Catching up on SBN awards

by Ed Valentine on Nov 13, 2009 11:00 AM EST in News Comment 12 comments

It is awards time around Major League Baseball these days. Not to be outdone, the baseball bloggers here at SB Nation held their own awards voting.

I know they aren't official. But, kinda fun to see how our results compare with the official voting.

Here is how it broke down, according to our bloggers.

AL MVP -- Joe Mauer
NL MVP -- Albert Pujols
AL Rookie of the Year -- Elvis Andrus
NL Rookie of the Year -- Tommy Hanson
AL Cy Young -- Zack Grienke
NL Cy Young -- Tim Lincecum
AL Manager of the Year -- Mike Scioscia
NL Manager of the Year -- Jim Tracy

Keep reading for a few notes that actually involve our New York Yankees.

Curtis Granderson? Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News makes an outstanding argument for why the Yankees should forget about trading for the Detroit Tigers center fielder.

To me, this would be a mistake given what Detroit would likely be asking for. Granderson is a good player and an even better person, but as we saw this year, pitching is what wins championships.

Besides, go take a look at Granderson’s numbers the past three seasons - he was an absolute superstar in 2007, but he’s declined in each of the past two years. Not a good sign. He’s a strikeout machine (141 or more in three of the past four seasons) who can’t hit lefties (he hit .183 with two home runs and nine RBI in 180 at-bats last season), making him anything but a complete player.

If Brian Cashman decides to deal his top prospects - Austin Jackson and Jesus Montero, in particular - he better make sure it’s the right deal. Outfield isn’t really the Yankees’ need right now. They can easily sign back Johnny Damon and go to war with the same trio they had this year when they won the World Series.

If Cashman is going to trade Jackson and/or Montero, it’s got to be for Roy Halladay or another stud starting pitcher. The Yankees are intrigued by John Lackey, but not to the point where they want to give him $90 million. Adding Halladay to a rotation with CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett would put the Yankees in position to be the overwhelming favorite, and Halladay has already proven his ability to dominate in the AL East.

I missed this the other day, but when Brian Cashman was talking about the possible roles of Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain in 2010, he said neither pitcher will have an innings limit if they are starters. Hooray! No more training wheels.
Hideki Matsui may be a hero in Japan, but his agent says he won't be playing in his native country next season.
Former New York Yankee John Wetteland hospitalized after possible suicide attempt

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MVP and MOY?

Mauer – Maybe. He’s good and all, but there is most likely some Yankee Champion backlash in that choice.

And Scioscia? I mean, I hate to sound like the ultimate homer here, but Wamng’s injury? ARod’s steroids and surgery? Joba’s limit? Having Chad Gaudin as your 5th starter inthe home stretch? What else does Girardi have to put up with and still win the WS in order to be MOY

I told you we would beat Georgia!! Now, as for those 9 wins in '09......
Lane Kiffin owns lake-front property in Corch Urbie Meyers's head.

by VolBrian on Nov 13, 2009 11:37 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Fair point about Girardi

But, it’s not like Scioscia had everything easy himself. One of his starters died in the beginning of the season, plus Lackey missed the first month, Santana missed a few chunks of the season, along with Guerrero and Hunter. If he wins over Girardi, that would be fair.

As for Mauer, when have you seen a catcher hit .365 and winning his third batting title with 28 HR and 96 RBI on a team that doesn’t make the playoffs without him, all while missing the first month of the season. He’s clearly the AL MVP, plus anyone who votes for a Yankee will split between Tex and Jeter.

by The Cycle on Nov 13, 2009 11:56 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The Yanks have too much money to award the manager. The Angels had the clearest path to the division crown of any team in MLB.

I’d vote for Gardenhire. With smoke and mirrors he can win that division.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Nov 13, 2009 12:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

Didn’t think about him. He seems to pull that every year.

I told you we would beat Georgia!! Now, as for those 9 wins in '09......
Lane Kiffin owns lake-front property in Corch Urbie Meyers's head.

by VolBrian on Nov 13, 2009 12:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

definitely Gardenhire deserved it.

Scioscia definitely NOT…I really don’t see how he had all that tough of a job…really not even close to as tough a job as even Girardi.

I understand the Adenhart thing…but even that seems like something a team could rally around..regardless of who’s the manager.

I give Scioscia credit, he’s a good manager.

But no one who made the playoffs overcame a season ending injury to their 1B former MVP..aside from Gardenhire.

And if you can name the 3 starters who pitched against the Yanks in the playoffs?

Yea…definitely Gardenhire deserved it all the way.

"It ain't over till its over"---

by FreeBradshaw on Nov 13, 2009 12:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You're right about Gardenhire

He led a team who didn’t have their best hitter for the first month and their top slugger in the last month and STILL won the division.

by The Cycle on Nov 13, 2009 5:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Forgot about Adenhart

That’s a lot to handle for sure…

I told you we would beat Georgia!! Now, as for those 9 wins in '09......
Lane Kiffin owns lake-front property in Corch Urbie Meyers's head.

by VolBrian on Nov 13, 2009 12:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Awards

I agree with most of those but I think Rick Porcello deserves AL Rookie of the year over Elvis Andrus. To have a sub-4 ERA and 14 wins in the AL at age 20 is really impressive. Chris Carpenter over Tim Lincecum for NL Cy Young. He just had better numbers overall. Finally I’d give AL Manager of the year to Ron Washington. To keep that Texas Rangers team in the race most of the year, to me, was more significant than any of the managers who made the playoffs.

by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Nov 13, 2009 12:11 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Is there an award for pitching coaches?

Cause Mike Maddux deserves one.

I told you we would beat Georgia!! Now, as for those 9 wins in '09......
Lane Kiffin owns lake-front property in Corch Urbie Meyers's head.

by VolBrian on Nov 13, 2009 12:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Porcello

also pitched well enough to win that one game playoff as well. His offense couldn’t get it done for him, but I though Porcello did a good job in that game.

I agree. I think Porcello should be ROY

by nyyrocks29 on Nov 13, 2009 3:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Manager of the Year

I don’t agree with Scoscia (how the HELL do people manage to spell that) winning the MOY award. He dealt with some tough things this year, but his division is one of the easiest in baseball, and he was given a really good team when everyone was healthy. When a manager has the type of team that Scioscia had, in that division? I think he’s one of the best managers in baseball, but I don’t think he deserved (or deserves) that award.

I think Gardenhyre should get it. The guy was given NO pitching staff, and was around 7 games out in the beginning of September. And he managed that team to an AL Central championship, without a pitching staff, and against a team that had been in first ALL season. I think Ron Gardenhyre should get the Manager of the Year award.

by nyyrocks29 on Nov 13, 2009 3:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs