Friday, October 21, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
World Series Showdown: Texas Draw Cards
Two franchises from completely different backgrounds, one rich in tradition and winning while the other still looking to find their place among baseball history. Two teams that took far different roads to get back here, one taking an improbable up the wild card standings, the other winning their second straight division title, convincingly.
The St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers are set to square off in the 2011 Fall Classic in a series that should be one for the ages.
Texas Rangers at St. Louis Cardinals:
After feeling the bitter pain of losing in their first World Series appearance a year ago to the San Francisco Giants, the Rangers have come back with vengeance and find themselves in their second straight Fall Classic. With thirteen returning players from last year's World Series roster, Texas is determined to not let this one slip away.
The Ranger's offense has been stagnant for most of the postseason, but came to life in the series-clinching Game 6 against the Detroit Tigers in the ALCS. They scored 15 runs on 17 hits that included a nine-run third inning. Nelson Cruz has six playoff home runs for the second straight postseason and was honored as the ALCS MVP. He along with Josh Hamilton, who has yet to hit a home run this postseason mainly due to his recent groin injury, will need to be the two that protect the middle of the order.
Many questioned manager Ron Washington's decision to keep Michael Young in the cleanup spot, but he silenced the critics after Young's big Game 6, tallying 5 RBIs. Offseason acquisitions Adrian Beltre and Mike Napoli are both playing in their first World Series and will need to swing the bat like they have all season if Texas is overcome a unbelievably hot St. Louis team.
Texas' starting rotation hasn't fared well in this postseason and could be tested mightily by the best offense in the National League this season. It's the bullpen that holds the key to success in this series for Washington and Co. In their 42 and 2/3 innings this postseason they have accumulated a 2.34 ERA.
The Rangers have added starters Alexi Ogando and Scott Feldman, who won 17 games for Texas in 2009, to their 'pen to go along with 2010 Rookie of the Year, Neftali Feliz.
General manager Jon Daniels also traded for relievers Mike Gonzalez, Koji Uehara and Mike Adams during this season, giving Washington the ability to mix and match late in the game, something Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is famous for doing and could loom large with four potential games in the NL style of play.
In a baseball city that rivals all others, St. Louis will be roaring for Game 1 of the World Series. The Cardinals offense was not only among the best in the NL, but throughout the majors. They were in the top ten in runs (762), batting average (.273), on-base percentage (.341) and slugging percentage (.425), but have taken their game to new heights in the postseason.
Third baseman David Frees, who is fresh on his NLCS MVP honors, is leading the team with a .425 average, 4 home runs and 14 RBIs. Free-agent-to be, Albert Pujols, is second in all three categories, but it will be the bats of Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman that need to come alive. Berkman and Holliday are two of six Cardinals that have at least one home run this postseason, but will need to provide more pop to contend with the high octane offense in Texas.
While Holliday has batted .375 in his ten games this postseason, Berkman has struggled to find his stride, batting .237 in his 38 at-bats.
Skip Schumaker missed the entire NLCS due to an oblique tweak, but batted .600 in the NLDS, including driving in the only run of the decisive Game 5 against the Phillies. He has been added to the World Series roster and could prove to be a huge addition to this Cardinal team.
Much like Texas, St. Louis has seen their rotation scuffle, becoming the first team in postseason history to have win a playoff series without having a starter go past five innings.
Jake Westbrook has been added to the roster in favor of reliever-turned-starter-turned-reliever Kyle McClellan to help mend a struggling starting staff. On the other hand, the 'pen for La Russa has been unbelievable, posting a 2.55 ERA in their 42 and 2/3 innings of work and it could be better if it weren't for some rough outings in the Cardinals' 11-6 loss in Game 1 of the NLDS to Philadelphia.
Berkman and Texas' Game 1 starter C.J. Wilson were involved in some preseason controversy and now find themselves fighting for the right to call themselves the best in baseball. Who would have thought? This series could be a battle of the bullpens and with some inclement weather in the forecast this should make for an intriguing World Series.
TEX X-Factor: C.J. Wilson
STL X-Factor: Skip Schumaker
St. Louis in Seven.
The St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers are set to square off in the 2011 Fall Classic in a series that should be one for the ages.
Texas Rangers at St. Louis Cardinals:
After feeling the bitter pain of losing in their first World Series appearance a year ago to the San Francisco Giants, the Rangers have come back with vengeance and find themselves in their second straight Fall Classic. With thirteen returning players from last year's World Series roster, Texas is determined to not let this one slip away.
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| Wilson has struggled this postseason, going 0-2 with a 8.04 ERA in his three starts |
Many questioned manager Ron Washington's decision to keep Michael Young in the cleanup spot, but he silenced the critics after Young's big Game 6, tallying 5 RBIs. Offseason acquisitions Adrian Beltre and Mike Napoli are both playing in their first World Series and will need to swing the bat like they have all season if Texas is overcome a unbelievably hot St. Louis team.
Texas' starting rotation hasn't fared well in this postseason and could be tested mightily by the best offense in the National League this season. It's the bullpen that holds the key to success in this series for Washington and Co. In their 42 and 2/3 innings this postseason they have accumulated a 2.34 ERA.
The Rangers have added starters Alexi Ogando and Scott Feldman, who won 17 games for Texas in 2009, to their 'pen to go along with 2010 Rookie of the Year, Neftali Feliz.
General manager Jon Daniels also traded for relievers Mike Gonzalez, Koji Uehara and Mike Adams during this season, giving Washington the ability to mix and match late in the game, something Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is famous for doing and could loom large with four potential games in the NL style of play.
In a baseball city that rivals all others, St. Louis will be roaring for Game 1 of the World Series. The Cardinals offense was not only among the best in the NL, but throughout the majors. They were in the top ten in runs (762), batting average (.273), on-base percentage (.341) and slugging percentage (.425), but have taken their game to new heights in the postseason.
Third baseman David Frees, who is fresh on his NLCS MVP honors, is leading the team with a .425 average, 4 home runs and 14 RBIs. Free-agent-to be, Albert Pujols, is second in all three categories, but it will be the bats of Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman that need to come alive. Berkman and Holliday are two of six Cardinals that have at least one home run this postseason, but will need to provide more pop to contend with the high octane offense in Texas.
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| Schumaker adds a toughness and different dimension to La Russa's lineup. |
Skip Schumaker missed the entire NLCS due to an oblique tweak, but batted .600 in the NLDS, including driving in the only run of the decisive Game 5 against the Phillies. He has been added to the World Series roster and could prove to be a huge addition to this Cardinal team.
Much like Texas, St. Louis has seen their rotation scuffle, becoming the first team in postseason history to have win a playoff series without having a starter go past five innings.
Jake Westbrook has been added to the roster in favor of reliever-turned-starter-turned-reliever Kyle McClellan to help mend a struggling starting staff. On the other hand, the 'pen for La Russa has been unbelievable, posting a 2.55 ERA in their 42 and 2/3 innings of work and it could be better if it weren't for some rough outings in the Cardinals' 11-6 loss in Game 1 of the NLDS to Philadelphia.
Berkman and Texas' Game 1 starter C.J. Wilson were involved in some preseason controversy and now find themselves fighting for the right to call themselves the best in baseball. Who would have thought? This series could be a battle of the bullpens and with some inclement weather in the forecast this should make for an intriguing World Series.
TEX X-Factor: C.J. Wilson
STL X-Factor: Skip Schumaker
St. Louis in Seven.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Cards Soar Into Fall Classic
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| Jason Motte, left, and Yadier Molina celebrate the Cardinals' 18th NL pennant. |
Like they have all series long, the St. Louis Cardinals struck first with a four-run first inning, capped off by a three-run home run off the bat of sizzling David Freese. It was the first time in postseason history a team had scored first in the first six games of a LCS.
The Cardinals and Brewers would go back and forth, having a home run derby through the first three innings, hitting six home runs combined. It was the first time in major league history that two teams had hit six home runs combined through a games first three innings. To top it off, 9 of the first 10 runs scored were tallied via the long ball.
The first run of the game was scored when John Jay crossed the plate on a RBI single Lance Berkman in the first, giving way to home run mania.
After Cards starter Edwin Jackson only was able to complete two innings, manager Tony La Russa called on five different relievers to get the game's final 21 outs and secure their second World Series appearance in the last six years and third in the last eight.
With La Russa's five pitching changes Sunday, that gave him 28 total for the LCS, the most ever in a postseason series. His starters failed to go more than five innings in all six games of the series, becoming the first team in postseason history to win a playoff series without having a starter pitch into the sixth inning.
Chris Carpenter, who was coming off a three-hit shutout of the Philadelphia Phillies, recorded the only win of the series, that coming in Game 3 after being a spotted a 4-0 lead in the first inning.
But even Carpenter couldn't get past the fifth inning.
It's ironic that the achilles heel of this St. Louis team at the beginning of the season has become a strength, here in the postseason. After suffering the loss of ace Adam Wainwright in February and having to release closer Ryan Franklin, who was an All-Star for the club in 2009, in June, the Cards pitching staff was in shambles.
A trade at this year's July 31st Trading Dealine by general manager John Mozeliak changed the fate of the Cardinal team.
Mozeliak dealt his controversial, but talented center fielder, Colby Rasmus, to the Toronto Blue Jays in a three-team deal that allowed St. Louis to acquire Edwin Jackson, Octavio Dotel and Marc Rzepczynski, all whom have been key components to the Redbirds reaching the Fall Classic this season.
That trade might have sparked their improbable run to get to this point. On Aug. 24, St. Louis was 10 1/2 games behind the NL wild card leading Atlanta Braves and started the month of September 8 1/2 back. St. Louis went 23-9 in their final 32 regular season games, obviously catching the Braves and securing their second wild card berth in franchise history.
The Cardinals are no stranger when it comes to historical September comebacks. In 1964, St. Louis also overcame an 8 1/2 game deficit in the season's final month when this time it was the Phillies that collapsed. Both are tied for the greatest September comebacks in NL history.
Oddly enough that '64 Cardinals team went on to beat the New York Yankees in a thrilling seven game World Series. History has a tendency to repeat itself.
This is St. Louis' 18th NL pennant in franchise history and their third under La Russa's watch. Since La Russa took the reigns in 1996, the Cardinals' 45 postseason wins are second only to the Yankees' 94. It is La Russa's sixth career trip to the World Series, which is good enough sixth on the all-time list. He is now 15-7 in series-clinching games, but hasn't faired in the World Series as much as he would like.
The 67-year-old manager has a 10-12 record in the World Series, including being swept twice. Once in 1990 when at the helm in Oakland and again in 2004 when the Boston Red Sox exercised the demon of Babe Ruth at the expense of his Redbirds.
This time around, La Russa is pushing all the right buttons and hopes to bring home his third career World Series title as he already personifies a managerial genius.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Here We Go Again
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| Cruz enjoyed a record-setting ALCS, that saw him hit six home runs. |
In a 38 minute bottom of the third inning, the Ranger sent 14 hitters to the plate, recording six hits in a nine-run outburst, setting the franchise record for most runs scored in a single postseason half inning.
Two of those six hits came off the suddenly red-hot bat of All-Star Michael Young. Young hit two, two-run doubles in the inning, driving in four of the nine runs scored. The 12-year veteran added a solo home run in the seventh, giving him a 5 RBI game and totaling 7 for the series.
His teammate, Nelson Cruz, who was honored as this year's ALCS MVP, got out his boomstick once again and continued this unbelievable postseason run. Cruz popped a two-run shot for his sixth home run of the series, driving in his 12th and 13th runs of the series, both are single series postseason records.
With his six home runs, Cruz is now the only player in postseason history to have hit six home runs in two different postseasons. In his first postseason appearance a year ago, the Monte Cristi native also hit six home runs, but that came throughout the playoffs, not one series. If that weren't enough, Cruz hit the first walk-off grand slam in postseason history and had two extra innings home runs in the ALCS, the first time that has ever been done as well.
All eight of hits during the LCS went for extra-bases, that's a lot of production for a guy that bats seventh in the lineup. But it wasn't just Cruz's bat that did the talking.
In the eighth inning of Game 4, Cruz fired a perfect game-saving dart to nail the not so fleet of foot, Miguel Cabrera, at the plate, keeping the game tied.
While Cruz continues to exemplify an October legend, the Rangers are headed to their second straight World Series. After losing to the San Francisco Giants in last year's Fall Classic in five games, they have come back with vengeance and fire in their eyes. After capturing both their two straight division title and American League Pennant, Texas is the first AL West team to accomplish that feat since the Oakland Athletics did so from 1988-'90. They did in three years in-a-row.
Those Oakland teams were led by future Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa, and with his Cardinals one win away from their eighteenth trip to the World Series, Texas could oddly enough face the last manager to do what they have achieved in 2011.
Texas accomplished all this without the power of last year's ALCS MVP, Josh Hamiltion, who didn't hit a home run in this series and has yet to hit one this postseason after hitting four in last year's LCS against the New York Yankees.
Showered in Ginger Ale for the second straight year, the Rangers hope to have one last celebration in them.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
And the Award Goes To: National League Predictions
The 2011 Major League Baseball season saw so many great players elevate their game to the next level, making handing out this year's major awards all the more difficult.
National League Most Valuable Player: Matt Kemp, LAD
Just like the American League Most Valuable Player voting, the National League should be a close one as well. With so many deserving candidates, Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp not only developed in the games most dynamic outfielder, but one of baseball's best players, making him this year's NL MVP.
Kemp rebounded after a miserable and disappointing 2010 campaign, becoming a legitimate Triple Crown threat this season. Boston's Carl Yastrzemski was the last player to achieve that feat in 1967, but that was in the AL. The last NL player to win the Triple Crown was Joe Medwick in 1937 while playing left field for the St. Louis Cardinals. Kemp ranked third in the NL with a .324 average, but led in home runs with 39. His 126 RBIs not only led the NL, but the entire major leagues.
With the help of first base coach Davey Lopes, Kemp improved his baserunning drastically, swiping a career-high 40 stolen bases. Combine that with his 39 home runs, Kemp just missed becoming the fifth player in major league history to join the exclusive 40-40 club.
Back to playing his Gold Glove defense, Kemp was tied for third among major league center fielders with 11 outfield assists.
Milwaukee's Ryan Braun seems to be the favorite due in large part to his team finishing first in the NL Central and making the postseason. Braun's case is a good one, but his protection with slugger Prince Fielder hitting behind him has helped his offensive numbers. The 2007 NL Rookie of the Year, Braun was out hit by the Mets Jose Reyes, who hit .337 this season, for the batting title, hitting .332. The 27-year-old left fielder didn't even lead his team in home runs, but added 33 and 115 to the Brewer lineup.
However, Braun did manage to lead the NL in slugging percentage (.597), on-base plus slugging and extra-base hits (77), narrowly edging out Kemp, who had 76.
Fielder also put up a monster season in his walk year, hitting 38 home runs and driving in 120, but is also a beneficiary of having his smooth swinging left fielder hit in front of him. Kemp on the other had little to no protection all season long.
Many of Kemp's teammates spent time on the disabled list, never being able to count on a consist lineup. Infielders Casey Blake and Juan Uribe missed most of the regular season to various injuries while All-Star Andre Ethier played in less than 140 games for the second straight year. It didn't help that first baseman Jame Loney, who is a career .288 hitter, batted only .255 the first four months of the season with all of 4 home runs and 33 RBIs.
This could just be the beginning for an emerging 26-year-old superstar.
National League Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw, LAD
Much like Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander did in the AL, Dodgers ace, Clayton Kershaw, nailed down the NL pitching Triple Crown. Kershaw finished the season 21-5 with a major league best 2.28 ERA to go along with 248 punch-outs. The 23-year-old left-hander has now throw 200 innings each of the last two seasons and has developed into one of the games best starting pitchers.
Kershaw has a 2.88 career ERA, but only has 47 career wins in 116 starts, mainly due to his lack of run support and inability to throw strikes. That all changed for Kershaw in '11, walking only 54 hitters compared to his 81 in '10 and 91 in 2009. He also posted a career-low 0.98 WHIP.
The lefty almost single-handedly kept the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants out of the postseason. Kershaw was 5-0 in his 6 starts against the Giants this season, including 4-0 with a 0.30 ERA in his head-to-head matchups with two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum. Don Newcombe was the last Dodger pitcher to beat the Giants five times in a single season, coming in 1951 when they were crosstown rivals on the East Coast.
Philadelphia's Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee both put together marvelous seasons and were two the preseason favorites to land the honor. Halladay, who is one of the few pitchers in history to win the award in both leagues, is the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner and has put together quite a case to repeat. The former Toronto Blue Jay went 19-6, led the NL in complete games with 8, recorded a 2.35 ERA and struck out 208 batters.
Lee finished with a 17-6 record and averaged more than a strikeout per inning, having 238 batters whiff in 232.2 innings. The 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner posted a 2.40 ERA and a major league best 6 shutouts in all six of his complete games.
Right-hander Ian Kennedy looks to be another pitcher in contention out West after anchoring an Arizona pitching staff that saw their team go from worst to first in the NL West. Kennedy throw 200 innings for the first time in his career and was tied for the NL lead in wins. His 21-4 record accumulated to a major league best .840 winning percentage. Kennedy also narrowly missed his first 200 strikeout season with 198 with a 2.88 ERA.
With so many deserving candidates the vote should be awfully close, but it's hard to deny a left-hander that wins the pitching Triple Crown.
National League Rookie of the Year: Craig Kimbrel, ATL
A year after Texas Rangers closer Neftali Feliz was named the '10 Rookie of the Year and set a rookie record 40 saves in a single season, along come Craig Kimbrel. The 23-year-old flamethrower assumed the closer role for manager Fredi Gonzalez and his Atlanta Braves this season and flourished. He set a new rookie record in a season with 46 and had Atlanta on the cusp of their second straight postseason berth.
Kimbrel became a first-time All-Star and averaged 14.8 strikeouts per nine innings with 127 punch-outs in 77.1 innings. His teammate Freddie Freeman also had a great first year in the big leagues, batting .282 with 21 home runs and drove in 76. Freeman played in 157 games and had 32 doubles.
The last six seasons their have been three closers win the AL Rookie of the Year. The last time a closer received the honor in the National League was Scott Williamson in 1999 while pitching for the Cincinnati Reds. That season Williamson recorded 19 saves in his 62 relief appearances. The last Brave to win the award, shortstop Rafael Furcal, who is currently playing for the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS, in 2000
There is no question that this year's NL Rookie of the Year will be a Brave, which one is the question?
National League Manager of the Year: Kirk Gibson, ARZ
In a division that contained the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants, the Arizona Diamondbacks were predicted by many to finish in last-place for the second straight year. A year after finishing with the third worst record in the majors at 65-97 and 27 game back of the NL West champion Giants, Arizona came slithering back.
First-year manager Kirk Gibson kept the Snakes in contention and believing all season long. The D-backs were 45-25 at the All-Star Break, 3 games back of first-place San Francisco. They continued their amazing season, seizing first-place in July and really never surrendered it. Along with Gibson's gutsy and gritty managing, a young, but brilliant starting rotation and a much improved bullpen, Arizona was able to make a improve their record by 29 games from a year ago and finished 94-68, first-place in the NL West.
It was their first division title since 2007, taking on the personality of their 54-year-old manager.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly was also a first-year manager, but also kept his team believing. Los Angeles was 36-46 at the All-Star Break, but finished the second-half strong with a 46-34, 12 games over .500. Much like Gibson's D-backs, Mattingly's team exceeded expectations and finished third-place in the division at 82-80.
That being said, nobody did a better job than Gibson did with his team this season. Arizona was ousted from the postseason by the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS. After rallying in the ninth inning of their decisive Game 5, the Brewers ended Gibson's magical first year in Phoenix with a walk-off single, a season that should end with NL Manager of the Year award.
National League Most Valuable Player: Matt Kemp, LAD
Just like the American League Most Valuable Player voting, the National League should be a close one as well. With so many deserving candidates, Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp not only developed in the games most dynamic outfielder, but one of baseball's best players, making him this year's NL MVP.
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| Kemp's 2011 campaign is one of the best by a center fielder in recent memory. |
With the help of first base coach Davey Lopes, Kemp improved his baserunning drastically, swiping a career-high 40 stolen bases. Combine that with his 39 home runs, Kemp just missed becoming the fifth player in major league history to join the exclusive 40-40 club.
Back to playing his Gold Glove defense, Kemp was tied for third among major league center fielders with 11 outfield assists.
Milwaukee's Ryan Braun seems to be the favorite due in large part to his team finishing first in the NL Central and making the postseason. Braun's case is a good one, but his protection with slugger Prince Fielder hitting behind him has helped his offensive numbers. The 2007 NL Rookie of the Year, Braun was out hit by the Mets Jose Reyes, who hit .337 this season, for the batting title, hitting .332. The 27-year-old left fielder didn't even lead his team in home runs, but added 33 and 115 to the Brewer lineup.
However, Braun did manage to lead the NL in slugging percentage (.597), on-base plus slugging and extra-base hits (77), narrowly edging out Kemp, who had 76.
Fielder also put up a monster season in his walk year, hitting 38 home runs and driving in 120, but is also a beneficiary of having his smooth swinging left fielder hit in front of him. Kemp on the other had little to no protection all season long.
Many of Kemp's teammates spent time on the disabled list, never being able to count on a consist lineup. Infielders Casey Blake and Juan Uribe missed most of the regular season to various injuries while All-Star Andre Ethier played in less than 140 games for the second straight year. It didn't help that first baseman Jame Loney, who is a career .288 hitter, batted only .255 the first four months of the season with all of 4 home runs and 33 RBIs.
This could just be the beginning for an emerging 26-year-old superstar.
National League Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw, LAD
Much like Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander did in the AL, Dodgers ace, Clayton Kershaw, nailed down the NL pitching Triple Crown. Kershaw finished the season 21-5 with a major league best 2.28 ERA to go along with 248 punch-outs. The 23-year-old left-hander has now throw 200 innings each of the last two seasons and has developed into one of the games best starting pitchers.
Kershaw has a 2.88 career ERA, but only has 47 career wins in 116 starts, mainly due to his lack of run support and inability to throw strikes. That all changed for Kershaw in '11, walking only 54 hitters compared to his 81 in '10 and 91 in 2009. He also posted a career-low 0.98 WHIP.
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| Once labeled just a thrower, Kershaw has become of the games best pitchers. |
Philadelphia's Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee both put together marvelous seasons and were two the preseason favorites to land the honor. Halladay, who is one of the few pitchers in history to win the award in both leagues, is the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner and has put together quite a case to repeat. The former Toronto Blue Jay went 19-6, led the NL in complete games with 8, recorded a 2.35 ERA and struck out 208 batters.
Lee finished with a 17-6 record and averaged more than a strikeout per inning, having 238 batters whiff in 232.2 innings. The 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner posted a 2.40 ERA and a major league best 6 shutouts in all six of his complete games.
Right-hander Ian Kennedy looks to be another pitcher in contention out West after anchoring an Arizona pitching staff that saw their team go from worst to first in the NL West. Kennedy throw 200 innings for the first time in his career and was tied for the NL lead in wins. His 21-4 record accumulated to a major league best .840 winning percentage. Kennedy also narrowly missed his first 200 strikeout season with 198 with a 2.88 ERA.
With so many deserving candidates the vote should be awfully close, but it's hard to deny a left-hander that wins the pitching Triple Crown.
National League Rookie of the Year: Craig Kimbrel, ATL
A year after Texas Rangers closer Neftali Feliz was named the '10 Rookie of the Year and set a rookie record 40 saves in a single season, along come Craig Kimbrel. The 23-year-old flamethrower assumed the closer role for manager Fredi Gonzalez and his Atlanta Braves this season and flourished. He set a new rookie record in a season with 46 and had Atlanta on the cusp of their second straight postseason berth.
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| Kimbrel was a pleasant surprise for Atlanta and should be for years to come. |
The last six seasons their have been three closers win the AL Rookie of the Year. The last time a closer received the honor in the National League was Scott Williamson in 1999 while pitching for the Cincinnati Reds. That season Williamson recorded 19 saves in his 62 relief appearances. The last Brave to win the award, shortstop Rafael Furcal, who is currently playing for the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS, in 2000
There is no question that this year's NL Rookie of the Year will be a Brave, which one is the question?
National League Manager of the Year: Kirk Gibson, ARZ
In a division that contained the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants, the Arizona Diamondbacks were predicted by many to finish in last-place for the second straight year. A year after finishing with the third worst record in the majors at 65-97 and 27 game back of the NL West champion Giants, Arizona came slithering back.
First-year manager Kirk Gibson kept the Snakes in contention and believing all season long. The D-backs were 45-25 at the All-Star Break, 3 games back of first-place San Francisco. They continued their amazing season, seizing first-place in July and really never surrendered it. Along with Gibson's gutsy and gritty managing, a young, but brilliant starting rotation and a much improved bullpen, Arizona was able to make a improve their record by 29 games from a year ago and finished 94-68, first-place in the NL West.
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| Gibson brought the fire he played with to the Arizona dugout this season. |
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly was also a first-year manager, but also kept his team believing. Los Angeles was 36-46 at the All-Star Break, but finished the second-half strong with a 46-34, 12 games over .500. Much like Gibson's D-backs, Mattingly's team exceeded expectations and finished third-place in the division at 82-80.
That being said, nobody did a better job than Gibson did with his team this season. Arizona was ousted from the postseason by the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS. After rallying in the ninth inning of their decisive Game 5, the Brewers ended Gibson's magical first year in Phoenix with a walk-off single, a season that should end with NL Manager of the Year award.
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