2017 End of Season Awards

[Matt]

http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...eos_ballot.php

- Voting is mandatory
- Vote in ALL Categories!!
- Voting begins immediately and will last until the last SIM of the playoffs or final ballot is received.
- Teams who don't submit a fair ballot may have their votes invalidated. (ie leaving a rival player off the ballot so your guy wins, etc)
- Voting will be done in the utility using the link above.

[umd]

If Pat doesn't get all 26 1st place votes for GM you guys are nuts. After that nice job by Matt, Z, Shark, Jimmy and Hank (look at those PYTHs)...

[Z]

Oh, thanks, Matt! Appreciate it.

[Carlos]

I'm pretty sure someone voted for the wrong Evers in the IL Relief Award.

[Pat]

If Pat doesn't get all 26 1st place votes for GM you guys are nuts. After that nice job by Matt, Z, Shark, Jimmy and Hank (look at those PYTHs)...

He's not getting my vote.

[Z]

Voodoo Davila really should win DL Stout Slugger again. That kind of production from a catcher is incredible.

[Pat]

Voodoo Davila really should win DL Stout Slugger again. That kind of production from a catcher is incredible.

Piekarski catches, too.

[Z]

Piekarski catches, too.

He does. I voted him second on my ballot. Because he was really good, too. And I will say specifically to Piekarski's credit that the way he cut his strikeouts from 100 last year to 47 in 2017 is impressive.

But Voodoo was better and contributed more.

[bparks1987]

He's not on my team but does anyone else think Jamie O'Hearn deserves MVP? 30 plus home runs and steals is pretty freaking good.

[umd]

He's not on my team but does anyone else think Jamie O'Hearn deserves MVP? 30 plus home runs and steals is pretty freaking good.

He's in my top three. Probably go Dave P, Voodoo, O'Hearn.

[Z]

He's not on my team but does anyone else think Jamie O'Hearn deserves MVP? 30 plus home runs and steals is pretty freaking good.

He's definitely in the conversation to receive Stout Slugger votes.

I'd have a hard time putting him over either of the catchers personally but he deserves to be on ballots.

[Z]

If Pat doesn't get all 26 1st place votes for GM you guys are nuts. After that nice job by Matt, Z, Shark, Jimmy and Hank (look at those PYTHs)...

I appreciate the shoutout, and certainly those other guys did well too. Lots of worthy candidates this season.

But I want to make the case for someone else because he's getting no recognition on here but much credit is due.

I voted for Spectre for GM of the Year.

New York improved from 65 wins to 89+ from 2016 to 2017. That is a massive turnaround, and Spectre did it with savvy but not-flashy moves.

I am going to break it down because it is important.

1. He signed C Todd Robideau in free agency. Other teams overlooked Robideau among other big names in free agency — but Spectre didn't. He nabbed Robideau for $5 million annually and got a 4.2 WAR season out of it as Robideau smashed 25 home runs and amassed 80 RBI. Again, for $5 million!

2. As if the Robideau signing weren't enough, Spectre grabbed 2B Fernando Ortiz for $5 million. Ortiz turned in a 3.6 WAR campaign, with 70 runs scored and a very nice .344 OBP for a second baseman in the IL.

3. But Spectre wasn't done in free agency. He added 3B Hector Vargas for a measly $1.8 million. Vargas contributed 2.6 WAR while belting 19 home runs, scoring 70 runs, driving in another 70 runs, and stealing 16 bases. $1.8 million!

4. Spectre somehow noticed Gabriel Vachon, whom nobody believed in (he entered the year as a 38 year old who had appeared in 14 career BLB games). Spectre had the foresight to not only give him a chance, where he produced 1.6 WAR in three-quarters of a season for the league minimum salary.

5. He decided to bring back Fred Schubert, who added 3.7 WAR to the team while providing steady offense and splendid defense.

6. Spectre added Jon Montalbo on a tiny midseason deal and got 15 homers out of him in 98 games.

7. Finally, because Spectre apparently hadn't struck enough gold, he signed veteran pitcher Willie Castellanos to a $1.2 million deal. Literally no one wanted Castellanos — he sat out the entire 2016 season because nobody signed him. But Spectre saw something and put him in the bullpen. Castellanos's 2017 ERA? 1.88.

New York had one of the best offseasons I can remember, and they did it without dropping big, bad contracts on overpriced stars.

This shrewd GMing combined with young talent coming of age spurred a massive turnaround.

That's why I vote Spectre for GM of the Year.

[umd]

I appreciate the shoutout, and certainly those other guys did well too. Lots of worthy candidates this season.

But I want to make the case for someone else because he's getting no recognition on here but much credit is due.

I voted for Spectre for GM of the Year.

New York improved from 65 wins to 89+ from 2016 to 2017. That is a massive turnaround, and Spectre did it with savvy but not-flashy moves.

I am going to break it down because it is important.

1. He signed C Todd Robideau in free agency. Other teams overlooked Robideau among other big names in free agency — but Spectre didn't. He nabbed Robideau for $5 million annually and got a 4.2 WAR season out of it as Robideau smashed 25 home runs and amassed 80 RBI. Again, for $5 million!

2. As if the Robideau signing weren't enough, Spectre grabbed 2B Fernando Ortiz for $5 million. Ortiz turned in a 3.6 WAR campaign, with 70 runs scored and a very nice .344 OBP for a second baseman in the IL.

3. But Spectre wasn't done in free agency. He added 3B Hector Vargas for a measly $1.8 million. Vargas contributed 2.6 WAR while belting 19 home runs, scoring 70 runs, driving in another 70 runs, and stealing 16 bases. $1.8 million!

4. Spectre somehow noticed Gabriel Vachon, whom nobody believed in (he entered the year as a 38 year old who had appeared in 14 career BLB games). Spectre had the foresight to not only give him a chance, where he produced 1.6 WAR in three-quarters of a season for the league minimum salary.

5. He decided to bring back Fred Schubert, who added 3.7 WAR to the team while providing steady offense and splendid defense.

6. Spectre added Jon Montalbo on a tiny midseason deal and got 15 homers out of him in 98 games.

7. Finally, because Spectre apparently hadn't struck enough gold, he signed veteran pitcher Willie Castellanos to a $1.2 million deal. Literally no one wanted Castellanos — he sat out the entire 2016 season because nobody signed him. But Spectre saw something and put him in the bullpen. Castellanos's 2017 ERA? 1.88.

New York had one of the best offseasons I can remember, and they did it without dropping big, bad contracts on overpriced stars.

This shrewd GMing combined with young talent coming of age spurred a massive turnaround.

That's why I vote Spectre for GM of the Year.

All fair points and I did leave him out purely by accident. I just think building a roster from no players and possibly landing the #1 seed in the IL is pretty damn impressive and I don't think anyone else here could do it.

[Z]

All fair points and I did leave him out purely by accident. I just think building a roster from no players and possibly landing the #1 seed in the IL is pretty damn impressive and I don't think anyone else here could do it.

What Pat did is also very impressive.

Spectre's work impressed me more because (1) he didn't have the advantage of getting guys for "free" via an expansion draft, and (2) he did it bargain hunting, without spending big.

New York spent $66 million compared to Seattle's $121 million payroll.

Again, no disrespect to Pat — just saying what Spectre did this year in New York really stood out to me.

[umd]

What Pat did is also very impressive.

Spectre's work impressed me more because (1) he didn't have the advantage of getting guys for "free" via an expansion draft, and (2) he did it bargain hunting, without spending big.

New York spent $66 million compared to Seattle's $121 million payroll.

Again, no disrespect to Pat — just saying what Spectre did this year in New York really stood out to me.

Perfectly fair point and definitely one way to look at it. To play Devil's Advocate (without trying to take anything away from Spec) - would spending a extra $15-20m to acquire a marquee bat have put him firmly in the playoffs? I know Spectre has his blueprint, but another hitter could have really filled out his bargain high production lineup.