It’s that time again, as the mid-summer classic brings a much-needed break before we head into the second half of the season. It is always nice at this time to take a quick look at some of the first half accomplishments of the masses. Today, we’ll take a gander at some of my personal favourites from the first half around the National League, followed by the American League on Thursday.

MVP

Chase Utley, Philadelphia, 2B: The best in the business at second base has continued his offensive prowess this year and has certainly fulfilled that pre-season top ten ranking. Utley is currently on pace to establish new highs in virtually all offensive categories. Is a 40-homer, 20-stolen base year in the works for 2008?

Hanley Ramirez, Florida, SS: Well, it looks like the shoulder healed just fine this past offseason. A .311 BA with 23 homers, 23 stolen bases and an NL-leading 80 runs scored certainly justifies that top three pick status heading into this year. The Marlins are currently five games over .500 and Ramirez is a big reason for that success.

Ryan Howard, Philadephia, 1B: Okay, the guy can’t hit for average but when you are leading the league in both home runs and RBI, it is certainly something that we can tolerate. Howard has amassed 28 dingers and 84 RBI at the break, demonstrating why he is one of the most feared pure power hitters in the game today.

Lance Berkman, Houston, 1B: The power potential was obvious, but where did those 15 stolen bases come from? Berkman’s previous high was nine, way back in 2004. A .347 BA, 22 homers, 73 RBI and a OPS of 1096 with those surprising thefts, leaves Berkman in a class with very few others this year.

Jose Reyes, New York Mets, SS: The stir that straws the drink for the Mets, Reyes is enjoying a very solid 2008. The power that was missing in 2007 has returned with ten homers to date, and those 32 thefts currently have him sitting in third spot in the NL. The Mets are in a virtual tie for first place in their division, and one of the biggest reasons is the resurgence of a well-rounded Reyes.

CY YOUNG

Brandon Webb, Arizona, SP: Ranked as one of the top starting pitchers in baseball heading into this year, Webb has done nothing to disappoint in the first half. He is currently the NL leader in wins with 13 at the break. Toss in the fact that he’s also in the top 10 with a 3.23 ERA and 112 strikeouts and you have an elite starting pitcher. If the Diamondbacks are going to be at the top of the heap come October they are going to need more of the same from Webb in the second half.

Tim Lincecum, San Francisco, SP: The kid is for real beyond any shadow of a doubt. Lincecum is currently leading the NL with 135 strikeouts, second with a 2.57 ERA and those 11 wins represent 28 per cent of the total Giant wins this season. For those who believed, the rewards have been huge.

Edinson Volquez, Cincinnati, SP: Volquez was acquired this past off-season for none other than Josh Hamilton. Talk about a win-win trade situation. Volquez broke camp as the fifth starter for the Reds, and has been nothing short of phenomenal this year. Currently, he is sitting with 12 wins, tied for third with 126 strikeouts and leads the NL with a 2.29 ERA. Not too shabby for a guy that went undrafted in most formats this past spring. If you were smart enough to grab him early, I take off my hat to you.

Ben Sheets, Milwaukee, SP: Sheets had a stellar first half. Those ten wins to go along with a 2.85 ERA and 108 strikeouts earned him the start in this year’s All-Star game. Sheets’ skills have never been in question, just the ability to stay healthy long enough to display them. Other than the one scare with triceps tightness in April, Sheets has stayed injury free and is on pace to produce at levels we haven’t seen since 2004. Will this be the year that we actually see 200 innings pitched out of Sheets?

Johan Santana, New York Mets, SP: The only chink in the armor to date has been the rather disappointing lack of wins. Heading into the break with a 2.84 ERA to go along with 114 strikeouts, Santana has adapted to his new league very well. Now if he can get a bit of run support in the second half, both the Mets and your fantasy team will be in very good shape.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Jair Jurrjens, Atlanta, SP: This 22-year-old righthander has been a very pleasant surprise for the struggling Braves. Other than one rough patch at the end of May, Jurrjens has been a very consistent force in the Atlanta rotation. Heading into the break with nine wins, a 3.00 ERA, and 81 strikeouts, Jurrjens has established himself as a solid number two starter on the Braves.

Hiroki Kuroda, Los Angeles, SP: The former starter from the Hiroshima Toyo Carp has fit in very nicely on the west coast. A lack of run support has limited him to just five wins, but his 3.43 ERA and 1.20 WHIP have been very solid. Kuroda bounced back after a two-week stint on the DL because of sore shoulder with that stellar one-hitter on July 7. With a bit of run support, Kuroda could be a big asset down the stretch for the Dodgers.

Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs, C: Soto has followed up that Pacific Coast League MVP season with a stellar rookie campaign. Currently, he is batting .288 with 16 home runs and 56 RBI and is the front runner in the rookie of the year battle. Manager Lou Pinella has shown an amazing level of confidence in this rookie, going so far as to have him hit in the cleanup slot for the Cubbies.

Kosuke Fukudome, Chicago Cubs, OF: There is always concern when looking at the offensive potential of Japanese players coming to MLB. Fukudome has delivered pretty much as promised for the Cubs. He has batted virtually everywhere in Chicago lineup, but seems to have settled in nicely at the top of the order. His offense has been steady with seven homers, 36 RBI and 59 runs scored in the first half. Toss in the eight stolen bases and the stellar defense and the Cubs have to be very happy with their free-agent acquisition this season.

Joey Votto, Cincinnati, 1B: Thank goodness someone in Cincinnati, namely Dusty Baker, realized that Scott Hatteberg wasn’t the answer. Votto has been very solid with 13 homers and 40 RBI in the first half. The one area of concern to date would be in the area of stolen bases where he only has four this season. With 40 thefts over the past two seasons in the minors, you had every right to expect a bit more. So hopefully Votto posts stolen base totals more in line with his history as he settles into the Red lineup in the second half.

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Ryan Ludwick, St. Louis, OF: While it’s hard to say he’s a Comeback Player of the Year candidate (which, by it’s very nature suggests this player was once good), Ludwick certainly deserves a nod as a major surprise. Coming off a solid second half last year, he has built on that momentum with the Cardinals in 2008. With 21 homers and 65 RBI at the midway point, Ludwick has already established career highs. A June slump saw the Cardinals move him into the two slot and he broke out with homers in five out of the seven games leading up to the break. For those that gambled on Ludwick as an end play this spring, the rewards have been huge.

Ryan Dempster, Chicago Cubs, SP: Last year at this time, Dempster was struggling in his role as the closer for the Cubs. Shifted back into the rotation this season, it’s been a fantastic transition as Dempster has ten wins, a 3.25 ERA and 104 strikeouts so far this year. Where are those strikeouts coming from, not to mention the improved hit rates? He has only allowed 97 hits in 124 2/3 innings pitched this season. Dempster hasn’t posted numbers like we’re currently seeing since that solid 2000 season. The decision to move this Canuck into the rotation and shift Kerry Wood into the closer role has been a huge factor in the Cubs surge to first place this season.

Kerry Wood, Chicago Cubs, RP: Has Wood finally found his niche in life? The oft-injured starter has moved into the bullpen and half way through the year is not only healthy (which is amazing in and of itself), but is also currently just one save behind the NL leader with 24. Heading into the season, the Cub bullpen was a huge question mark, with multiple closing options, but Wood has been a most effective solution.

Ricky Nolasco, Florida, SP: Hopes were very high heading into the 2007 season for Nolasco after a very solid rookie campaign. The inflamed elbow injury cost him virtually all of the last year, but he has rebounded with a great start to 2008. Currently sitting at ten wins with a 3.70 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, Nolasco has become a very solid contributer for an overachieving Marlins team in 2008.

Jason Bay, Pittsburgh, OF: Kudos to the slugging Canuck and those that believed he’s bounce back this season. It would appear that 2007 was an aberration and with 19 HR and 53 RBI to go along with a .287 BA at the break, Bay has rebounded with a vengeance. In 2007, Bay drew 59 walks in 538 at bats. This year, he’s already at 56 walks in only 341 at bats. Rediscovering the strike zone has put Bay on pace for a virtually identical year to his stellar 2006 campaign.

BUST OF THE YEAR

Brett Myers, Philadelphia, SP: At least he’s coming off a quality start heading into the break; too bad it was for Double-A Reading. When you allow 24 homers at the break, it will have a tendency to translate into disappointing numbers. The conversion back to the rotation has not gone well at all, but if Myers can find a way to get the long ball under control, he could be a decent second half option.

Andruw Jones, Los Angeles Dodgers, OF: Jones was signed this past offseason to a two-year deal worth $36.2 million. It’s hard to believe that he is less than two years removed from a 41-homer, 129-RBI season. When you report to camp at a rumoured 240 pounds and follow that up with a .164 BA-, two-homer and ten-RBI first half, one would have to question whether Jones has the motivation to continue playing the game. It would appear that new hitting coach Don Mattingly is going to have his hands full in Los Angeles.

Aaron Harang, Cincinnati, SP: A consensus top 15 starting pitcher heading into the season, Harang has stumbled badly in the first half. A 4.76 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP to go along with that ugly 3-11 record is definitely not what we’d call “ace” calibre numbers. Harang was placed on the DL just prior to the break with a strained forearm and let’s hope the rest allows him to bounce back in the second half.

Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado, SS: For those that invested in Tulowitzki following his tremendous 2007 rookie campaign, odds are pretty good you’re not at the top of your league standings this year. When the stat line reads three homers and 16 RBI combined with a .166 BA, it just doesn’t get much worse.

Chris Young, Arizona, OF: Let’s face it, none of us were really counting on a .300 batting average, but five stolen bases in the first half? When you bat near the Mendoza line you better deliver in those other categories, and so far he simply hasn’t.

July 16th, 2008
Categories: BASEBALL, RotoRob Awards, Tim McLeod . Author: Tim McLeod . Comments: 10 Comments

By RotoRob and Tim McLeod

At last, we come to the end of our 2007 Awards. Don’t forget to check out our Basketball, Football and Hockey Awards as well.

Fantasy Stud of the Year

Hanley Ramirez has arrived at the top of the Fantasy heap.

It’s hard to ignore the season for the ages that Alex Rodriguez enjoyed in 2007, but relative to his draft position, Hanley Ramirez was the absolute biggest stud in fantasy baseball last year. We’re talking about a mid-third rounder who wound up delivering mid-first round value. Power, speed, average; you name it, H-Ram did it. One-hundred and twenty-five runs? On a middling offensive team? Oh man. I also love that he cut his strikeout rate, and the fact that Ramirez is just 24 helps earns him the top spot in this year’s RotoRob Baseball Awards.

Honourable mentions: A-Rod, Jake Peavy, Matt Holliday, C.C. Sabathia, Magglio Ordonez, Prince Fielder.

Fantasy Dud of the Year

A .245 season wasn’t exactly what Fantasy owners were counting on from Vernon Wells in 2007.

As always, there are plenty of candidates, but after his stellar 2006, so much more was expected of Vernon Wells this past season. But a bum shoulder really limited his effectiveness and he wound up batting a career-worst .245. Wells will again be patrolling centrefield in Toronto and will undoubtedly bounce back, but he sure sunk plenty a fantasy team in 2007.

Honourable mentions: Manny Ramirez, Jason Bay, Travis Hafner, Chris Carpenter, Andruw Jones.

Rookie of the Year

Forget about the ROY Award; Ryan Braun could have been an MVP candidate had he been called up earlier.

Only seven players enjoyed a higher OPS than Ryan Braun. Had he been up all season, Braun could very well have garnered MVP consideration. As is, in just 451 at-bats, he smacked 34 homers and swiped 15 bases while batting .324 with a .370 OBP. Yes, he’s the real deal. Don’t be surprised to see this kid become a perennial MVP candidate.

Honourable mentions: Troy Tulowitzki, Dustin Pedroia, Daisuke Matsuzaka (even though we hate considering foreign professionals rookies), Hunter Pence.

Comeback Player of the Year

Carlos Pena’s emergence as a major Fantasy factor topped a massive list of improbable comeback stories in 2007.

There are plenty of candidates for this honour, but it’s impossible to ignore the dude who was released twice and outrighted off the roster from a third team in 2006 only to parlay a minor league deal in February 2007 into a full-time job and 46 homers. It’s hard to understand exactly where this season came from for Carlos Pena, but the Rays gave him a legitimate shot and he simply grabbed it and ran with it.

Honourable mentions: Sammy Sosa, Dmitri Young, Carlos Silva (who had great timing, given it was his walk year), Josh Hamilton, Pedro Martinez, Fausto Carmona, Rick Ankiel, Troy Percival, Josh Beckett.

Don’t Unpack that Suitcase Award

Ryan Langerhans was passed around like a cheap ‘ho last season.

How do you think Ryan Langerhans felt, going from the top of the Braves’ depth chart in left field, to being dealt to Oakland for cash, and then flipped to Washington just two days later? In describing his days (all two of them) in Oakland, Langerhans actually managed to spew out this gem after the deal from the A’s: “I enjoyed my time here.”

We Can’t Help But be Skeptical Award

Long a problem child, Josh Hamilton lands in the hospital for a “stomach problem” (yeah, right). Manager Jerry Narron says “He had a bad stomach ache. He might have eaten 10 hot dogs.” Uh, yeah. Or he might have ODed on something. Perhaps “hot dogs” is a euphamism for “speed balls.”

Home Sweet Home Award

Oh sure, ex-Astros’ manager Phil Garner loved Wandy Rodriguez, right, when he pitched at home. On the road, not so much.

Wandy Rodriguez was perhaps the most schizophrenic pitcher in the game last season. Pitching in the Juice Box (which actually was much more of a pitcher’s park in 2007), he went 6-3, 2.94 with a .220 BAA. In his starts outside of Minute Maid, Rodriguez went 3-10, 6.37 with a .287 BAA. Spotting trends like this early in the season can really help you maximize your rotation.

The Can Miss Award

When Mark Prior came into the bigs and ascended to Cy Young candidacy within a couple of years, some were already etching his name on a Hall of Fame plaque. Clearly, that was premature. Prior’s incessant inability to stay healthy since 2004 proves that there is no such thing as a can’t miss superstar - especially when dealing with pitchers. I’d suggest the only can’t miss we can offer up about Prior’s impending tenure with the Padres is a trip to the DL.

Aren’t You Glad You Didn’t Make that Trade?

The fact that Todd Helton was not dealt to Boston wound up be a massive blessing in disguise. (Jack Dempsey/Associated Press)

Remember when Todd Helton was supposedly headed to Boston in a pre-season deal that would have sent Mike Lowell, Julian Tavarez and a prospect (possibly Jacoby Ellsbury) to Colorado? Well, not making that trade turned out pretty darned well for Boston. Playing first base for Boston, Kevin Youkilis wasn’t that far off from what Helton did, and Youk was absolutely stellar with the glove. Boston was much better defensively keeping Lowell at third (instead of shifting Youkilis back there) and Lowell wound up being the Sox MVP as they went on to win the World Series. And Ellsbury? Uh, yeah. His stock went up just a bit this year.

Change of Heart Award

Where would the Sox have been in 2007 without Jonathan Papelbon closing? (Damian Strohmeyer/SI)

In yet another Red Sox move that wasn’t made and turned out working like a charm, Jon Papelbon’s decision to inform the team that he really did not want to move back into the rotation but would prefer to remain the closer, was perhaps the turning point on the Boston season. Imagine how the 2007 BoSox season would have played out without Papelbon saving games. Sometimes, it’s the tinkering you don’t do that works out the best.

Best Under the Radar Signing

Still with Boston, much hype was heaped upon the Daisuke Matsuzaka signing, and there was also plenty written about the Yankees and their “consolation prize” of Kei Igawa. But when Boston signed lefty reliever Hideki Okajima, barely anyone batted an eyelash. Apparently, Okajima was far more than some Japanese pitcher the Sox signed to help Dice-K’s transition to North America. He proved to be one of the most unhittable relievers in the game, earning an All-Star appearance for his efforts.

Choke of the Year

The New York Mets were home and cooled, seven games up in the NL East with 17 games to play, yet they somehow lost that lead and missed the playoffs - one of the worst chokes in big league history. It was the first time in MLB history that a team blew that big a lead with just 17 games to play. I probably would have enjoyed watching this happen to the Yankees more, but seeing the Mets implode definitely offered its rewards.

Inconsistency Award

Deciding which Big Z would show up from month to month in 2007 proved extremely challenging.

Carlos Zambrano earns a nod for putting fantasy owners through the ringer in 2007 with his horribly inconsistent season. He was battered in April (5.77 ERA), not much better in May (4.72), but then suddenly turned things around and got on a serious roll for the next two months. Big Z was brilliant in June (2.53) and then almost untouchable in July (1.39). Then, just as quickly, Zambrano was worse then ever, struggling through a winless, 7.06 August. Finally, he settled down and pitched to more or less to our expectations in September (3.44). If you were stuck trying to figure out Zambrano’s trends this season, no doubt you were on the hook for plenty of beat-downs and probably missed out on some gems as well.

Don’t Diss Us Award

Let’s give credit where credit is due. Heading into the season, most of us were expecting the Washington Nationals would be lucky to win 50 games. Many thought they could set futility records. But they were as good as 53-62 as of August 9, and - with a final tally of 73 wins - seriously surpassed most people’s prognostications and even managed to avoid the NL East cellar.

Grow Up Already Award

All the talent in the world and a 100 mph fastball doesn’t guarantee success. Long-touted as a closer of the future, the future keeps getting delayed as Joel Zumaya deals with one injury after another, each suffered off the playing field. First came the tendon surgery - a result of playing took much Guitar Hero. Uh, yeah. Then, he needed shoulder surgery after a 60-pound box landed on his shoulder while he was trying to move some stuff. Dude, you make enough money to hire someone to do that for you. Would it be any shock to find out that Zumaya was involved in this video? If Zumaya ever matures, he’s got a hell of a future as a top-notch closer. If…

Organizational Ineptitude Award

There are plenty of possible candidates here, but since winning back-to-back division titles in 1998 and 1999, the Texas Rangers have been in a serious holding pattern. There have been times they looked liked they were making progress, only to slide back to their typical losing ways. At any rate, thanks to their inability to either develop or lure quality pitching (Kevin Millwood doesn’t count as he’s sucked since they signed him) to Arlington, the Rangers have been doomed to five last-place finishes and three third place finishes this decade. They have some good young pitching in the system, so there’s hope, but strangely, I’m not holding my breath just yet.

Seal of Integrity

Special mention to Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi here for his shocking deception to the media when B.J. Ryan was dealing with a “back” injury during Spring Training. I’m really surprised Ricciardi wasn’t raked over the coals more after it was finally revealed that it was actually Ryan’s elbow that was the problem. That he got his manager and Ryan to go along with this farce was even worse. As a fantasy player, how do you clearly assess Toronto injuries now that this precedent has been set?

Playing With Yourself Award

No, we’re not suggesting that Troy Tulowitzki is a jerk-off king, but he definitely knows how go solo. (AP)

While we can’t comment on Troy Tulowitzi’s mastery of the art of onanism, the Rockies’ shortstop definitely knows how to make things happen, solo style. That unassisted triple play he turned in on April 29 was just the 13th in big league history.

What Did You Eat for Breakfast Award

On August 21, Garret Anderson put up a game for the ages, cranking a grand slam and a three-run shot en route to a 10-RBI day. Of course, raise your hands if you actually had Anderson active that day. He’s just the 13th player in MLB history to have that many ribbies in one game.

“Put Me Out, Coach” Award

Milton Bradley’s career as a Padre was snuffed out by his own manager. (Lenny Ignelzi/AP)

Milton Bradley has had a tumultuous career to say the least, but when he was injured while being restrained by his own manager in September, that took the cake as the most bizarre moment in his checkered career. The fact that the incident occurred just innings after Bradley knocked out teammate Mike Cameron by stepping on his hand made the Padres’ day all the more sureal.

Much Ado About Nothing Award

The Mitchell Report? Booooorrrring. So now the greatest hitter of our time (Barry Bonds) and the greatest pitcher of our time (Roger Clemens) are intrinsically linked forever. Let’s let Rafael Palmeiro clear this scandal up once and for all. Speaking of boring, Mike Wallace’s interview of Roger Clemens on 60 Minutes was among the most banal moments in television history.

January 7th, 2008
Categories: BASEBALL, RotoRob Awards . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 2 Comments

By ANDY GOLDSTEIN and DEREK JONES

Another fantasy football season went down the tubes thanks to Jason Witten just finished, so I quit let’s take a glance back at the year that was. Derek and I put our heads together to generate this list, so if you have any complaints, blame him definitely engage us in conversation through the comments.

Fantasy Stud of the Year

LT repeats as the RotoRob Fantasy Football Stud of the Year. (AP)

Andy - I know a certain Patrots’ quarterback will be just about everyone’s pick, but to me, LaDainian Tomlinson deserves this more than anyone else. This year was defined by excellent quarterback play. Eight quarterbacks had over 3,950 yards. Hell, some guy named Derek Anderson tossed 29 scores. Running backs, however, struggled. That means a runner with 1,900 total yards and 18 total scores ended up being way more crucial than an elite quarterback. Oh, and while you-know-who was letting down fantasy owners everywhere during their fantasy playoffs (355 yards, three scores, and three interceptions in Weeks 15 and 16 combined), Tomlinson turned on the jets, averaging 152 total yards and 1.75 scores per game between Weeks 13 and 16.

Derek - While Tom Brady detractors will bemoan his Week 15 clunker against the Jets, who was going to produce in those conditions at Foxborough? Brady’s 50-touchdown season had too many high points to simply dismiss because he couldn’t produce in conditions that are impossible to deal with. I’m sure he would have slaughtered the Jets in fair conditions. Plus, Brady was far more consistent than any other fantasy go-to guy including Tomlinson, who produced only two 100-yard outings in his first 11 games of 2007. Brady’s lack of performance in the fantasy playoffs was weather-induced. Otherwise, he was the man in 2007.

Fantasy Dud of the Year

Frank Gore, who went 10 weeks without scoring a TD, gets our nod as Dud of the Year.

Andy - Injuries destroyed a number of seasons (we told you not to draft Larry Johnson), but once someone is out, fantasy owners can adjust and make back-up plans. What Willie Parker did to you this season was a flat-out kick to the groin area. Okay, I can hear you now: “Oh, wise fantasy football god, how can a running back who finished in the top five in yards be the dud of the year?” To this, I ask how many Parker owners won a fantasy title? I doubt any did in any serious league. In fact, I’d wager that more Johnson owners won titles than Parker owners. The Steelers’ back scored a measly two times, and guys like that need to be totaling over 100 total yards every game to be useful. Parker missed that mark six times, including the fateful Week 16 game of one carry for -1 yard. Sweet!

Derek - Parker is a fine choice but Frank Gore was disappointing at best. Gore went into the season on the next tier of backs after the great LT and the pretenders to the throne (Stephen Jackson, Johnson). After scoring three touchdowns in the first two weeks, Gore did not score again until Week 12. Clearly, if you spent a high pick on Gore, you paid for it dearly. On the season, the formerly electrifying Gore had just one 100-yard game. Even that came against the Bengals, which nearly doesn’t mean anything.

Rookie of the Year

In our first unanimous selection, Adrian Peterson walks away with Rookie of the Year honours.

Andy - Look, there’s no point in getting cute. Marshawn Lynch played well, especially down the stretch. But we all know Adrian Peterson set the fantasy world on fire. Despite not starting (why!?) he finished second in rushing yards and tied for second in rushing scores. Most impressive to me, though, was the point in the season where he had around 180 carries and a 6.5 yards per carry average. That’s Jim Brown territory. Peterson still has plenty to prove about his durability and he also faded down the stretch, but if you went back to draft day knowing what you knew now, Peterson would be a first round choice.

Derek - Peterson wins this one in a walk. Who knew a team with Tavaris Jackson at quarterback would be that tolerable to watch? You can thank Peterson for that.

Comeback Player of the Year

Jamal Lewis bucked the odds by coming back after a dreaded 370-carry season.

Andy - Derek and I follow FootballOutsiders.com religiously in terms of running backs that log a 370+ carry season. They suck. In fact, in almost every instance, that workload effectively ends a players career. That’s why, in my humble book, Jamal Lewis had the best comeback this year. He was one of those 370-carry guys. He had the big season, and then the injury-ravaged and ineffective following season. On top of that, Lewis tottered along for a couple more years. And in 2007, he was basically written off. I think I wrote that his ceiling was being a decent spot starter for when your top guys are on bye. Well, it turns out Lewis had other ideas. He displayed those intangibles that you can’t really forecast. He was as hungry a runner as I’ve ever seen, and it lead to a 4.4 per carry average and a consistent top-to-bottom season.

Derek - Seriously, at the beginning of the year how many people had Kurt Warner throwing 27 touchdown passes? Anyone? Anyone? I didn’t think so. Warner stepped in admirably for Matt Leinart despite being switched out with goal-line specialist Tim Rattay. Warner is one of the more fascinating players in recent NFL history. After being jettisoned by the Rams and Giants, he bided his time and showed that he still has gas in the tank. Having Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald doesn’t hurt either. By the way, who is going to be the starter for Arizona next season?

Fantasy Scourge

Thanks to Carolina’s carousel of crappy QBs, Steve Smith crashed and burned as a fantasy asset.

Andy - Warrick Dunn, please retire. Or at least change teams or change roles. Jerious Norwood has 201 career carries and over 1,200 yards. In other words, Norwood possesses a staggering lifetime per carry average of 6.2 yards. That’s better than Peterson was this year at 201 carries. Norwood is a home run threat who also excels at getting some tough yards. Yes, backups sometimes see a defense that is more amped up to stop the starter, so they naturally don’t approach the backup with as much fervour, but does anyone believe that happened with the 2007 Falcons? Dunn squandered 228 carries that could have gone to Norwood. Look, I know he’s a great human being and he’s done many generous things for others. Now, he should do another selfless thing: Get out of the way for someone who should be on every fantasy owner’s radar.

Derek - Steve Smith went from being an elite wide receiver to a guy who is no better than a second or third receiver. He never got into a groove thanks to the maddeningly incompetent play of Carolina’s quarterbacks. The Panthers’ passing game ranked 29th in the league. Meanwhile, the running game was middle of the road at 14th. Jake Delhomme, David Carr, Matt Moore and Vinny Testaverde decimated the collective fantasy value of any Panthers’ offensive player. In fact, fantasy owners were actually excited about the 43-year-old Testaverde raising Smith’s play. That’s simply pathetic. Thanks for the memories, guys!

Fantasy Saviour

Roddy White didn’t drop too many passes this season. (By Dale Zanine, US Presswire)

Andy - This might be the toughest category this year. Peterson deserves consideration for being, at best, a fourth or fifth round pick in your fantasy draft. But it really comes down to Earnest Graham and Ryan Grant. Both started the season on exactly no one’s fantasy team. Both got their chance about halfway through the season, and both helped fantasy owners win titles. I’ll give the slight edge to Grant, who had touchdowns in each of his last six games. Graham did disappoint slightly during championship week, though it’s really nitpicking. Both players saved teams that took a waiver chance on them.

Derek - Roddy White. That’s right. Go ahead and rub your eyes. I said Roddy White. Seriously, something positive needed to develop from Atlanta’s season and it did. White quietly put together a good season with 1,202 yards receiving (which tied for eighth in the league) and six touchdown receptions. In fact, White compiled more receiving yards this season than Torry Holt, Boldin, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Wes Welker. White produced despite having his first string quarterback end up in the clink, playing with a putrid assortment of signal callers and having his head coach quit on the team late in the season. My hat is off to you White. Viva la White!

The Anti-Constitutional Rights Award

Denying his players the right to carry guns? What the hell was Randy Shannon thinking? (JC Ridley/WireImage.com)

What’s that? The Second Amendment guarantees the right of every American citizen to bear arms? Not if you’re a Miami Hurricane football player. In an effort to clean up the image of the program, head coach Randy Shannon instituted a zero tolerance policy when it comes to one of his players owning a gun. Constitutional rights be damned! It was bad enough that Shannon decided to strip the players’ names off the back of their jerseys, but no guns? If you want to go alligator hunting, or even if you’re chasing tail, you’ll just have to find a different weapon of choice. Oh man, so much for Miami producing the next Tank Johnson.

RotoRob 2007 Awards

Basketball
Hockey

January 4th, 2008
Categories: Andy Goldstein, Derek Jones, FOOTBALL, RotoRob Awards . Author: Andy Goldstein . Comments: 4 Comments

By MIKE CHEN and STEVEN OVADIA

Fantasy Stud of the Year

Vincent Lecavalier’s former fling with SI Swimsuit Issue babe Caroline Portelance qualifies him as our Stud of the Year. Oh, he’s pretty good on the ice, as well.

Steve’s Pick: Vincent Lecavalier – He’s leading the league in points and is well on his way to his second straight 50-plus goal season. The 1998 first overall pick was once defined by his reluctance to live up to his potential. Now he’s leading his team and the league.

Mike’s Pick: Lecavalier — Sure, Sid the Kid got the glory on New Year’s Day, but for the calendar year of 2007, no one was better. Now if only Lecavalier could do something about his team’s goaltending.

Fantasy Dud of the Year

Concussion issues have limited Simon Gagne to 10 games this season.

Steve’s Pick: Simon Gagne — He put up 79 points in 2005-06 and 68 points in 2006-07. A concussion has kept him off the ice and limited him to just eight points in 10 games so far this season. A very disappointing season for a very talented player. Let’s hope he makes a full recovery.

Mike’s Pick: Tampa Bay Goaltending — You’ve got three All-Stars anchoring the forward lines, all you need to do is provide consistent above-average — not spectacular — goaltending. Marc Denis, give it a shot. Crash and burn? Dang; okay, how about Johan Holmqvist? Well, it looks like you can’t decide if you’re a Vezina winner or an AHL backup. Considering Tampa’s firepower, whoever manned the crease for the Bolts should have been a simple fantasy pick. However, scoring four goals a game doesn’t work if you let up five.

Fantasy Rookie of the Year

Paul Stastny’s had a huge second half in 2006-07 and has been even better this season.

Steve’s Pick: Jonathan Toews/Patrick Kane combo from Chicago — Toews leads all NHL rookies in goals. Kane leads all NHL rookies in assists. Between the two of them, that’s 68 points. Say what you will about Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin, last season’s Calder winner, or Anaheim’s Dustin Penner, who put up 45 points last year in his rookie season, there’s just something nice about seeing young talent on the usually moribund Blackhawks.

Mike’s Pick: Paul Stastny – While Stastny started off slower than, say, Malkin, his run in the early months of 2007 showed that he could rival the Russian star in ability. He’s still pacing himself at over a point-per-game, and in the wacky system of “Calendar Year Awards Across Two Hockey Seasons,” Stastny was the probably the biggest and best rookie surprise for fantasy players.

Fantasy Comeback Player of the Year

Mike Ribeiro has shocked us with his offensive numbers in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Steve’s Pick: Chris Osgood – Despite his two Stanley Cups with Detroit, Osgood has never commanded a lot of respect and his numbers have usually supported the notion that he’s an average goaltender. But this season, co-starting with Dominik Hasek, he’s putting up great numbers: a 1.70 goals against and .930 save percentage. These are easily the best numbers of his career, including the 1995-96 season, when he shared the Jennings Trophy with Mike Vernon.

Mike’s Pick: Mike Ribeiro – When Ribeiro was shipped to the defensive-oriented Dallas Stars, most people figured that his offensive game would be swallowed up faster than an outdoor rink evaporating in the Texas heat. Ribeiro bucked all the naysayers and wound up being the most creative and effective Stars’ forward since Mike Modano was in his heyday.

And now for a something a little different…

The Anti-Bobby Orr Award

Steve Staios, seen here getting better acquainted with his front-row fans, won’t get confused for Bobby Orr anytime soon. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Steve Staios: You have to love Edmonton’s Steve Staios’ numbers over the past two seasons. Six goals. Seventeen assists. And a -15. Maybe it’s time for Steve to start spending a little more time in his own zone. Or scoring more goals. A lot more.

The Anti-Lady Byng Award

Philadelphia Flyers: Five players were suspended for questionable to awful hits. When the smoke cleared, the suspensions accounted for 52 games. They’re not a team so much as a skating street gang.

The PIMP (PIM Player) Award

With over a thousand penalty minutes in six seasons, Chris Neil, left, is impressing us with his pugilistic ability. (Chris Wattie/Reuters)

Chris Neil: The Ottawa forward is in just his sixth NHL season, yet he already has over 1,000 penalty minutes. Obviously, in the new NHL, penalties are a lot easier to come by, but you still have to be impressed by Neil’s commitment to the penalty box. Word on the ice is that he has his own set of monogrammed towels in the Ottawa sin bin.

The Russell Crowe “Fightin’ Around The World” Award

Ray Emery: The Ottawa goalie is versatile. He can fight on the ice, fight off the ice, and even fight with his coach. And who can forget his classic bout against fellow goalie Marty Biron last season? Goalie fights should count for fantasy points. Bonus points for Emery’s gigantic can’t-wipe-this-off-my-face grin every time he fights. The First Rule of Fight Club is “You do not talk about Fight Club!”

The Mentoring Maniac Award

Hmm…which of these three do you want to hitch a ride with?

Ed Belfour’s drunken tirades are legendary. Now, he’s teaching a younger generation of player how to do up altercations the right way. Shortly after last season ended, Belfour took the veritable babe in the woods (although he’s 33, he’s 10 years’ Belfour’s junior) Ville Peltonen out for some post-season drinking at a Miami nightclub. Naturally, some disorderly conduct soon followed as the evening grew late, and the police were summoned to ask the two to leave. When the cop approached Belfour, as you might predict, the fiery goalie started scrapping with him, forcing the cop to taser him. Belfour was then put into a rescue vehicle to be treated for his injuries. A quick study, Peltonen tore a piece of the truck off while he smiled at the rescue workers. Way to carry on the tradition, kiddo! Eddie the Eagle has flown the coop to play in (read: terrorize) Sweden this year, but it’s good to know that he passed the torch before departing for a fresh start.

January 2nd, 2008
Categories: HOCKEY, Mike Chen, RotoRob Awards, Steven Ovadia . Author: Mike Chen . Comments: 3 Comments

By JAMES MORRIS and STEVE SIMON

And we’re off. The second annual RotoRob Awards kicks off with this year’s basketball honours. We’ve got the best, the worst and the wackiest presented here for your entertainment and edification. Stayed tuned over the next few days as we roll our our baseball, football and hockey awards.

Fantasy Stud of the Year

Sure, Kobe Bryant averaged 40.4 PPG in the month of April, Shawn Marion registered insane across-the-board production, and Dirk Nowitzki walked away with the MVP. Yet, the best player to emerge in 2007 has been Chris Paul. Thus far in the 2007-2008 campaign, Paul is distancing himself from everyone else with a line of 21.7 PPG, 49 FG%, 90 FT%, 10.0 APG, 2.9 SPG and 1.3 3PMG. If he goes on to average 10 assists and three steals per game this season, he’d be the youngest in the history of the NBA to do so and that’s pretty remarkable. Paul, the 2006 RotoRob NBA Rookie of the Year, has graduated to the big time, people.

Fantasy Dud of the Year

The easy choice would be a two-way tie between Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon. They are both to blame for Scott Skiles losing his job as head coach of the Chicago Bulls. Captain Kirk is shooting 38 per cent this season from the floor, turning the ball over at an alarming rate and recently had the point guard reigns taken away and handed over to Chris Duhon. Gordon is shooting 39 per cent this season from the floor and is returning to his sixth-man role after failing to take his game to another level.

Yet there is one man, and one man only that deserves this award - Andrei Kirilenko. Not only because his post-all star stats in 2006-2007 had him averaging a measly 7.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 1.9 APG, but his name was engraved on this trophy the second after he was posterized by Baron Davis on May 11. This dunk actually became a commercial for the NBA.

Of course, AK-47 didn’t help matters when he cried in front of the media.

Rookie of the Year

Kevin Durant’s scoring exploits earn him our nod as ROY.

The reigning rookie of the year, Brandon Roy, deserves some mention in this category. Earlier this year, Roy received 127 out of a possible 128 first-place votes. He also averaged 19 PPG, while nearly adding five rebounds and five assists per game after the all-star break last season. Roy, however, has since been surpassed as a fantasy player by third-place finisher, Rudy Gay. The winner of this award goes to the 2007-2008 likely rookie of the year, Kevin Durant. Already better as a fantasy player than Roy is across the board, Durant is slowly raising his field goal percentage above 40 per cent and is averaging 20.0 PPG. Remember folks, LeBron James shot only 41.7 per cent from the floor during his rookie year. Since 1990, only eight rookies have averaged 20 points or more per contest, and Durant is not that far off from Allen Iverson’s 23.5 PPG in 1996-1997. Durant is going to be very special.

Comeback Player of the Year

Now that he’s over his mystery illness, Hedo Turkoglu, left, is a man possessed. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

The popular pick here would be Grant Hill. But, did you know that Hedo Turkoglu is averaging over six more points per game, almost one more assist, and over two more rebounds per game than he did last season? No? Most people were not aware of it either! Furthermore, the Dirty Turk is getting close to seven more minutes each game. Hedo is doing all he can do to be the perfect compliment to Dwight Howard in Orlando and his fantasy owners are loving him for it. Turkoglu finally appears to be over the mysterious ailment that has come and gone for the past two years, and he’s taking his game to the next level as a result. So remember, when you are in the office and people start throwing around Hill as the Comeback Player of the Year, just do what I do and throw some Turkoglu on them!

He’s Got Game (Off of the Court)

Porking this hottie has even allowed Marko Jaric to start dunking.

Obviously a fan of the Don Johnson five-o’clock shadow, Victoria Secret model Adriana Lima has been dating Marko Jaric of the Minnesota Timberwolves. “Ever since he started dating Adriana Lima, he’s a new man,” Mark Madsen said. “He’s flying all over the court. He dunked! I’ve never seen him dunk.” Basketball fans finally have a reason to watch the Timberwolves, or at the very least comb the stands for Ms. Lima. Could she replace Eva Longoria as the hottie in the stands to focus on for the networks (that is, if Minnesota ever gets good enough to actually be TV-worthy again)?

NBA Theme Song Blues

The NBA without John Tesh’s theme music is like raisinbread without the raisins. Or something like that.

Wikipidea, which of course, must be taken with a grain of salt, states that the purpose of television theme music is “to establish a mood for the show and to provide an audible cue that a particular show is beginning.” No theme song did that quite like Roundball Rock, John Tesh’s masterpiece, when all was right with the world and the NBA was on NBC. Clearly something is missing from basketball coverage on ABC, ESPN and TNT, and one must look no further than their theme songs over the last few years: Can’t Get Enough by Justin Timberlake, Let’s Get It Started by the Black Eyed Peas, Lose My Breath by Destiny’s Child, This Is How A Heart Breaks by Rob Thomas and Runnin’ Down a Dream by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Television executives want tender and I want The Blonde Frankenstein’s jingle. In 2008, we may have a compromise.

Quote of the Year Award

When you hear Jamaal Tinsley butcher the English language, it’s clear why he’s constantly dodging bullets.

Runner-up Zach Randolph, when asked how he felt about being removed from the starting lineup, replied, “I don’t plan on coming off no bench for the rest of the season.”

However, Jamaal Tinsley would not be denied in this category. In his latest in a string of late-night incidents, Tinsley and his friends were being harassed by a group of men pestering him about his flashy vehicle and exorbitant paycheck. When asked what he needs to do differently to avoid trouble, Tinsley replied, “I just got to do things more smarter.” Indeed you, do, Jamaal. Indeed you do.

Top Five Darkest NBA Moments of 2007

Dark Milicic could make a sailor blush. (AP Photo/Lance Murphey)

5. What’s the best way to go about showing your team you are worthy of a multiyear deal? Andray Blatche naturally did what most would do, such as getting arrested after he tried to solicit some extracurricular activity from a female police officer in the prostitution enforcement unit. Um, how much just for a slam dunk, hoe? Hopefully, Blatche didn’t try to superman dat hoe.

4. Darko Millicic, finally showing he has a pulse, blaming the referees for Serbia’s loss to Greece in Eurobasket 2007. Lock up your daughters, people!

3. With everything that happened with Isiah Thomas in 2007, nothing was more disturbing and upsetting than this video. Just think, if he keeps piling up the charges, soon he won’t be doing this kind of crap on a voluntary basis anymore — it will be part of his community service sentence.

2. A criminal complaint alleged a ruckus outside of a nightclub. Can you describe the ruckus, sir? Sure, after parking illegally without pay and having his car towed as a result, Rafer Alston went after a parking attendant and grabbed his arm, shook him and then spat on him. Obviously not sufficient, Alston returned and allegedly slashed the attendant’s neck. I was under the impression that Alston was such a caring individual.

1. One man managed to cast a shadow over a whole sport once again. Baseball has Barry Bonds, Football has Michael Vick, and Basketball has Tim Donaghy. What’s worse is that, when he is sentenced on January 25, 2008, Donaghy faces some serious jail time for betting on games. I wonder, does he knows the cigarette-to-dollar ratio in prison? Do you think he’ll be asked to officiate those friendly pen pickup games in the courtyard?

Most Improved Player Award

Chris Kaman takes the cake as the most improved player. (John W. McDonough/SI)

Chris Kaman gets the nod here, but this was actually somewhat close between Kaman and Rudy Gay. But, alas, Kaman pulls it out when you total the numbers up. Plus, Kaman has the Jesus lettuce on top of his head! He is really helping his fantasy owners out with his increase of 6.2 rebounds per game, 8.5 points per game, and although we don’t count the stat, 10.2 more minutes per game sure does help. Kaman is no longer merely a scary looking mountain man who you’d be afraid to venture down an alley with. I mean, he’s still that, but now he’s a damn fine hoops player, too.

Most Disappointing Team

Now we all know how bad the Timberwolves are, but it is the Miami Heat that takes this title so far. Dwyane Wade isn’t enough to make Shaq look good once again. The Heat won the division crown last season, but it has only managed to win eight out of its first 30 games this season. Face it, fans, Shaq is a shell of his former self.

Buzz Kill Award

When Gilbert Arenas went down, so did many fantasy owners’ chances.

Major injuries to Gilbert Arenas and Elton Brand have been a two-pronged attack on fantasy owners. Brand was hurt before the season even began, so you knew going into the draft that taking him was a major risk from the get-go. Agent Zero, on the other hand, just all of the sudden went lame and left his fantasy owners wondering what could have been with that first rounder they burned on him. Both should return at some point this season, but Arenas owners are falling behind in leagues and Brand owners are wasting a roster spot on a guy that will be maybe be 75 per cent at the end of the season.

Worst Person to Invite to a Gay Pride Parade

Is it just me or does homophobic Tim Hardaway look ready to receive here?

Tim Hardaway’s rant was among the most disturbing outburts of the year, never mind simply sport. Imagine going on record with these gems: “You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known, I don’t like gay people and I don’t like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don’t like it. It shouldn’t be in the world or in the United States.” I was just waiting for the reporter to say “No Tim, tell us what you really think about gay people.” I am pretty sure that wouldn’t go over well as the opening speech at the festivities. Well, you’ve got to admire his honesty, if nothing else.

All Class Award

Ah yes, you’ve got to love a man’s man like Zach Randolph. Already a finalist for the quote of the year (see above), Z-Bo made headlines when he was spotted at a strip joint last season. Nothing out of the ordinary there, right? Well, the thing is he was supposed to be on bereavement leave at the time. Then again, nothing brings me out of mourning more than a pair of augmented breasts in my face! Maybe Pacman Jones was there too, and he helped cheer up Randolph by “making it rain.”

Can You Take a Hint Award

Guard David Wesley, reduced to bench fodder on the Cavs last season, knew his days were about over when he couldn’t gain access to the Quicken Loans Arena weight room. Protected by fingerprint scanners, the room was inaccessible by Wesley several times as his prints weren’t registering any more. Uh yeah, dude. It’s time to be set adrift on an ice floe. Since then, of course, Wesley has been dealt twice in moves that were strictly salary-motivated and, for all intents and purposes, his NBA career is over. Of course, we could have told him that a long time ago.

Barbershop Award

Well, for sheer insanity, no one can top Anderson Varejao’s ‘do, of course, but how about Suns’ fans and their fixation with Steve Nash’s different looks over the year. It’s such a hot topic that it inspired this gem from the Arizona Republic.

December 31st, 2007
Categories: BASKETBALL, James Morris, RotoRob Awards, Steve Simon . Author: Steve Simon . Comments: 6 Comments