Thoughts on Awards; A Ballot - Gary Armida's Blog

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Gary Armida's Blog

Thoughts on Awards; A Ballot Stuck

Posted on November 2, 2012 at 11:21 AM.

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The 2012 Major League Baseball season produced so many great moments. It was a season that saw no hitters, perfect games, tremendous individual accomplishments, retirements, rookie breakouts, and just about any bit of drama that could be dreamed up. One of the best parts about baseball is the conversations that it inspires. From the strategy during games to how to evaluate players, baseball is a game built around conversation.

One of the game's annual conversations is always during award season. Major League Baseball's annual awards are always great fodder for discussion, especially in recent years. With the rise of sabermetrics in more mainstream publications, there is more attention paid to advanced statistics. That is a great thing. Sabermetrics add so much more to our understanding of the game. But, the conversation goes awry when a baseball discussion reverts into the stereotypical sabermetrician versus traditionalist argument.

In truth, neither side is correct as they both are argue for the same thing. Both perceived sides love the sport, appreciate the sport, and are devoted to the sport. There may be different methods of analysis, but both are vital in today's game. No team is 100 percent sabermetric just as no team is 100 percent traditional scouting. The problem is that extremists skew the discussion and turn it into something it is not. If a person immediately dismisses a new statistic, that person is ignorant in terms of trying to understand the game. But, if someone immediately dismisses a traditional measure, that person is equally ignorant. There is room for both.

This problem was captured quite well this year in regards to the American League Most Valuable Player Award. Mike Trout became the poster child for a sabermetric argument. Trout had one of the best all around seasons in recent memory. He was outstanding in every area of the game. But, some think Miguel Cabrera should win the award because of his excellent season that resulted in him being the first Triple Crown winner since 1968. Because we have found that batting average and RBI aren't the two best measures of a player's value, Cabrera�s accomplishment has been downplayed. But, even with that knowledge, it is difficult�or at least should be difficult�to dismiss the tremendous offensive season that Cabrera compiled.

The main problem with awards is that they are quite subjective. What does valuable mean? That question can point to so many things such as a team's place in the standings, when the player produced the most, or what type of support he had in the lineup. On the pitching side, should a pitcher's win-loss record be completely dismissed even though we know that it is more a product of the team and bullpen rather than completely a result of the pitcher?

These questions are what makes baseball great. The discussion should never be lost. More importantly, both sides of the discussion should never be lost. Neither side is 100 percent correct. Extremist views never are completely correct.

My Two Cents

American League Most Valuable Player: Mike Trout
This isn't about sabermetrics or anything else. This is about an amazing all around season by a 20 year old. It is about a player who hit for power, hit for average, got on base, stole bases at an incredibly efficient rate, and played stellar defense. And, his presence helped propel the Angels into a pennant race. Miguel Cabrera had a historic season, but so did Trout. By every metric, both sabermetric and traditional, Trout was the very definition of MVP.
(Runner up: Miguel Cabrera)

American League Cy Young Award: Justin Verlander
The American League Cy Young Award was the most difficult as there were quite a few choices. Jered Weaver, David Price, Felix Hernandez and even Chris Sale could be part of the discussion. But, none were quite as dominant as Justin Verlander, who has become the game's best pitcher by a wide margin. He pitches deep into games, pitch count is somewhat irrelevant with him, and he can dominate a game like few others. Some pitchers may have better win totals or strikeout totals, but Verlander's overall dominance was unmatched this year.
(Runner up: Jered Weaver)

American League Rookie of the Year: Mike Trout
See above. It was a historic year for the 20 year old.
(Runner up: Jarrod Parker)

American League Manager of the Year: Buck Showalter
It was a close vote between Showalter and the A's Bob Melvin, but Showalter gets the nod for the fact that he got his team to the playoffs despite having most of his rotation shuttled between the Majors and Triple-A, getting enough offense out of a group that included the likes of Nate Mclouth and Lew Ford.
(Runner up: Bob Melvin)

National League Most Valuable Player: Buster Posey
Ryan Braun has better statistics and deserves to receive his second consecutive MVP Award, but Posey edges Braun because of his excellent offensive season as a catcher and his importance to the San Francisco Giants. Posey was the only member of the 94 win team to have at least 20 home runs and to slug over .500. Without Posey, the Giants' offense takes a major hit and possibly takes them out of playoff contention.
(Runner up: Ryan Braun)

National League Cy Young Award: RA Dickey
Sometimes a great story can match the results on the field. RA Dickey was able to do just that as his inspiring story of persistence paid off in one of the best knuckleball seasons of all-time and the best overall pitching season in the National League. Perhaps Tony LaRussa failed to see the significance of Dickey's season, but voters should not.
(Runner up: Craig Kimbrel)

National League Rookie of the Year: Bryce Harper
Many thought that the word disappointment was going to be the theme of the 19 year old's rookie season. But, at no point in the season was Harper ever a disappointment. A surge at the end brought his overall numbers to .270/.340/.477 with 26 doubles, 9 triples, 22 home runs, and 18 stolen bases, making Harper's age 19 season one of the best of all-time. Despite playing in a pennant race and under enormous expectations, Harper delivered the best season of any rookie in the NL.
(Runner up: Wade Miley)

National League Manager of the Year: Bruce Bochy
This has nothing to do with his stellar performance in the postseason as awards are voted on before the postseason begins. Bochy navigated his team to a 94 win season despite facing the reality of the Melky Cabrera suspension, losing Brian Wilson early in the season, and essentially losing his ace, Tim Lincecum. Lincecum was supposed to be an ace, but he didn't even pitch to the level of a replacement pitcher, leaving Bochy in a precarious spot of trying to win a pennant as well as nurture a former two-time Cy Young Award winner. It all worked out pretty well.
(Runner up: Davey Johnson)

Comments

# 1 psymin1 @ Nov 2

How anyone can not have Miguel Cabrera winning the MVP is beyond me. How is winning the Triple Crown not enough? It just doesn't make sense to me. Regardless of our difference of opinion, definitely a solid read. Nice work.

# 2 cinergy @ Nov 2

Even though Mike Trout had a fantastic (if not ONE of the best) season's ever. I can't honestly call him an MVP. While statistically he out performed all expectations, I still look at that Angels team loaded with talent and wonder where they were in October. My vote (that obviously doesn't matter) has to go to Cabrera because he helped get his team to the post season and into the fall classic. The MVP award has become more of an award aimed at the best stat line, and moved away from what it's name entails. Most VALUABLE Player. So I look at Trout and Cabrera, and I ask myself, who was the most valuable to his team. While both players are outstanding, and had amazing seasons, my motivating factor in trying to decide such a close battle, in this case, has to be October.

# 3 rudyjuly2 @ Nov 3

I can understand choosing Trout over Cabrera even though I disagree but how can you say Trout was the MVP based on EVERY metric? That makes no sense, especially given the fact that Cabrera beat him in average, HRs and RBI? Those are some pretty important metrics I would say. People also talk about defense for Trout and a lack of defense for Cabrera but I would also argue a great 3B is more valuable than a great CF. Much harder to find anyways.

I'd love it if Verlander won another Cy Young but I don't know how you can say his overall dominance was unmatched. He had 17 wins - three less than Price and Weaver. JV did have some bad luck in close games early this year but this is a close race where you can point to a few stats either way to back your guy. Price has pitched so well the last couple years and had the most wins and best ERA in the AL this year. With Detroit making the playoffs that might be the tiebreaker for JV.

# 4 Eski33 @ Nov 3

MVP - Cabrera. Triple Crown winner. Hard to say Trout had the best stats when Cabrera led the AL in three of the most critical offensive categories.

Agree with the remainder of the picks. AL manager of the year should be Melvin. Lowest payroll in baseball and won arguably the toughest division in baseball.

# 5 WaddupCouzin @ Nov 4

David Price should be the Cy Young winner, period. With an Era that low and the fact that he either got a no decision or lost about 3-4 games based on lack of run support is amazing in itself. On an average run scoring team, he should have had about 23-25 victories this year, easily.