Time for an annual bullpen award?
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Jan 22, 2010 
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I’m new to the Baseball Writers Association of America, so it’s hardly my place to start suggesting significant changes. I’ll leave that to Jayson Stark, who wrote today that the BBWAA should consider adding an annual award for the top releif pitchers in each league. From his article:
Once again last season, one of the most dominating pitchers — and one of the biggest difference-makers — of modern times didn’t win a single major award.
Not a Cy Young. Not an MVP. Not a Nobel Prize. Not even a People’s Choice Award.
But then, that’s nothing new for Mariano Rivera. He may be directly responsible for putting five World Series rings on the fingers of his good friends, Derek Jeter and George M. Steinbrenner 3rd. But clearly, baseball seems incapable of finding an award that the greatest closer in history is allowed to win.
Stark breaks his argument into three parts, I think the third is the most important: Because relief pitching is here to stay.
The bullpen is not a novelty. Pitchers are being drafted — and drafted early – specifically for their ability to pitch the late innings. Their impact is significant, and while I’ve never been one to get too wrapped up in awards, the chance to recognize the best each season doesn’t seem like a bad idea.
Some other news and notes as we head into the weekend…
• One of the Oakland A’s top prospects is leaving the game to enter the priesthood. Grant Desme was the only 30-30 player in the minors last season. Baseball America named him the No. 8 prospect in the Oakland system noting, “he earns praise for his leadership.”
• Curtis Granderson on wearing the NY on his hat: “When you wear it, man, it’s something. It pops.”
• Jose Contreras is heading for Philadelphia.
• The Yankees are said to be one of the teams that have talked to Jim Edmonds. For whatever it’s worth, here’s my take on Edmonds: He hasn’t played since 2008, so it’s hard to imagine him getting anything more than a non-roster invitation. Given that situation, I imagine he’ll end up somewhere familiar, either with the Cardinals (who could use a lefty corner outfielder off the bench) or with the Angels (who just traded away Gary Matthews Jr.). It would certainly be a no-risk addition for the Yankees, but I would be surprised to see it happen.
While I’m sure Mariano would be honored by such an award, he probably needs them least of anyone who’s ever played.
The man is just not a materialist, and he knows how good he is and he knows his teammates – and his rivals – know how good he is.
How would it be any different than the Rolaids Relief Award?
As for Edmonds, I loved the though of having him last year, wanted them to bring him in for the lefty half of a platoon (before they got Swish and Teix). This year though, he’s got the rust you mentioned, and he also hits from the wrong side of the plate for what the Yankees need. If he can still contribute to a ML team, I hope he latches on somewhere. I just don’t see it being the Yanks.
There’s too much politics in the voting process for the current awards. I don’t think we need another one.
*relief.
Sorrysorrysorry.
johnny ?
Would this award make RP’s ineligible for the Cy Young?
“Would this award make RP’s ineligible for the Cy Young?”
I doubt it. Pitchers aren’t ineligible for the MVP.
I think its a great idea. Its another award to be used, gives relievers an incentive that could be placed in a contract that would reward performance better than Cy Young votes and could be named the Mariano Rivera Award.
Call the award a Mo!
Cy Young – Mo Rivera. I like it. On a completely unrelated note, why doesn’t the NFL have something like MLB.TV? It’s tough on us drifters who don’t settle down long enough to purchase a television.
So much I’d like to say, but I’ll keep quiet for the moment.
Bill — because the NFL has an exclusivity contract with DirecTV for Sunday NFL Ticket, and making it available on the web would allow people around that monopoly blockade. Basically, the NFL doesn’t think it can recoup in online sales what it loses from its contract.
Kevin,
Ya, I hear you. My question was more of a “Why oh why?” sort of a thing. In other words, a selfish complaint. The games should be pretty good this weekend and I hate to resort to sports bars.
It should be the Mariano Rivera Award. Mo gets it after his final season, and then it’s his legacy going forward.
I know that this is probably blasphemous, but the Oakland prospect that is joining the priesthood will probably end up with more saves than Mo.
There’s no way that they’d name an award after an active player. If the make an award for relief pitchers, the logical name would be named after first bigtime HOF relief pitcher, Hoyt Wilhelm for the NL winner and Fireman Johnny Murphy for the AL. Joe Page didn’t last long enough.
So C-Grand wants a Manhattan apt. “not too far south, not too far east”
I hear Times Square’s a nice quiet little neighborhood.
many runs could the Yanks score next season?
By Mike Axisa
The Yankees lost two core pieces from their 2009 lineup this offseason, but they replaced them with two younger players who aren’t exactly slouches with the bat. After scoring a Major League best 915 runs last season, how many runs could the Yankees be expected to score in 2010 with Nick Johnson and Curtis Granderson replacing Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon? Well, the answer is a frickin’ lot.
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i love it
GB7, didn’t they start calling the DH Silver Slugger the Edgar Martinez award even before he retired, or am I getting my chronology crossed up?
Conveniently Edmonds mentioned the Yankees by name to the St Louis Globe-Democrat, but wouldn’t name any of the other clubs. As I said this morning, he’s baiting the Cardinals Boras style.
Kevin S.
January 23rd, 2010 at 1:02 am
GB7, didn’t they start calling the DH Silver Slugger the Edgar Martinez award even before he retired, or am I getting my chronology crossed up?
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I think they just named the DH award. Should have been named the Ron Blomberg Award. Murphy and Wilhelm were the first of the two great relievers. Murphy in the late 30s thru mid-40s. He lost two years during the war. Murphy was in the top 4 saves leader in each of his first 10 years and led 4 times. Wilhelm was the only pure reliever to ever win an ERA title and did it as a rookie. 15-3 record and 11 saves. he was Rollie Fingers before Rollie Fingers.
Kevin S.
January 23rd, 2010 at 1:02 am
GB7, didn’t they start calling the DH Silver Slugger the Edgar Martinez award even before he retired, or am I getting my chronology crossed up?
At ‘Gar’s retirement ceremony, Selig announced that the Designated Hitter of the Year Award would forever be known as the Edgar Martinez Award.
I was there… balled my eyes out of course
CompassRosy, why would u cry over Edgar?
I think she was crying over Selig’s perfidy.
I think she’s an M’s fan…
I’d cry too if I was an M’s fan… although, this offseason would make me smile, lockin up Felix and trading for Lee.
I never saw a person wearing an M’s hat in the NJ/NYC/Philly area but I went to Portland OR last summer and saw a couple… I was in shock.
Regarding Damon. The Tigers had a 2009 payroll of 115M. If you look at the Tigers payroll commitment in 2010, they’re at about 115M already which doesn’t include Verlander’s arbitration case nor the full roster of 25 players salaries.
The Braves is who I think Boras might be targeting because their 2009 payroll was 95M. Right now with 15 players under contract their 2010 payroll is 77M. They have no arbitration cases, but still have some of those 10 remaining 25 MLB roster spots that should get more than the MLB minimum so their payroll can be between 82-84M without Damon. Depending on what type of payroll budget they have to work with, Damon to the Braves is a possibility. If I was them, I wouldn’t do it with those young outfielders in their system, but that GM hasn’t impressed me with his moves so far which means Boras could possibly hook him.
One of my coworkers (a Mets fan) is wearing the following t-shirt:
“I survived
The collapse of 07
The heartache of 08
The DL ridden year of 09
Lets Go Mets 2010″
Classic!
The abridged history of the Damon saga courtesy of El Duque.
http://johnsterling.blogspot.c.....eline.html
This is going to be a WIN, WIN, WIN situation.
.
WIN = Yankees get Damon as their leadoff hitter and LF for at least 2010, with an option for 2011
WIN = Johhnny gets to win at least 1 or 2 rings with the Bombers
WIN = Bor@$$ looks like a complete idiot when Damon has to accept an offer WAY less than the Yankees originally offered
WWW = So frickin’ SWEET !
Erica
funny Tshirt
hopefully your letter works
( more rings, I meant )
The answer on Damon has been in front of us all along.
“Damon” spelled backwards is “Nomad”. He’s movin” on.
MTU, so WRONG you will be, but we love ya just the same !
Erica-
Just in case JD doesn’t make it back I suggest PJO for you so you can still be happy. We just set him up in LF next to the real LF and you wont even notice the difference.
MTU
January 23rd, 2010 at 9:02 am
Erica-
Just in case JD doesn’t make it back I suggest PJO for you so you can still be happy. We just set him up in LF next to the real LF and you wont even notice the difference.
**************
Well, I did not win mega millions so I can’t buy Johnny Damon….. yet
Erica-
There are other ways to get Johnny back but they involve either Heap Big Magic, or significant moolah.
Erica ;
Try enlisting the help of Dustin Pedroia. Maybe he can help you get Damon. Cashman would just put the money aside for Carl Crawford in 2011.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD_bqXMO5aY
I finally figured it out.
The Braves sign Damon to a one year deal with incentives and a vesting option. Then they send Melky back to the Yankees for Sergio Mitre and Jonathan Albaladejo, saving about $ 2 million which is coincidentally what the Yankees allegedly have left in the budget.
Taa-daa