2005 MLB Awards: Who Should Win- and Why

When Major League Baseball hands out its postseason hardware, it probably won’t look like this (but it should).  Find out why David Ortiz is the AL MVP and why the Mets want a refund from Carlos Beltran.Sadly, baseball fans, the 2005 season has come to an end.  The Chicago White Sox are World Champions (who among you picked that one in spring training?), and the South Side is hoping Manager Ozzie Guillen doesn’t retire.  With the season now officially over, it’s time to hand out awards to all those who managed to do something above and beyond the call of duty (or something so far below it merited mentioning) during the 2005 season.  Without further rambling, I present to you the 2005 MLB Postseason Awards.

American League MVP:  David Ortiz, DH, Boston Red Sox

Who cares if he doesn’t play the field?  Sure Alex Rodriguez had comparable stats and managed to make his way out to third base every game, but without Ortiz, the Red Sox would have been a .500 team.  It’s hard to say the same for the Yankees without A-Rod, who has an uncanny knack for looking like an All-Star only after the Yankees have an eight run lead.  Does the fact that A-Rod played third base out weigh the 1546 (or something close to that) game-winning hits Big Popi had this year?  The answer is no.  When debating this award, you should ask yourself one simple question:  If the game was on the line, who would I want hitting, Ortiz or A-Rod?  My gut tells me about 99% of you will pick Ortiz.  I leave one percent in case Rodriguez’s mother is reading this.  Ortiz hit 47 home runs this season and knocked in 148 runs.  He wins the AL MVP.

American League Cy Young Award:  Mark Buehrle, LHP, Chicago White Sox

Buehrle was the best pitcher on baseball’s best team this year, posting an ERA of 3.12 (third in the AL) and winning 16 games (fifth in the AL).  Buehrle led the AL in innings pitched, allowing the White Sox bullpen to gain valuable rest over the course of the season.  Buehrle gets the nod over Angel’s right-hander Bartolo Colon because he was the more dominant pitcher over the course of the season.  Colon did win 21 games, but leading the league in victories doesn’t make you the best pitcher.  Buehrle’s ERA was almost a half a run lower than Colon’s.  

American League Rookie of the Year:  Huston Street, RHP, Oakland Athletics

Earlier this year Street became the first player from the 2004 Amateur Player Draft to reach the majors.  When he arrived in Oakland, Street instantly became the closer, saving 23 games this season.  Street posted a 1.72 ERA and allowed just 79 base runners in 78 1/3 innings of work.  In 67 appearances Street allowed just 17 runs.  He also struck out 72 batters and held opponents to a batting average of .196.  The former University of Texas All-American has established himself as the A’s closer for next year and beyond.

American League Manager of the Year:  Ozzie Guillen, Chicago White Sox

Guillen’s team posted the AL’s best record (99-63) and the league’s best road record (52-29).  Guillen followed a great regular season up by leading the White Sox to their first World Championship since 1917.  In September when it seemed the White Sox were falling apart, Guillen held the team together and led them to the division title.  Chicago finished the year winning 15 of 16 games, including a sweep of Houston in the World Series.

National League MVP:  Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals

All Pujols did this year was hit .330 (2nd in the NL), 41 home runs (3rd) and drive in 117 runs (2nd).  I’d say that’s a pretty good year.  Pujols was the driving force behind the Cardinals, who won 100 games for the second straight season.  Pujols also led the NL in runs scored (129) and was second in on-base percentage (.430).  With Barry Bonds injured, Pujols became the most feared and dominant hitter in baseball.  If you don’t believe me, ask Brad Lidge (that home run STILL hasn’t landed!).  Pujols gets the nod over Chicago Cubs first baseman Derek Lee, mostly because Lee cooled off (but not much) in the second half.  Pujols was dominant all season, and was the best player on the NL’s best team (that has to count for something).

National League Cy Young Award Winner:  Dontrell Willis, LHP, Florida Marlins

This was by far the toughest award to hand out.  It was hard to over look the ridiculous 1.87 ERA Astros’ right-hander Roger Clemens posted this season.  But, Clemens managed just 13 wins this year (thanks so the Astros sad offense, who was shut-out nine times with Clemens on the mound).  Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter finished second in the league in wins with 21 (one less than Willis), and had an ERA under three while pitching for the League’s best team.  Houston’s Andy Pettitte won 17 games and finished second in the league in ERA, with a miniscule 2.39 runs given up per nine innings.  In the end Willis gets the award thanks to his 22 wins (1st in the NL), 2.63 ERA (3rd) and seven complete games (2nd).  Again, this was a deep group of pitchers, but Willis gets the nod.

National League Rookie of the Year:  Willy Tavares, OF, Houston Astros

Tavares is the only NL ROY contender who spent the entire year in the Majors.  Tavares led the majors in infield hits (70) and bunt hits (30) while posting a .291 average (2nd on the team).  Tavares played in 152 of the Astros games this year, and never saw his batting average dip below .270.  Tavares ranked fifth in the NL in stolen bases with 34 (he led his team).  Tavares amassed 172 hits and scored 83 runs in his first full season above AA ball.  Tavares is one of the main reasons the Astros recovered from their 15-30 hole to reach the postseason.

National League Manager of the Year:  Bobby Cox, Atlanta Braves

Cox had his best performance as a manager this season, leading a young, in-experienced Braves team to yet another division title.  The Braves fought off injuries to key players (Mike Hampton, Chipper Jones, Johnny Estrada) to win 90 games.  Cox’s tutelage and strategy earns him this award.  His leadership and experience allowed the Braves to achieve more than expected in 2005.

Biggest Disappointment:  Carlos Beltran, OF, New York Mets

Beltran managed to hit just .266 in his first year with the Mets, not exactly earning his 11.5 million dollar salary.  Beltran rode a ridiculous postseason with the Houston Astros in 2004 (eight home runs and 14 RBIs in 12 games) to a mega contract with the Mets this year.  He hit only 16 home runs during the entire season.   Yes, your math is correct, he hit only eight more home runs during the entire regular season than in last year’s postseason.  Sadly for Yankee fans, they would probably take those numbers at that salary, just to have someone in centerfield who can catch the ball.

Biggest Surprise:  The 2005 Washington Nationals

In their first year in a new city, the former Montreal Expos managed to finish at .500.  Right-hander Chad Cordero led all of baseball with 47 saves in his first year as a closer.  Jose Guillen, a cast-off from the Los Angels Angles of Anaheim (who should get an award for most ridiculous name change) had a terrific season, batting .283 and slugging 24 home runs.  Were it not for Bobby Cox, Frank Robinson would be Manager of the Year.

Most Underappreciated Player:  Placido Polanco, IF, Detroit Tigers

Polanco hit .331 this season, the second highest batting average in all of baseball, and still managed to be forgotten.  Polanco, who was traded in July from Philadelphia to Detroit, did not finish with enough at-bats in either league to qualify for the batting title.  However, only the Cubs Derek Lee hit for a higher average this season (.335).  Polanco hit .316 for the Phillies in 43 games.  After being traded, Polanco hit .338 for the Tigers in 86 games.  Polanco also raised his career average to exactly .300.

Brightest Future:  Jeff Francouer, OF, Atlanta Braves

Francouer burst onto the scene in July and firmly implanted himself in the Braves lineup for the rest of the year.  Francouer hit .300 in 70 games and blasted 14 home runs in just 257 at-bats.  Once the Braves outfielder becomes more disciplined at the plate (he had only 11 walks this season, and didn’t have one through his first 135 at-bats) he will become an awesome offensive force.  Francouer has a cannon of a right arm and is a superb athlete.  Projected over a 162 game season, his stats from this year would have looked like this:  .300 average, 33 home runs, 104 RBIs, 178 hits, 45 doubles and 14 walks.  Pretty good numbers

Breakout Player:  Morgan Ensberg, 3B, Houston Astros

Despite his poor showing in the World Series, Ensberg is the main reason, offensively, that the Astros made the playoffs.  Ensberg posted career highs in home runs (36) and RBIs (101).  It was Ensberg who stepped up to replace the offense normally provided by injured Jeff Bagwell and Ensberg carried the team until Lance Berkman got healthy.  Ensberg added 30 doubles for a Houston team that spent the season searching for offense.