2009 End of Season Awards

[mike]

I'm somewhat surprised he didn't get more votes but I think there's too much allure with the other guys. We only get 3 votes. If there were 5, Ethan is in there.

It's cool, Mike Trout was the best position player in the bigs by WAR when he started and didn't win the MVP either.


If he's not in your top 3.... shame on you. Led in WAR as a rookie with Schubert missing about a month.

[Carlos]

It's cool, Mike Trout was the best position player in the bigs by WAR when he started and didn't win the MVP either.


If he's not in your top 3.... shame on you. Led in WAR as a rookie with Schubert missing about a month.

You know, I still think Trout deserved that MVP over Cabrera too. But it's not because of WAR.

[mike]

You know, I still think Trout deserved that MVP over Cabrera too. But it's not because of WAR.

I think he deserved the two prior to this year, not (only) because of WAR but more so for what WAR represents...which is a fair assessment of who the best player in the game was that season.

[Carlos]

I think he deserved the two prior to this year, not (only) because of WAR but more so for what WAR represents...which is a fair assessment of who the best player in the game was that season.

Oh I agree about WAR but I just mean I prefer looking at different stats that I think should have been considered more than HR and RBI.

[Matt]

Still out:

[BradZ]

Reminder: Time winding down on the playoffs. Get those votes in.

[Matt]

Two left...notified via PM. Awards go in this sim.

Both Stout Sluggers are still up for grabs.

[Carlos]

Awards are done.

Neubauer is a unanimous winner as the DL Pale Ale. Well-deserved. Impressive showing from the young man.

McPherson beats out T.J. Dunn for DL Stout Slugger. Dunn won the award last season.

Tom Shuh wins his second Pale Ale for Davenport. He last won in 2006.

And Chiba wins the Stout Slugger in the IL - making it 2/2 on Batting Title winners taking home the Stout Slugger in 2009.

Also thank you to everyone that voted me GM of the Year. It was a long road to recovery with this squad. We became the worst team in BLB history and, I've mentioned this before, my patience was tested many times. I'm glad I stuck with it. I know it has also made some trade discussions unbearable with some of you as I try to avoid mistakes from the past and remain patient.

At least now you all can laugh at the difficulty I will find myself in keeping all of this talent. I doubt I will be able to beyond a few seasons. These guys are going to be getting a lot of arbitration money.

[Spear]

Congrats to McPherson. Great run by the BC so it was well-deserved. Dunn will be in the mix next year I'm sure.

[Matt]

Entered.

[Delandis]

We are so happy for Chiba who has been amazing for us. We've had so many bridesmaids over the years (especially during the dark years). Chiba is slowly cementing his place as possibly the best hitter that Baltimore has ever seen and maybe an even an Alltime great.

[Pat]

We are so happy for Chiba who has been amazing for us. We've had so many bridesmaids over the years (especially during the dark years). Chiba is slowly cementing his place as possibly the best hitter that Baltimore has ever seen and maybe an even an Alltime great.

IMO, for him to be considered an All-Time Great, you might need to start hitting him in the #3-#5 spots. Hitting him 2nd is going to sacrifice a lot of RBI opportunities for a guy who is going to be competing as an All-Timer against 1B/DH types....who are the RBI leaders throughout the leagues history.

I had TJ Dunn 1st on my ballot. McPherson had a great year and this is probably the first of many Stout Slugger's but I think we did Dunn a disservice by not giving him this award. He hit 50 HRs (27 more than McPherson) and 157 RBI (63 more than McPherson). Also consider the "help" in the lineup around Dunn...He hit 60 more RBI than the #2 Canadian. He hit 32 more homeruns. He scored 27 more runs. I know a lot of people take into account more than just the "raw hitting numbers" for this award and might have downgraded Dunn because he only played 18 games in the field and the rest were at DH. However, McPherson was the worst defensive CF in baseball. And for some people they consider this to be the MVP that is a hitter...if you take Dunn off the Canadians they would have battled for the worst record in the BLB. If you take McPherson off the Denver BC, I think they still win the Pilsner.

I also had Dave Nelson winning the award in the IL. Terumota Chiba had the better year with the bat trumping him in average, OBP and OPS+. However, Nelson had more doubles, triples, homeruns and 34 more RBIs. Nelson is also a superb defender at SS while Chiba is one of the worst defensive 1B in baseball. And in the argument above, Nelson had a monster year in a pitchers park (.950 AVG, .955 HR) without a lot of help in the lineup. Chiba had a great year, but he did so in a hitters park (1.170 AVG, 1.190 HR for lefties) and in a lineup filled with talent.

I also think Washington OF DJ Nelson got robbed of the IL New Brew Award...by his season ending injury. He only lasted 74 games but his .333 AVG and .892 OPS would have been bests on my team. I think the right guy, Travis Stroble, won but I'm glad to see Nelson get some votes despite missing half the year.

I would also like to say thanks to the GMs who voted me for GM of the Year. I voted for Carlos and he deserved to win, and you could have made a strong case for Z or Mike as well. It was a surprisingly successful year in Washington and I'm honored to finish 3rd.

[Delandis]

I see you didn't post Chiba's H/R splits. Hmm. I wonder why?

[Pat]

I see you didn't post Chiba's H/R splits. Hmm. I wonder why?

I still don't understand your argument here. It's really very simple.

Chiba is a LH hitter.
Chiba plays in Phillips Field for 1/2 a season.
Phillips Field is most LH hitter friendly park for AVG and HR in the entire BLB.
Chiba hit .361 at home and .329 on the road. That's .032 points better. If Chiba hit .329 with a .888 OPS, with 20 HRs, 84 RBI (his road stats doubled), I don't even think he finishes Top 3 for Stout Slugger in the IL. Wyatt, Robles and Nelson would all have better numbers.

Nelson is a switch hitter.
Nelson plays in Miletich Stadium for 1/2 a season.
Miletich Stadium is the third worst hitters parks for AVG and HR in the entire BLB (behind NY and PHI).

There is no denying that Chiba's stats are better because he plays for Baltimore. There is no denying that Nelson's stats would be better in any other park besides New York or Philadelphia.

[Carlos]

I had TJ Dunn 1st on my ballot. McPherson had a great year and this is probably the first of many Stout Slugger's but I think we did Dunn a disservice by not giving him this award. He hit 50 HRs (27 more than McPherson) and 157 RBI (63 more than McPherson). Also consider the "help" in the lineup around Dunn...He hit 60 more RBI than the #2 Canadian. He hit 32 more homeruns. He scored 27 more runs. I know a lot of people take into account more than just the "raw hitting numbers" for this award and might have downgraded Dunn because he only played 18 games in the field and the rest were at DH. However, McPherson was the worst defensive CF in baseball. And for some people they consider this to be the MVP that is a hitter...if you take Dunn off the Canadians they would have battled for the worst record in the BLB. If you take McPherson off the Denver BC, I think they still win the Pilsner.

This, I'm sure is the argument those that voted for Dunn made. And I won't disagree. But I also think you're ignoring the things McPherson did do.

While Dunn led his team in RBI and had 63 more than McPherson, also realize that McPherson played on a team with a bunch of guys taking away his future RBI opportunities by knocking players in before him. The #2 hitter on the team drove in 86 RBI on his own. The leadoff hitter drove in 70. And that's not including the 77 from the #8 hitter and 61 RBI from the ninth hitter in the lineup.

McPherson is not the home run hitter that Dunn is but McPherson had 70 extra base hits to Dunn's 85 in 125 less at-bats.

In other words, in McPherson's 552 at-bats he had an extra base hit every 7.8 at-bats. If he had 125 extra at-bats, he would have 16 more extra base hits, which would match him up with Dunn.

To McPherson's fault was his patience as he drew 95 walks to Dunn's 51, which seems a bit absurd if Dunn was the only dangerous bat in Toronto's lineup.

Also McPherson made himself more valuable by using those walks and non-extra base hits and swiping 38 bags. Dunn never stole a base.

As for the defense argument, both were equally horrid on the field.

Yes, you take McPherson off Denver and the team is still playing really well. You can't say the same for Toronto last season. But that's not McPherson's fault that he's surrounded by other good players. It doesn't make his Stout Slugger performance any less.

Just my devil's advocate post, Pat.