Just kidding. Your Managers of the Year are Joe Maddon and Lou Piniella. Considering how utterly poor a job Piniella did with the Cubs in October, I’m amused by this award. Perhaps Major League Baseball should consider handing out the hardware earlier in the fall. It’s not like the Hot Stove League is wanting for news. Anyway, it looks like the voters managed to pick only managers this time around as well with Dale Sveum, whose team went 7-5 in the 12 games he managed, pulling down a third-place vote.
Longoria, Soto take home ROY honors
No surprise here, these two were clearly the head of the rookie class in their respective leagues. Here’s where it gets ridiculous though: Edinson Volquez received three second place votes despite NOT EVEN BEING ELIGIBLE FOR THE FREAKING AWARD!!! He passed the rookie limit of 50 IP last September, yet some esteemed members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America decided he was so awesome that his eligiblity should be prolonged.
These people are paid to write about baseball. What a joke.
Pat Venditte takes home MiLBY
Venditte, the Yanks’ 20th round pick in 2008, took home the Minor League Yearly Award for Best Reliever in a Short Season League. The ambidexterous hurler made will be remembered for an exchange with a switch hitter, but he was untouchable on the mound: 32.2 IP, 13 H, 3 ER, 10 BB, 42 K, .117 BAA, and a league leading 23 saves. Congrats to Pat. MiLBY today, Cy Young tomorrow.
Wang selected as one of Taiwan’s Most Outstanding Young Men
Via The Taiwan News, Chien-Ming Wang was one of ten people selected as Taiwan’s Most Outstanding Young Men & Women for 2008. “Wang’s fighting spirit and superior career achievements have made him a role model for young people in Taiwan,” said Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng, one of the judges. The award presentation ceremony will be held November 21st. Congrats to the Wanger.
Trenton takes home MiLBY Award
Via Mike Ashmore, Double-A Trenton won the 2008 Minor League Baseball Yearly Award (MiLBY) for the Double-A level. Basically it’s the award for best team Double-A team, which the Thunder certainly earned by winning their second consecutive Eastern League Championship. Last month the Yankees renewed their Player Development Contract with Trenton for another 6 years, which hopefully means many more EL titles and MiLBY’s to come.
2008 Minor League Awards
Another minor league season is in the books, but this year was a bit more tumultuous than last. I’d say more guys underperformed and disappointed than stepped up this year, which is the exact opposite of what happened last year. Graduation, injuries and ineffectiveness have been prevalent, but there have certainly been some bright spots.
Yankees’ affiliates combined to go 485-348 this year, good for a .582 winning percentage, marking at least the 17th consecutive season the affiliates have combined for an above .500 record. I say at least because B-Ref’s data only goes back to 1992, and I’m not going to spend the time to keep digging further. Take a second to get your head around how ridiculous a combined .582 winning percentage is – that’s better than a 94 win pace in a 162-game season. Insane.
Keep in mind that this isn’t some kind of best prospect list, it’s a recognition of the guys who had great years, regardless of prospect status. In order to keep things from getting redundant, the winner of the Player of the Year award isn’t eligible for the other major awards. Fun starts after the jump.
Yanks’ prospects sweep minor league pitching awards
Drumroll please…
Ian Patrick Kennedy-Jaskowiak was named Minor League Pitcher of the Year, edging out the Twins’ Kevin Slowey, who was runner-up for the second straight year. I have to say, I find this especially gratifying since I spent countless hours (okay fine, countless minutes) last year rebutting emails proclaiming how bad of a pick IPK-J was.
Edwar Ramirez took home Minor League Reliever of the Year honors, just a year removed from eating peanut butter & jelly sandwiches after his Indy ball games. You know the numbers, but they’re so sick I’ll repeat’em anyway: 56.2 IP, 26 H, 102 K. Crazy.
Congrats gents, now go win the World Series. (kidding)