The team MVP came down to three people. Evan Dawley, Kris Krstich and Randy Nettles all received multiple votes for the Team MVP. In the end we ended up with a tie between Dawley and Nettles.
Dawley has won this award now for the fourth time in his five years on the team and this is the third straight year for him. Evan is always one of the team's best offensive and defensive players. He hits for a high average, gets on base and of course hits for power. Defensively he is a brick wall behind the plate. He even played some games at first and third this year, showing his versatility.
Nettles wins this award for the first time in his Cubs career. Like Evan, Randy hits for both average and power and gets on base. Nettles also played a good third and first base throughout the season. Nettles also won the team's Offensive Player of the Year award this year and a Most Dedicated Player award.
Other past winners of this award include: Dave Cordova, Bill Bode (twice), and Derek Elsner (twice).
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Most Improved and Most Dedicated Players
Both of these awards are very subjective and in turn they get a wide range of different people voted for. This year each recieved votes for 5 different players and each came out with a tie.
For Most Improved some people look at year over year but others also look at from the start of the season to the end. This year Mike Dawson, Steve Girodat, Tom Girodat, Jimmy Roehm and Jason Westphal all revieved votes. Tying with the most votes though was Mike Dawson and Tom Girodat. Tom has won the award two other times, in 2005 and 2006. In 2008 though Tom saw more time behind the plate than in previous years and also set some career highs with the bat as well (doubles, triples and RBI). Mike Dawson won the award for the first time. Mike started the year just 6 months after ACL surgery and was very limited in what he could do on the field. Throughout the year he was able to get back in the field on defense and on the mound to help the team. Despite this Mike set a career high with 7 doubles and tied career highs in RBI and walks. He also threw his first complete game in 6 years. Past winners of this award include: Jerry DiGiovanni, Tom Girodat (twice) and Randy Nettles.
For the most Dedicated Player there was a three-way tie between Steve Girodat, Randy Nettles and Dave Reitman. Jimmy Roehm and Jon VanSon also recieved votes. With manager Mike Dawson not being at 100% of the games a lot of different guys stepped up to help. When Dawson wasn't there Reitman took the reins as acting manager with the help from the likes of Nettles and Girodat. Giordat played in a career high 33 games, missing just one game. Despite missing some games Nettles is always a team leader both on and off the field. Past winners of this award include: Bill Bode, Charles O'Loughlin, Jeremy Oxford, Dave Reitman and Randy Nettles.
For Most Improved some people look at year over year but others also look at from the start of the season to the end. This year Mike Dawson, Steve Girodat, Tom Girodat, Jimmy Roehm and Jason Westphal all revieved votes. Tying with the most votes though was Mike Dawson and Tom Girodat. Tom has won the award two other times, in 2005 and 2006. In 2008 though Tom saw more time behind the plate than in previous years and also set some career highs with the bat as well (doubles, triples and RBI). Mike Dawson won the award for the first time. Mike started the year just 6 months after ACL surgery and was very limited in what he could do on the field. Throughout the year he was able to get back in the field on defense and on the mound to help the team. Despite this Mike set a career high with 7 doubles and tied career highs in RBI and walks. He also threw his first complete game in 6 years. Past winners of this award include: Jerry DiGiovanni, Tom Girodat (twice) and Randy Nettles.
For the most Dedicated Player there was a three-way tie between Steve Girodat, Randy Nettles and Dave Reitman. Jimmy Roehm and Jon VanSon also recieved votes. With manager Mike Dawson not being at 100% of the games a lot of different guys stepped up to help. When Dawson wasn't there Reitman took the reins as acting manager with the help from the likes of Nettles and Girodat. Giordat played in a career high 33 games, missing just one game. Despite missing some games Nettles is always a team leader both on and off the field. Past winners of this award include: Bill Bode, Charles O'Loughlin, Jeremy Oxford, Dave Reitman and Randy Nettles.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Rookie of the Year
The Rookie of the Year award was also won in a landslide by Kris Krstich. However, like the pitcher of the year award the margin of victory does not diminish the contributions by the other Cubs rookies in 2008. The 2008 rookier crop for the Cubs was probably one of the best group of players the team has ever had.
Krsitch won the award not only based on his pitching strength (see Pitcher of the Year writeup for stats) but also his hitting and fielding. When he wasn't pitching Krstich was the team's primary first basemen but also had the ability to move to the outfield when needed. Krstich hit .303 with a .409 OBP. He drove in 22 runs, scored 18 times and walked 18 times as well.
The other rookies included Steve Gordon (see Pitcher of the Year writeup for stats), Matt Cook and Jimmy Roehm. Cook came to the team as a utility player who could play the infield, outfield and catcher and the Cubs used him in every one of those capacities throughout the year. Cook also gave the Cubs speed as he stole 14 bases in 23 games played. Cook also scored 22 times and had a .395 OBP. Roehm started the year as a back for the Cubs but quickly proved he deserved some playing time. However, after playing in only 9 games Roehm tore his labrum diving back to a bag and was out for the rest of the year. In his time though Roehm hit .348 with 2 doubles, 5 RBI, 7 runs scored and a .444 OBP.
Past winners of the Rookie of the Year award include: Steve Girodat, Jon VanSon, Adam Kline, Jason Rider and Yuki Minigawa.
Krsitch won the award not only based on his pitching strength (see Pitcher of the Year writeup for stats) but also his hitting and fielding. When he wasn't pitching Krstich was the team's primary first basemen but also had the ability to move to the outfield when needed. Krstich hit .303 with a .409 OBP. He drove in 22 runs, scored 18 times and walked 18 times as well.
The other rookies included Steve Gordon (see Pitcher of the Year writeup for stats), Matt Cook and Jimmy Roehm. Cook came to the team as a utility player who could play the infield, outfield and catcher and the Cubs used him in every one of those capacities throughout the year. Cook also gave the Cubs speed as he stole 14 bases in 23 games played. Cook also scored 22 times and had a .395 OBP. Roehm started the year as a back for the Cubs but quickly proved he deserved some playing time. However, after playing in only 9 games Roehm tore his labrum diving back to a bag and was out for the rest of the year. In his time though Roehm hit .348 with 2 doubles, 5 RBI, 7 runs scored and a .444 OBP.
Past winners of the Rookie of the Year award include: Steve Girodat, Jon VanSon, Adam Kline, Jason Rider and Yuki Minigawa.
Pitcher of the Year
Along with the Cubs Rookie of the Year award the Pitcher of the Year award was the most lopsided award in the voting. Kris Krstich ran away with the award garnering 88% of the vote.
Kris was by far the teams most dependable starter as he started 11 games for the Cubs and threw over 64 innings. He went 5-2 with a Cubs record 1.08 ERA. He struck out 46 and allowed only 52 hits in those 64+ innings.
Despite the lopsided voting the Cubs had a number of other deserving pitchers that could have been considered for the award. Steve Gordon started 6 games for the Cubs striking out 40 in 40 1/3 innings with a 1.56 ERA. Chris Baroli started 5 games going 3-1 with 28 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings and a 1.38 ERA.
The Cubs overall pitching staff was supurb this year with an ERA of 1.67 and a WHIP of 1.28.
Past winners of the Pitching of Year award include: Mike Dawson, Bill Bode, Jake Green, Jason Westphal, Dustin McElroy, Dave Theriault and Yuki Minigawa.
Kris was by far the teams most dependable starter as he started 11 games for the Cubs and threw over 64 innings. He went 5-2 with a Cubs record 1.08 ERA. He struck out 46 and allowed only 52 hits in those 64+ innings.
Despite the lopsided voting the Cubs had a number of other deserving pitchers that could have been considered for the award. Steve Gordon started 6 games for the Cubs striking out 40 in 40 1/3 innings with a 1.56 ERA. Chris Baroli started 5 games going 3-1 with 28 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings and a 1.38 ERA.
The Cubs overall pitching staff was supurb this year with an ERA of 1.67 and a WHIP of 1.28.
Past winners of the Pitching of Year award include: Mike Dawson, Bill Bode, Jake Green, Jason Westphal, Dustin McElroy, Dave Theriault and Yuki Minigawa.
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