



Also, I don't know if you've seen this stat, but it's called RC/27, and Bonds is first with 20.21, and second is Todd Helton with 11.04.

Basically, that stat estimates how many runs per game a team made up of nine of the same player would score. So, for Bonds, about 20 runs per game, and for the second place person, about 11 runs per game. That, is a HUGE difference.

Oh, and guess what? Beltre is 9th on that list. That's not so high up.

And finally, Bonds has more home runs this year than strikeouts. Beltre could not say that, because he had about 35 more strikeouts than home runs, when Bonds had about 5 more home runs than strikeouts.


Oh, and Stoud, Beltre can't be a comeback player if he never had a year like this before anyways... this is his improving year, or his breakout year, not his comeback year.


Basically, I'm doing what the thread starter said, and I can say even more, I'm just tired an gotta sleep.

[Blzer]

Re: Official End of the Year Awards Thread

No, Beltre should not be MVP. There is not one stat that Beltre has a clear edge over Bonds that makes him be MVP... 3 home runs more says nothing, especially when the one with 3 less home runs has 179 more walks than the other on the year.

Also, it's not just Bonds' stats per AB, it's also the two intangibles... 1) The way he makes them pitch to him, and 2) the way he makes them pitch to the other guys on the lineup.

Let me explain... Bonds' walks aren't just the only times he gets pitched around, many of his at bats are produced from 3 ball counts. Not to mention, pitchers will CONTINUOUSLY pitch to the outside until an umpire calls a strike at that zone. Bonds also has his own lefty specialists come in against him, you know, the submarine lefties and such, and also, there's no such thing as a fastball count when Bonds is up. Whether it's the first pitch or 3-2, there's a chance the pitcher will risk walking him with his strikeout pitch... whether it's a sinker or slider, or change up, Bonds is the only guy that MUST decide on what pitch he should look for, or he's gonna pay, because he can't look fastball, because he probably won't get a fastball.

Now, about the other thing... when the game starts, and Durham is leading off, I can assure you that the manager is seeing that Bonds is batting 4th. So, they will do anything they can to try and get a 1-2-3 inning. Meaning, they are going to make sure that they are throwing strikes... you don't get that often. Pitchers surely don't like to walk guys, but it's never to the extent where it's either walking somebody, or getting to a high ball count, it's that they gotta throw strikes in that at bat. They want him to ground out or fly out, etc. Also, when the #3 batter is up, do you think that the pitcher, the manager, and the second baseman cares about him? No! They are all looking at that on-deck circle, and that will give the #3 batter the best pitches of his life, because they don't want a free runner on when Bonds comes up. Even moreso, if Bonds comes up with a runner on first, at times, there will be a wild pitch, or should I say a "wild pitch", so that the runner can move over, and they have an excuse for intentionally walking him. They also do it because they feel they can get the #5 hitter out, so they try very hard to give him fat strikes.

The Giants were 2nd in the NL in runs scored, and Bonds wasn't the only person driving them in... HOWEVER, that doesn't mean he wasn't the cause for it, either. Because he's in that lineup, it changes the way that they pitch to him and the rest of the lineup, and they score many runs that way. With Bonds not in the lineup, a walk fearing the big man may be on deck is just not there, and those walks aren't as costly.



Also, I don't know if you've seen this stat, but it's called RC/27, and Bonds is first with 20.21, and second is Todd Helton with 11.04.

Basically, that stat estimates how many runs per game a team made up of nine of the same player would score. So, for Bonds, about 20 runs per game, and for the second place person, about 11 runs per game. That, is a HUGE difference.

Oh, and guess what? Beltre is 9th on that list. That's not so high up.

And finally, Bonds has more home runs this year than strikeouts. Beltre could not say that, because he had about 35 more strikeouts than home runs, when Bonds had about 5 more home runs than strikeouts.


Oh, and Stoud, Beltre can't be a comeback player if he never had a year like this before anyways... this is his improving year, or his breakout year, not his comeback year.


Basically, I'm doing what the thread starter said, and I can say even more, I'm just tired an gotta sleep.

[nkhera1]

Re: Official End of the Year Awards Thread

NL MVP

Barry Bonds


NL Cy Young

Randy Johnson



NL ROTY

Jason Bay

NL Manager of the Year

Bobby Cox

NL Comeback Player of the Year

Jaret Wright

AL MVP

Vladimir Guerrero

AL Cy Young

Johan Santana

AL ROTY

Crosby because i don't think lew ford is elgible for rookie of the year, otherwise i would give it to him.

AL Manager of the Year

Buck Showalter

AL Comeback Player of the Year

Jon Lieber


so pretty much same as most of you guys

[nkhera1]

Re: Official End of the Year Awards Thread

NL MVP

Barry Bonds


NL Cy Young

Randy Johnson



NL ROTY

Jason Bay

NL Manager of the Year

Bobby Cox

NL Comeback Player of the Year

Jaret Wright

AL MVP

Vladimir Guerrero

AL Cy Young

Johan Santana

AL ROTY

Crosby because i don't think lew ford is elgible for rookie of the year, otherwise i would give it to him.

AL Manager of the Year

Buck Showalter

AL Comeback Player of the Year

Jon Lieber


so pretty much same as most of you guys

[dce1228]

Re: Official End of the Year Awards Thread

First off, Squint, great job compiling this list. It's tough to argue with any of your picks...

However, I do find it amusing that after having argued with you against RJ for the CY YOUNG in a different long-winded thread you've come around in the end. Getting to 16 wins was crucial for RJ, and I think he will probably win the title, especially with Clemens not going today, but I have to wonder if a different player, a player not named Randy Johnson, gets consideration even with such a mediocre win total-- a player like Ben Sheets for instance, but I digress... he's Randy Johnson and he's 41 and he threw a perfect game and he's got awesome numbers, and two more wins than loses. No starting pitcher has ever won the CY YOUNG with such a comparably low win total, but there's a first time for everything.

My personal vote goes to Oswalt. A lot of people diss his ERA..etc.. but the kid throws in a severe hitter's park and had a lot to do with his team's run here late in the season. I know no one else will vote for the kid and maybe that's why I am, in the end. I like the underdog. RJ's got a lot of fans, and he deserves them, certainly, but I almost have to wonder if you reversed the names on the stats if RJ gets the CY YOUNG with Oswalt's wins and Oswalt gets ignored with the great WHIP and K total... either way, I hope Oswalt kicks some *** in the playoffs and baseball fans get a chance to see how good this kid is.

The NL rookie-of-the-year is fun for me likewise because I got to watch both Bay and Greene play for the Beavers last summer. It's great to see them succeed this season.

And as for Beltre, in order to be 'comeback' player of the year you have to be good, bad, then good again... but Beltre has never been good before this season, so I can't see him winning that award... anyway... peace, and great job Squint...

[dce1228]

Re: Official End of the Year Awards Thread

First off, Squint, great job compiling this list. It's tough to argue with any of your picks...

However, I do find it amusing that after having argued with you against RJ for the CY YOUNG in a different long-winded thread you've come around in the end. Getting to 16 wins was crucial for RJ, and I think he will probably win the title, especially with Clemens not going today, but I have to wonder if a different player, a player not named Randy Johnson, gets consideration even with such a mediocre win total-- a player like Ben Sheets for instance, but I digress... he's Randy Johnson and he's 41 and he threw a perfect game and he's got awesome numbers, and two more wins than loses. No starting pitcher has ever won the CY YOUNG with such a comparably low win total, but there's a first time for everything.

My personal vote goes to Oswalt. A lot of people diss his ERA..etc.. but the kid throws in a severe hitter's park and had a lot to do with his team's run here late in the season. I know no one else will vote for the kid and maybe that's why I am, in the end. I like the underdog. RJ's got a lot of fans, and he deserves them, certainly, but I almost have to wonder if you reversed the names on the stats if RJ gets the CY YOUNG with Oswalt's wins and Oswalt gets ignored with the great WHIP and K total... either way, I hope Oswalt kicks some *** in the playoffs and baseball fans get a chance to see how good this kid is.

The NL rookie-of-the-year is fun for me likewise because I got to watch both Bay and Greene play for the Beavers last summer. It's great to see them succeed this season.

And as for Beltre, in order to be 'comeback' player of the year you have to be good, bad, then good again... but Beltre has never been good before this season, so I can't see him winning that award... anyway... peace, and great job Squint...

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Official End of the Year Awards Thread

NL MVP: Barry Bonds

AL MVP: Vladimir Guerrero

NL Cy Young: N/A

AL Cy Young: Johan Santana, enough said.

NL ROTY: Khalil Greene

AL ROTY: Bobby Crosby

NL Comeback Player of the Year: Trevor Hoffman

AL Comeback Player of the Year: N/A

NL Manager of the Year: Bruce Bochy

AL Manager of the Year: N/A

NL Goof of the Year: Jason Michaels

AL Goof of the Year: Ken Harvey

Most Disappointing Team of the Year: Philadelphia/Toronto

Most Surprising Team of the Year (In terms on which most people expected): Los Angeles/Texas

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Official End of the Year Awards Thread

NL MVP: Barry Bonds

AL MVP: Vladimir Guerrero

NL Cy Young: N/A

AL Cy Young: Johan Santana, enough said.

NL ROTY: Khalil Greene

AL ROTY: Bobby Crosby

NL Comeback Player of the Year: Trevor Hoffman

AL Comeback Player of the Year: N/A

NL Manager of the Year: Bruce Bochy

AL Manager of the Year: N/A

NL Goof of the Year: Jason Michaels

AL Goof of the Year: Ken Harvey

Most Disappointing Team of the Year: Philadelphia/Toronto

Most Surprising Team of the Year (In terms on which most people expected): Los Angeles/Texas

[Karlos05]

Re: Official End of the Year Awards Thread

Only thing I got is that Bay wins NL ROY, and I'm not exactly sure if Ford is eligible for AL ROY so I would give it to Crosby

[Karlos05]

Re: Official End of the Year Awards Thread

Only thing I got is that Bay wins NL ROY, and I'm not exactly sure if Ford is eligible for AL ROY so I would give it to Crosby