Along with all the normal awards, BSB has also cast votes for the “pleasant surprises” and most
disappointing players in each league in 2010. So, before we get to the MVP awards in a day or two, here are the players that didn’t do what we expected this season, for better or worse.
NL Pleasant Surprise Player of the Year:
BRY:
- Carlos Gonzalez-COL (.336, 34 HR)
- Mat Latos-SD (2.92 ERA, 14 wins)
- Aubrey Huff-SF (.290, 26 HR)
- Brett Myers-HOU (3.14 ERA, 14 wins)
- Omar Infante-ATL (.321)
- R.A. Dickey-NYM (2.84 ERA, 11 wins)
- Hunter Pence-HOU (.282, 25 HR)
- Pat Burrell-SF (.252, 20 HR)
DOOGAN:
- R.A. Dickey-NYM
- Aubrey Huff-SF
- Kelly Johnson-ARZ (.284, 26 HR)
- Andres Torres-SF (16 HR, 26 SB)
- Carlos Ruiz-PHI (.302, .400 OBP)
Not including Gonzalez was probably an oversight by me, but I think after he dominated the Phillies in the ’09 LDS, I was expecting a good year from him. Not THAT good, though. That season from Dickey came out of absolutely nowhere.
AL Pleasant Surprise Player of the Year:
BRY:
- Jose Bautista-TOR (54 HR, 124 RBI)
- Adrian Beltre-BOS (.321, 28 HR)
- Trevor Cahill-OAK (2.97 ERA, 18 wins)
- C.J. Wilson-TEX (3.35 ERA, 15 wins)
- Colby Lewis-TEX (3.72 ERA, 12 wins)
- Dallas Braden-OAK (3.50 ERA, 11 wins)
- Shaun Marcum-TOR (.3.64 ERA, 13 wins)
- Gio Gonzalez-OAK (3.23 ERA, 15 wins)
- Jered Weaver-LAA (3.01 ERA, 13 wins)
- Brett Cecil-TOR (4.22 ERA, 15 wins)
DOOGAN:
- Jose Bautista-TOR
- Colby Lewis-TEX
- Carl Pavano-MIN (3.75 ERA, 17 wins)
- Delmon Young-MIN (.298, 21 HR)
- Brett Gardner-NYY (.383 OBP, 47 SB)
As Bry said, Bautista was the easiest choice for any award. The 29-year-old’s career high in HR was 16 before he launched 54 this year. Bry put 8 pitchers along with Bautista and Beltre. Colby Lewis makes second on my list after spending the last couple of years in Japan before playing a key role in the rotation of a division champion for Texas this year.
NL Disappointing Player of the Year:
Minaya is gone, but his handiwork remains!
- Jason Bay-NYM (.259, 6 HR)
- Danny Haren-ARZ/LAA (3.91 ERA, 12 losses)
- Justin Upton-ARZ (.273, 17 HR)
- Aaron Rowand-SF (.230)
- Jose Reyes-NYM (.321 OBP)
- Derek Lee-CHC/ATL (.260, 19 HR)
- Pablo Sandoval-SF (.268, 13 HR)
- Jonathan Broxton-LAD (4.04 ERA)
- Paul Maholm-PIT (5.10 ERA, 15 losses)
- Dexter Fowler-COL (.260, 13 SB)
DOOGAN:
- Pablo Sandoval-SF
- Jonathan Broxton-LAD
- Pedro Feliz-HOU/STL (.218, 5 HR)
- Kyle Lohse-STL (6.55 ERA in 18 starts)
- Chris Coghlan-FLA (.268)
Another oversight by me by not having Bay on this list. Sandoval’s average dropped over 60 points, and his home runs were cut in half from ’09. Last year’s NL Rookie of the Year, Coghlan, saw his average drop over 50 points.
AL Disappointing Player of the Year:
BRY:
- Josh Beckett-BOS (5.78 ERA, 6 wins in 21 starts)
- Javier Vazquez-NYY (5.32 ERA, 10 losses)
- Chone Figgins-SEA (.259)
- Zack Greinke-KC (4.17 ERA, 14 losses)
- Jake Peavy-CHW (4.63 ERA in 17 starts)
- B.J. Upton-TB (.237)
- Pat Burrell-TB (.202, 2 HR with Rays)
- Bobby Abreu-LAA (.255)
- Carlos Pena-TB (.196)
- Scott Kazmir-LAA (5.94 ERA, 15 losses)
DOOGAN:
- Josh Beckett-BOS
- Scott Kazmir-LAA
- Ben Zobrist-TB (.238, 10 HR)
- Javier Vazquez-NYY
- Zack Greinke-KC
By all accounts, Beckett is not a good guy, so it’s nice to see him take the unanimous Disappointing Player award. Vazquez and Figgins were new acquisition busts. I know Kazmir had some injuries, but he’s still only 26 so it’s pretty surprising that his career looks like its on the ropes after some really good years for Tampa. Speaking of the Rays, maybe Joe Maddon did a better job than we realize, considering 4 of his players appear on these two lists and they still ended up with the best record in the AL. The one player on my list that Bry doesn’t have, Zobrist, saw his average drop 60 points and home runs drop from 27 to 10.
