September 24, 2011 Top Ten Fantasy Baseball Awards

Posted by Michael A. Stein on 09/27/2011 | 0 Comments

Tags: fantasy baseball, Craig Kimbrel, Justin Verlander, Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw, Jason Bay, Adam Dunn, Lance Berkman, Curtis Granderson, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Carl Crawford, Jacoby Ellsbury, Melky Cabrera, Eric Hosmer, Albert Pujols

The 2011 baseball season is almost over, so this edition of the Top Ten List will be my final edition of the fantasy baseball season. Don’t cry…no really, don’t cry. I will still provide you with witty insight during the offseason. But for the purposes of the 2011 season, this marks the end of our wonderful journey. This special edition of the Top Ten List is much like the Oscars, except there is no corny host with bad jokes and no one will judge you because you wear skin-tight nylon shirts and skids. The 2011 fantasy baseball season was filled with many surprises, both good and bad. There were some remarkable performances and some underwhelming ones as well. While we are always looking ahead and planning for the future, this Top Ten List focuses on the past and remembering the memorable 2011 season. So, without further adieu, here is the final fantasy baseball Top Ten List of the season.

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 10. Young MC Award for the Biggest Fantasy Bust – You may be expecting me to give this award to my favorite punching bag, Jason Bay. But fear not, he will be recognized later on. Instead, this award is given to the player who failed to reach and/or exceed expectations to the highest degree. The recipient of this award is none other than Boston outfielder Carl Crawford. I am not one to say I told you so, but I told you so. For years, I have been flabbergasted at how overrated he is in terms of fantasy baseball. Yes, I get it, the guy steals bases and hits for average. But so do many others. This year, he signed a ridonculous contract with the Red Sox and was projected to put up numbers like no other. In pre-season mock drafts, he was almost always a top 5 pick, and in some instances, the first or second overall selection. However, he got off to a horrendous start to the season and never fully recovered despite a few hot streaks. Those who wasted an early pick on him have been treated to a pedestrian season of .259, 11 homeruns, 55 RBI, 63 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases. While he is likely going to improve on these statistics in 2012, it cannot be forgotten how awful this season has been for him.

 9. Captain Jack Sparrow Award for Best Fantasy Hidden Treasure – This award goes to the player who most pleasantly surprised fantasy owners out of nowhere. While Curtis Granderson certainly exceeded any and all expectations, his performance is not as surprising as one of his Yankee predecessors. No, not Gerald Williams or Karim Garcia. I am referring to Melky Cabrera. I will be the first to admit that I never thought he could produce at the clip he did this year. After being released by the Braves, he signed a small deal with Kansas City in the offseason and was likely going to be a transitional player until one of the Royals many prospects was ready to claim the position. Instead, Melky has put up five-category numbers all season and entrenched himself in Kansas City’s outfield for next year when they hope to finally be competitive. Cabrera has hit .304 with 18 homeruns, 85 RBI, 100 runs scored and 20 stolen bases. That is astounding production from a player who might not have even been drafted in your fantasy league. The only question left is whether the Melk-Man can deliver again in 2012.

 8. Kyra Sedgwick Award for Best Closer – You may be wondering who Kyra Sedgwick is. She happens to be the star of TNT’s show “The Closer” which has absolutely nothing to do with baseball. She is also known as Kevin Bacon’s wife, so she is likely less than one degree separated from him. While Mariano Rivera is without a doubt the greatest closer in baseball history and the one guy you would want in a game during the playoffs, he did not have the best season of any closer this year. That distinction goes to Braves’ rookie sensation Craig Kimbrel. All he has done is save 46 games while posting a 2.00 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP to go along with 126 strikeouts and 4 wins. He has been dominant all season and will go into 2012 as the top ranked closer. He is a lock for National League Rookie of the Year as his electric stuff is one of the primary reasons for the Braves’ success this year. Now Kimbrel can be used as an answer the next time you play Six Degrees of Separation from Kevin Bacon. You’re welcome.

 7. O.J. Simpson Award for Biggest Fall From Grace – The winner of the category is Jason Bay. I must preface this explanation by stating that in no way do I suspect Jason Bay has any intentions of murdering his wife or stealing memorabilia from people at knifepoint. Instead, I elicit O.J. because of his once prominent stature and then his subsequent fall from the proverbial pedestal. Jason Bay was one of the best outfielders in baseball for six years before he signed a lucrative contract with the Mets. In 2010, he struggled mightily in his first year in New York and then had his season ended prematurely with a concussion. Coming into 2011, all expectations were that Bay just needed time to adjust and get healthy, and soon enough he would begin putting up numbers commensurate with his history. Not so much. Despite battling some nagging injuries, Bay has played almost every day and has put up numbers that are more in line with an aging backup outfielder. His average has hovered in the .230 - .240 range most of the year and has recently shot up around .250. But he still only has 12 homeruns which is inexcusable for a guy expected to hit 30-35 in his prime years. After two consecutive seasons of this crap, Jason Bay has officially reached scrap heap status for your 2012 draft.

 6. Biff Tannen Award for Biggest Crash Into a Manure Truck – While this award is somewhat similar to the biggest bust and biggest fall from grace, it is distinctive because it celebrates truly the worst fantasy baseball piece of crap all season. In a unanimous decision, this award goes to Adam Dunn of the White Sox. Dunn has had statistically one of the worst seasons in baseball history with his worse than Mendoza-like batting average of .163 to go along with 11 homeruns and 42 RBI. After averaging almost 40 homeruns a year since 2004, Dunn has struggled (to say the least) in his switch to the American League and the DH spot. He was pegged as a lock for another 40 homeruns, 100 RBI, and 100 runs scored before the season. To say he failed to reach those expectations may be the biggest understatement ever in the history of understatements…ever.

 5. Jesus H. Christ Award for Biggest Fantasy Career Resurrection – Without getting theological, this award is given to the player whose once prominent career was deemed almost over, but suddenly came alive once again in 2011 (but without the Easter Bunny). The winner is former fantasy first round pick Lance Berkman. After a disastrous 2010 season which saw his power sapped and batting average dropped, Berkman revitalized his career in St. Louis hitting in a lineup with Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday. He had some nagging injuries throughout the season, but he stayed relatively healthy and played in the outfield practically every day. Berkman put up Berkman-esque numbers with a .300 batting average, 31 homeruns, 91 RBI, and 86 runs scored. He slowed down significantly in the second half, but his overall production was in line with his career numbers. Whether he can replicate this next season is another question, but for 2011 we cracked open a bottle of vintage Lance Berkman circa 2005.

 4. Pamela Anderson’s Breasts Award for Biggest Fantasy Improvement – There are many players who saw their numbers increase significantly in one area or another compared to 2010. But no one saw such an increase as significant as Jacoby Ellsbury of the Boston Red Sox. Granted he was injured most of 2010 and was limited to only 18 games and 78 at bats, but he had a resume already from 2008 and 2009. After his heart and dedication were questioned by Red Sox management and fans, Ellsbury blossomed before our eyes into one of the top stars in the league. He hit over .300 in 2009, but this season saw his batting average jump up to .319. Most surprisingly, he developed a power stroke and smashed 28 homeruns whereas his career total before 2011 was 20 homeruns. As the leadoff hitter, he has driven in 98 runs while also scoring 114 runs. His stolen base totals have dipped a bit down to 37, but that is as a result of hitting more extra base hits. To go along with his 28 homeruns, he has amassed 45 doubles and 5 triples. He also leads the league in total bases with 340 and is near the top with 201 hits.

 3. Henry Rowengartner Award for Fantasy Rookie of the Year – While Craig Kimbrel does deserve serious consideration for this award as well, I opted to go with someone else and avoid any comparisons to how Modern Family was treated at the Emmy Awards. This award goes to Kansas City first baseman Eric Hosmer. While the Royals did have a first baseman who won the AL Rookie of the Year in 1995, I do not see the same type of sophomore slump that Bob Hamelin suffered from. Hosmer was a top prospect in Kansas City’s organization and justified the hype when he received the promotion earlier in 2011. In almost a full season (500+ at bats), he has hit .300 with 19 homeruns, 76 RBI, 66 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. All indications are that he will only get better and develop more power as he gets older and stronger. He is a viable keeper option and should be in your top 10 list of fantasy first baseman for 2012.

 2. Randy Johnson Award for Fantasy Cy Young – In a unanimous decision, Justin Verlander wins this award with only Clayton Kershaw, Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee receiving any consideration. Verlander has had one of the most dominating and awe-inspiring seasons by a pitcher in decades. He has won 24 games (and has a chance for 25) which is unbelievable in this day and age with five-man rotations and an emphasis on bullpen usage. He has a 2.28 ERA and a microscopic WHIP of 0.90 to go along with his league-leading 244 strikeouts. He has four complete games, a no-hitter, and 28 quality starts out of his 33 total. He mixes a 100 mph fastball with a devastating curveball and has proven to be the true definition of an ace. In points-based leagues, he has by far the most points of any pitcher.

 1. Albert Pujols Award for Fantasy MVP – In fantasy baseball, no one cares whether the team the player plays for makes the playoffs or is in contention at the end of the season. That is why this final award for best overall fantasy player goes to Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was a close call in the end as Jacoby Ellsbury and Curtis Granderson received consideration. But at the end of the day, Kemp is contending for a Triple Crown and emerged as one of the best overall players in all of baseball, both real and fantasy. Kemp is currently hitting .326, which is 3rd in the National League. He also has 37 homeruns (tied with Pujols) and 117 RBI (leads the National League). To go along with these numbers, he has 110 runs scored and 40 stolen bases. Put all of this together and you have the best fantasy baseball player of the year. True, Justin Verlander could be considered for this as well, but I choose to discriminate against pitchers when giving out MVP awards. Sue me.

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