(Sorry for the length)
As we head into the last quarter of the major league baseball season, it’s time to start thinking about post season awards. The Colorado Rockies always seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to post season awards with the exception of Larry Walker who won the National League MVP in 1997 and Jim Tracy who won National League manager of the year in 2009. In 2007, when the Rockies won the National League Pennant, Matt Holiday lost out to Jimmy Rollins for the MVP and Troy Tulowitzki was nudged out for rookie of the year by Ryan Braun. The voters said that Holliday lost MVP because Rollins was the superior defender and that Tulo lost because defense doesn’t count. I don’t understand it, but the Rockies seem to always get screwed out of the major awards. In that 2007 season the Rocks set a single season record for fielding percentage as a team and didn’t win a single gold glove. Explain that one to me. East coast voters are unarguably bias and I fear that this year will be just the same.
Carlos Gonzalez has been a superstar for the Rockies this season. He has played every outfield position and held down the three hole. He has emerged as a leading MVP candidate along with the Cardinals' Alpert Pujols and the Reds' Joey Votto, both first basemen. Pujols who has won the National League MVP the past two seasons, started slow for his standards, but has really turned it on as of late. Cargos numbers are AVG .321/ R 78/ HR 25/ RBI 79/ SB 19/ H 140. Votto’s numbers are AVG .322/ R 82/ HR 28/ RBI 79/ SB 9/ H 140. Pujol’s numbers are AVG .315/ R 79/ HR 30/ RBI 86/ SB 11/ H 137. As you can tell the race for NL MVP is very even. Cargo leads the group in stolen bases and hits, Votto leads in average and runs and Pujols leads in home runs and runs batted in. With all three players leading in two of the major categories, the voters are going to have to make a tough decision. I am glad, however, that there aren’t any east coast players in the race.
My prediction is that if the season were to have ended Monday, Pujols would win the award. He plays for the most popular team of the three and the voters have already demonstrated they are willing to vote for him. That’s a shame because I believe Gonzalez and Votto have been just as valuable to their teams. Votto has the Reds on the verge of making the playoffs when everyone predicted them to finish 3rd in the division and Gonzalez is one of the main reasons the Rockies are still in the hunt. There are a few arguments to be made for Gonzalez. He plays a more demanding position than both of the first basemen and if the season were to have ended Monday he would win the triple crown of NL outfielders. He leads the position in all three major categories, AVG, HR, and RBI. However, as the case has always been, voters take into account that the Rockies play at high altitude and play in a hitter’s paradise, Coors Field. Remember where you heard it; Pujols will win the NL MVP followed by Votto and then Gonzalez. The only chance Gonzalez has is if the Rockies come back and make the playoffs and he gets to 30 SB and 40 HR.
As poor as the Rockies have played this season it’s surprising that they have a legitimate MVP candidate and Cy Young candidate. Ubaldo Jimenez has had a magical season for the Rockies. He had a historic start to the season, but has since slowed down a bit. The Cardinals Adam Wainwright and Phillies' Roy Halladay are the other CY Young candidates at this point. Ubaldo’s numbers as on Monday are 17-3/ 163.1 IP/ 2.59 ERA/ 153 K’s/ 65 BB/ 3 CG/ 2 SHO/ 19 QS and a no hitter. Wainwright’s are 17-6/ 176.1 IP/ 1.99 ERA/ 158 K’s/ 42 BB/ 5 CG/ 2 SHO/ 21 QS. Halladay’s numbers are 15-8/ 193 IP/ 2.24 ERA/ 175 K’s/ 22 BB/ 8 CG/ 3 SHO/ 19 QS and a perfect game. As you can tell the numbers are pretty similar. At the all star break Jimenez was the clear cut favorite, but now it has gotten really tight.
As I mentioned earlier, since the franchise started up in 1993 Rockies hitters have always had their numbers deflated by voters because of the high altitude. If you are going to punish our hitters then you better reward our pitchers. The rule use to be that you add a whole run to your ERA if you pitch at Coors field. Since the humidor, the rule is now said to be you add a half run to your ERA for pitching in Denver. That would make Ubaldo’s ERA 2.09. His winning percentage is incredible and his teams winning percentage when he pitches is even more outstanding. Yet, I can see the CY Young voters giving the award to the hottest pitcher at the end of the season. The way things are going right now I predict that will be Adam Wainwright and Ubaldo will be robed of the Rockies first major pitching award. If Ubaldo doesn’t win the Cy Young this year I am not sure a Rockies pitcher ever will. The voters need to be consistent, if they are going to deprive our hitters of post season awards; they need to reward our pitchers.
If you’re a true Rockies fan you know that most likely Ubaldo Jimenez and Carlos Gonzalez won’t win the prestigious Cy Young and MVP and their magnificent seasons will soon be forgotten by anyone not in Mountain Standard Time.
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