With just three days left in the season, each member of the BP Fantasy team took the time to reflect on the year that was, casting their votes for a variety of categories. Today, I'll be handing out the fantasy fantasy hardware (that is, inconsequential awards for a derivative game). After seeing who we thought had the best, worst, and most interesting 2011 seasons, be sure to tell us who you think deserved some recognition in the comments section.
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Most Valuable Hitter |
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Most Valuable Pitcher |
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Rookie Hitter of the Year |
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Rookie Pitcher of the Year |
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Comeback Player of the Year |
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Biggest Surprise of the Year |
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Biggest Disappointment of the Year |
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Luckiest Player of the Year |
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Unluckiest Player of the Year |
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Top Breakout of the Year |
Mike Trout |
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Most Overrated Player of the Year |
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Most Underrated Player of the Year |
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Your Best Prediction of the Year |
Edwin Encarnacion's breakout |
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Your Worst Prediction of the Year |
Ubaldo Jimenez would bounce back |
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Most Valuable Hitter |
Ryan Braun |
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Most Valuable Pitcher |
R.A. Dickey |
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Rookie Hitter of the Year |
Mike Trout |
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Rookie Pitcher of the Year |
Yu Darvish |
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Comeback Player of the Year |
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Biggest Surprise of the Year |
Fernando Rodney |
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Biggest Disappointment of the Year |
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Luckiest Player of the Year |
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Unluckiest Player of the Year |
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Top Breakout of the Year |
Edwin Encarnacion |
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Most Overrated Player of the Year |
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Most Underrated Player of the Year |
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Your Best Prediction of the Year |
Edwin Encarnacion hits 40 HR |
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Your Worst Prediction of the Year |
Fernando Rodney wouldn't close in Tampa Bay |
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Most Valuable Hitter |
Mike Trout |
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Most Valuable Pitcher |
R.A. Dickey |
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Rookie Hitter of the Year |
Mike Trout |
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Rookie Pitcher of the Year |
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Comeback Player of the Year |
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Biggest Surprise of the Year |
Edwin Encarnacion |
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Biggest Disappointment of the Year |
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Luckiest Player of the Year |
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Unluckiest Player of the Year |
Cliff Lee |
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Top Breakout of the Year |
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Most Overrated Player of the Year |
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Most Underrated Player of the Year |
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Your Best Prediction of the Year |
Chris Sale would be a good starter |
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Your Worst Prediction of the Year |
Eric Hosmer would be an elite first baseman |
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Most Valuable Hitter |
Ryan Braun |
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Most Valuable Pitcher |
R.A. Dickey |
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Rookie Hitter of the Year |
Mike Trout |
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Rookie Pitcher of the Year |
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Comeback Player of the Year |
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Biggest Surprise of the Year |
Fernando Rodney |
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Biggest Disappointment of the Year |
Eric Hosmer |
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Luckiest Player of the Year |
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Unluckiest Player of the Year |
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Top Breakout of the Year |
Edwin Encarnacion |
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Most Overrated Player of the Year |
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Most Underrated Player of the Year |
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Your Best Prediction of the Year |
Chris Sale as a breakout arm |
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Your Worst Prediction of the Year |
Michael Pineda was a SP to target |
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Most Valuable Hitter |
Mike Trout |
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Most Valuable Pitcher |
R.A. Dickey |
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Rookie Hitter of the Year |
Mike Trout |
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Rookie Pitcher of the Year |
Yu Darvish |
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Comeback Player of the Year |
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Biggest Surprise of the Year |
Edwin Encarnacion |
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Biggest Disappointment of the Year |
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Luckiest Player of the Year |
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Unluckiest Player of the Year |
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Top Breakout of the Year |
Mike Trout |
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Most Overrated Player of the Year |
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Most Underrated Player of the Year |
Chase Headley |
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Your Best Prediction of the Year |
Madison Bumgarner as a burgeoning ace. |
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Your Worst Prediction of the Year |
Luke Hochevar as a top-50 starting pitcher. |
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Most Valuable Hitter |
Mike Trout |
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Most Valuable Pitcher |
R.A. Dickey |
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Rookie Hitter of the Year |
Mike Trout |
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Rookie Pitcher of the Year |
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Comeback Player of the Year |
Ryan Ludwick |
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Biggest Surprise of the Year |
Chris Sale |
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Biggest Disappointment of the Year |
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Luckiest Player of the Year |
Aaron Harang |
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Unluckiest Player of the Year |
Cliff Lee |
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Top Breakout of the Year |
Mike Trout |
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Most Overrated Player of the Year |
Clay Buchholz |
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Most Underrated Player of the Year |
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Your Best Prediction of the Year |
Jake Peavy/Jordan Zimmermann |
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Your Worst Prediction of the Year |
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Most Valuable Hitter |
Ryan Braun |
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Most Valuable Pitcher |
R.A. Dickey |
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Rookie Hitter of the Year |
Mike Trout |
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Rookie Pitcher of the Year |
Wade Miley |
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Comeback Player of the Year |
Adam Dunn |
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Biggest Surprise of the Year |
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Biggest Disappointment of the Year |
Roy Halladay |
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Luckiest Player of the Year |
Jeremy Hellickson |
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Unluckiest Player of the Year |
Tim Lincecum |
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Top Breakout of the Year |
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Most Overrated Player of the Year |
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Most Underrated Player of the Year |
Chase Headley |
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Your Best Prediction of the Year |
Ryan Braun would be fantasy’s best hitter |
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Your Worst Prediction of the Year |
Miguel Cabrera wouldn't stay at 3B |
My impressions
The first thing you may notice is that there were a couple of clean sweeps. Let’s give it up for R.A. Dickey, BP’s Most Valuable Fantasy Pitcher, and Mike Trout, BP’s Fantasy Rookie of the Year. Trout’s rookie season was so remarkable that he even managed to cause a split vote for Most Valuable Hitter with Ryan Braun (three votes to Braun’s four). Additionally, Trout was given the most digital ink of all players in this year’s voting, receiving 11 votes between three different categories.
Fernando Rodney’s name popped up in several places, and it’s easy to see why. He garnered the most Surprise of the Year votes after leading the American League in saves whilst posting a sub-1.00 ERA. Even when it was announced that incumbent Rays closer Kyle Farnsworth would miss the start of the season, few thought a pitcher with the track record of Rodney could manage to hold down the role for very long, much less post the most impressive season among all AL relievers.
The Most Overrated and Most Underrated categories are very interesting to look at. Aside from a single duplicate Chase Headley vote for Most Underrated, there was a different name on every single ballot for each of these categories. Overrated and underrated are very subjective terms, and it’s interesting to see how different people perceive them in different ways. Believe it or not, I may even argue that Carlos Marmol was underrated this year, yet he took home a Most Overrated vote. And Clay Buchholz actually did receive a vote apiece in each of the categories.
Edwin Encarnacion turned one of the biggest profits in all of fantasy baseball this year, and his name littered the ballots. He received a vote in three different categories and was awarded something on five of the seven ballots. Some considered him a surprise, others a breakout, and others an opportunity to brag. No one will argue with the impact he had on fantasy teams this season. What I found most interesting, however, was that he was listed as Jason Collette’s Best Prediction this season but his Worst Prediction last season. It goes to show that the process really is what’s important. The results are out of our control and are often left up to the vagaries of chance, but when you stick with sound process, eventually you are rewarded.
While Cliff Lee and his mere six wins garnered some serious consideration for my Unluckiest Player vote, I decided to use this as one more opportunity to bang the Mitch Moreland drum. Despite playing very well while on the field, injury and managerial tendencies limited him to just 346 plate appearances. He still managed to post double-digit value in AL-only leagues, which means he was a breakeven (or better) player in spite of his limited play. If only he could get 600 at-bats. Sigh.
As I said earlier, feel free to let us know who you think deserved more (or less) recognition or if you’d like to hear the reasoning behind any of the votes. Best of luck to those of you still in a tight race. May the next three days bring you lots of luck!
Thank you for reading
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I wouldn't think of him as among baseballs elite for next year, but for this year in fantasy - the numbers are all that matter.
I went with Miggy as the biggest miss to me because of (1) how well he's done on both sides of the ball (after a -11.8 FRAA at 1B last season, he has logged a -1.8 FRAA across the diamond this year) and (2) he's on my fantasy beat so I should have known better.
:(