And the S53 award goes to...

Jack Torrance - Contributing Reporter

And the Award goes to...

Continuing off last year's award season. You can generally find the runs, HRs, RBIs, and AVG listed on the website when voting but we'll cover a few of the player's advanced stats; including their Cash points (fantasy points - offense focused), SB success rate (when relevant, attempted 15 or more), extra base hits, a player's wOBA (weighted on-base average), rc27 (runs created per 27 outs), and even a player's wRAA (weighed runs above average). All in the effort to see how each individual effected the games they played. Players in bold is our predicted winner.

MVP

We'll start off with the MVP race. (listed in order from website)

• AL - It's a tough battle with 5 MVP choices once again coming from 3 different teams. Atlanta still has both Crain & Moss, but adds in S53 trade addition of T.J. Christenson. Colorado's Josmil Velazquez is added into the mix and once again we find Philly's Al Cervantes on the list. I don't think defense carries as much weight as it should in the voter's hearts, but if they do you to just remember that Moss and Cervantes played 2B, and Crain caught 82 games behind the plate this season. We'll get a chance to see all 5 men in the playoffs this season. In the end, the writer is going with Crain as he didn't have the thin air helping his numbers compared to Velazquez, but still a GREAT showing by him. Cervantes is a close 3rd with Moss and Christenson a distant 4th and 5th. 
• Kyle Crain (C/DH)- Predicted Winner
• Cash points - 655
• xBH - 83
• wRAA - 67.2
• wOBA - .451
• RC27 - 9.07
• SB% - irrelevant 
• Josmil Velazquez (1B)
• Cash points - 691
• xBH - 81
• wRAA - 66.8
• wOBA - .438
• RC27 - 8.85
• SB% - irrelevant 
• Al Cervantes (2B)
• Cash points - 620
• xBH - 92
• wRAA - 55.2
• wOBA - .417
• RC27 - 8.55
• SB% - 55% success
• Matty Moss (2B)
• Cash points - 542
• xBH - 63
• wRAA - 29.8
• wOBA - .382
• RC27 - 8.03
• SB% -  94.7% success 
• TJ Christenson (LF)
• Cash points - 509
• xBH - 63
• wRAA - 23.9
• wOBA - .373
• RC27 - 6.7
• SB% - 77.3% success  
• NL - Seems a changing of the guard in the NL with only Keith Halter a name we are used to seeing here. But still a mixed bag with a bunch of infielders, two 1Bs, a 2Bs, a 3B, and the lone outfielder. And once again a much closer race than the AL, as a case could be made for each of the men on this list. But no Tarraga makes me worried for the future of Cobbfather. 
• Keith Halter (1B)
• Cash points - 624.5
• xBH - 87
• wRAA - 37.7
• wOBA - .391
• RC27 - 6.9
• SB% - 76.9% (30 of 39)
• Warren Cobb (LF)- Predicted Winner
• Cash points - 589.5
• xBH - 78
• wRAA - 48.4
• wOBA - .411
• RC27 - 8.28
• SB% - 81.4% (48 of 59)
• Juancito Martin (2B)
• Cash points - 536
• xBH - 63
• wRAA - 39.3
• wOBA - .397
• RC27 - 7.8
• SB% - 66.7% (20 of 30)
  
• Flirted with .350 for 95% of the season until a late cold streak knocked him back.
• Rip Bromberg (3B)
• Cash points - 516.5
• xBH - 48
• wRAA - 28.9
• wOBA - .377
• RC27 - 6.68
• SB% - 68.8% (22 of 32)
• Tomas Urias (1B)
• Cash points - 484
• xBH - 71
• wRAA - 49.2
• wOBA - .418
• RC27 - 8.04
• SB% - 55.2% (16 of 29)

Cy Young

Next we have the Cy Young award. This time we'll be looking at a few advanced stats such as ERA+, FIP, Weighted Cash points to neutralize park factors. In the future, if we can figure out why our WAR numbers are so off, we'll include those as well. But for now we'll include K/BB and Quality Starts or Inherited Runners Scored as well. A reminder on ERA+, the average is 100 and anything above 100 indicates the pitcher performed better than average while below performed worse than average. Score of 150 would be 50% better than average. The FIP focuses solely on the events a pitcher has the most control over: K, BB, HBP, and HR. 

• AL - Two of Atlanta's rotation pieces make the list again, but this time it's not JC Wall. Reigning AL Cy Young winner William Thompson leads the charge. This time with teammate Damaso Ethier, both of whom won 20+ games this season. The Big Apple sees Louis Conley back on the list, been awhile since we've seen that name. Monterrey has Yovani Parraz and Philly follows up with Nick Shackelford. Shackelford shouldn't be underestimated just because he doesn't have the Ws. 
• William Thompson - Predicted Winner
• ERA+ - 167
• FIP - 3.26
• Cash - 488
• K/BB - 2.78
• QS - 26
• Damaso Ethier
• ERA+ - 141
• FIP - 3.03
• Cash - 460
• K/BB - 3.43
• QS - 22
• Louis Conley
• ERA+ - 145
• FIP - 3.25
• Cash - 485
• K/BB - 3.2
• QS - 21
• Yovani Parraz
• ERA+ - 130
• FIP - 4.36
• Cash - 396
• K/BB - 1.96
• QS - 23
• Nick Shackelford
• ERA+ - 187
• FIP - 3.34
• Cash - 336
• K/BB - 3.03
• QS - 19
• NL - What a difference a year makes. All four starters (of New Orleans') who were on this last year failed to repeat, though Swann was close. Nigel White proves a smart addition and worth the $30M Hartford is paying him this year by being one of the two 20 game winners in the NL. New Orleans' bullpen not to be out done as Ronnie Andrews on the Cy Young list this year and makes a strong case. Chicago's Alton Drew just misses 20 games but provides he deserves to be on the list. Next up with have two starters from Buffalo. Sidenote - Hartford v Buffalo in the NLDS is going to be one of the best pitcher duals we've seen in Cobbfather history, but Hartford shouldn't forget about Pittsburgh yet. By the numbers I want to go Drew but White looks SO great on the surface. I love Andrews' season especially how his starters fell a part compared to last year, but only three relievers have won a Cy Young and none since S15; I don't think voters take too kindly to Closers for the Cy no matter how well they pitched. 
• Nigel White - Predicted Winner
• ERA+ - 225
• FIP - 2.44
• Cash - 477
• K/BB - 4.36
• QS - 21
• Ronnie Andrews
• ERA+ - 249
• FIP - 2.00
• Cash - RPs just don't compare well with SPs in the Cash system.
• K/BB - 3
  
• Saved 46 of 48 chances. 
• Inherited Runners Scored - 0 of 5.
• He typically started off the 9th so nobody on.
• Alton Drew
• ERA+ - 183
• FIP - 2.79
• Cash - 531
• K/BB - 3.23
• QS - 27
• Del Vicideo
• ERA+ - 132
• FIP - 3.79
• Cash - 461
• K/BB - 2.68
• QS - 25
• Gregor Lopez
• ERA+ - 138
• FIP - 4.22
• Cash - 377
• K/BB - 3.14
• QS - 18

Rookie of the Year

And you can't forget our about Rookies. This one gets a little trickier as the list often mixes pitchers with hitters. But we'll do the best we can. 

• AL - Complete flip of last season where we now find ourselves looking at Four Pitchers and a Catcher. This better not get X rated. Atlanta once again proves how deep their rebuild was and adds Starter  Quilvivio Infante and closer Stephen Ramirez to the list. They are followed by Houston's ace Mitch Dillard. Next we have the Monterrey catcher, David Andrus. And finally Roger Simon of Huntington who we expect to see in quite a few Cy Young lists in the year's to come but sadly he'll be the only one on the list watching the playoffs from the comfort of his own couch. I think it's a close one between Ramirez's ability to save the pen for Atlanta and Simon's 20 QSs in 33 Starts. 
• Stephen Ramirez (RP) - Predicted Winner
• ERA+ - 452
• Nearly unheard of being this high. Was he using a substance the entire season?
• FIP - 3.49
• Cash points - 244
• K/BB - 1.94
• Saved 31 of 32 chances. 
• Inherited Runners Scored - 4 of 16.
• Quilivio Infante (SP)
• ERA+ - 108
• FIP - 3.81
• Cash - 333
• K/BB - 2.36
• QS - 14
• Mitch Dillard (SP) 
• ERA+ - 131
• FIP - 3.30
• Cash - 323
• K/BB - 3.39
• QS - 10
• David Andrus (C)
• Cash points - 414
• xBH - 54
• wRAA - 40.2
• wOBA - .420
• RC27 - 8.65
• SB% - irrelevant 
• Had he been called up sooner, we might be talking about him on the AL MVP list this season as well. 
• Roger Simon (SP)
• ERA+ - 136
• FIP - 3.64
• Cash - 419
• K/BB - 3.2
• QS - 20
• NL - Lots of up and coming pitching this year, similar to the AL; the NL had three pitchers on the Rookie list lead by New Orleans' Danys Solis. The guy the NOOFs traded to Hartford, Gabriel Quixote, and Portland's Mike Young. Added to the list of two 1Bs; San Juan's Sticky Baez and OKC's Emilio Molina who was in the top for NL MVP for awhile before a late cold streak hit. 
  
• Danys Solis (P) - Predicted Winner
• Split time in the rotation and the bullpen
• ERA+ - 142
• The list is short of those who scored above 140, including many All-Stars.
• FIP - 3.95
• Cash - 265
• K/BB - 2.34
• QS - 9 (of 18)
• Inherited Runners Scored - 3 of 11.
• Gabriel Quixote (SP)
• ERA+ - 115
• FIP - 4.25
• Cash - 321
• K/BB - 2.39
• QS - 15 (of 32)
• Mike Young (RP)
• ERA+ - 110
• FIP - 3.33
• Cash points - 219
• Saved 36 of 43 chances. 
• Inherited Runners Scored - 6 of 12.
• Sticky Baez (1B)
• Cash points - 456
• xBH - 55
• wRAA - 32.4
• wOBA - .392
• RC27 - 7.21
• SB% - irrelevant 
• Voters love power, and Sticky's 28 HR, 102 RBI, on a .311 average will be tough to not vote for. 
• Emilio Molina (1B)
• Cash points - 421
• xBH - 57
• wRAA - 13.2
• wOBA - .353
• RC27 - 6.1
• SB% - 85% success (45 of 53)

Cash Points

The top 20 hitters players under the Cash system are:

1. 691 - Josmil Velazquez (Colo - 1B) 
2. 655 - Kyle Crain (Atl - C)
3. 625 - Keith Halter (Colu - 1B)
4. 621 - Al Cervantes (Phi - 2B)
5. 617 - Omar Gonzalez (Toy - 1B)
6. 590 - Warren Cobb (Hart - LF)
7. 588 - Olmedo Nunez (WDC - 1B)
8. 584 - Carlos Soto (Hou - 2B)
9. 566 - Douglas Laxton (NO - RF)
10. 559 - Yangervis Rosa (Toy - C)
11. 551 - Harry Padilla (NY - 2B)
12. 542 - Matty Moss (Atl - 2B)
13. 539 - Jose Pena (Ana - DH)
14. 538 - Grayson Lowry (Hunt - 3B)
15. 538 - Alex Perez (Mont - DH)
16. 536 - Juancito Martin (NO - 2B)
17. 535 - Andy McLaughlin (Dov - CF)
18. 532 - Alex Tarraga (Buf - 1B)
19. 523 - Tom Hines (Hart - 1B)
20. 520 - Shea Crowe (Chi - 2B)

And the bottom 10 hitters with at least 300 ABs are. As always it's filled with SS, let's hope they provide the defense to make up for these poor numbers at the plate. 

1. -31 - Garabez Belliard (Hart - SS)
1. -71.5 wRAA
2. 65 - Matty Doubront (Mil - SS)
1. -52.4  wRAA
3. 67 - Albert Leon (Toy - SS)
1. -20  wRAA
4. 84 - Yuniesky Lima (Ana - SS)
1. -31.3  wRAA
5. 85 - Jimmie Sosa (Toy - SS)
1. -18.7  wRAA

The top 20 pitchers under the cash system are:

1. 531 - Alton Drew (Chi)
2. 488 - William Thompson (Atl)
3. 485 - Louis Conley (NY)
4. 477 - Nigel White (Hart)
5. 470 - Rico Bonilla (NO)
6. 468 - Alan Street (Colu)
7. 462 - Zephyr Gross (Atl)
8. 461 - Del Vicideo (Buf)
9. 460 - Damaso Ethier (Atl)
10. 448 - Jiovanni Poole (NY)
11. 438 - Brian Fukudome (Chi)
12. 438 - Koyie Ward (Col Sp)
13. 435 - J.C. Wall (Atl)
14. 433 - Tom Brownson (Wash DC)
15. 422 - Doc Cortes (NO)
16. 419 - Roger Simon (Hunt)
17. 419 - Joaquin Owen (Phi)
18. 416 - Pedro Puello (OKC)
19. 409 - Jose Carrasco (Van)
20. 408 - Frank Kim (Min)