Predicting the 2019 Season: The Comeback Players of the Year

The Comeback Player of the Year Award is a tough one to predict from year-to-year. For example, David Price won the award in 2018 with the Boston Red Sox, but my initial thought was what exactly did Price come back from? He came back from getting shelled by the Yankees in 2017, so that made him eligible to win the award? So, with that said I tried to do my best to make an educated guess at these awards, but like most of my predictions they will very likely be wrong.

I know everyone expects me to pick Gary Sanchez of the New York Yankees, partly because of his terrible offensive season in 2018 and partly because I am a self-professed “Yankees homer” in a lot of cases, but that would be too easy. Instead, I’ll pick a guy that made Gary Sanchez want to punch him in the mouth, Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers. Cabrera has been down for quite a number of seasons now, but I think a lot of that wear-and-tear will be nullified with his full-time move to the DH position this coming year. I think the Tigers can extend Miggy’s career by a couple years with the move and I also think the team will see immediate dividends here in 2019.

In the National League I tried to pick a true comeback player. I tried to pick a player that had come back from adversity or injury to take the 2019 season by storm. I tried to pick a pitcher that came back from Tommy John surgery only to suffer a pretty serious shoulder injury that cost him much of his 2018 campaign as well. My pick for the NL Comeback Player of the Year is Alex Reyes of the St. Louis Cardinals, for all the aforementioned reasons.

Remembering My 2018 Predictions: Comeback Players of the Year

The original post was written below on March 23, 2018 stating that Tim Lincecum and David Wright would win the American League and National League Comeback Player of the Year Awards for their respective leagues. Boy, what a good war to start off my prediction recaps… WRONG! 

Lincecum was released by the Texas Rangers on June 5th after his rehab clock for a blister problem that popped up in Spring Training ran out. No one else signed Lincecum for the 2018 season and his career is likely over after another failed comeback attempt. David Wright will play in one last game for the Mets, his only game of the season, before calling it a career and retiring at the end of the season. I went bold, and unfortunately being bold backfired on this one. Maybe on the next prediction.  

The Comeback Player of the Year Award is generally given to a player who has not only a great season but has a great story behind their great season. For example, if a player misses a bulk of the previous season or seasons due to injury they are generally a candidate for the award if they come back the next season and have a strong season. Remember when Bartolo Colon basically came out of retirement for the New York Yankees only to shock the baseball world by showing that he could not only still pitch, but still pitch effectively at the Major League level? Or remember last season when Greg Holland returned from missing the 2016 season with Tommy John surgery to lead the National League for a chunk of the seasons in saves in 2017? Those are the kind of stories that win you a Comeback Player of the Year Award, and here are my 2018 stories. 

I know I am reaching way out in left field on this one, but you almost have to with any of these sorts of predictions at this stage in the year. No one knows who is going to come back healthy, and nobody knows who is going to be the “next big thing” in Major League Baseball. So why not go bold? Why not predict that Tim Lincecum will not only make the Major League roster at some point in the 2017 season with the pitching-starved Texas Rangers, but why not predict that he will do well for the team in whatever role they use him in? It could happen, and according to my predictions it will happen. The Freak is back, likely as a reliever, and he wants some more hardware for his shelves at home. 

The National League version was a little harder to come up with, so I decided to go bold once again in predicting that David Wright finally makes his way back onto the field with the New York Mets. At this point Wright doesn’t even have to be all that effective to earn to award, the story in itself of him working his way back to the Major League level would be story enough. Wright is currently working on trying to get back to the Mets after undergoing shoulder surgery in September of 2017 and an additional surgery on his lower back in October of 2017. Currently at the time of this writing Wright has been shut down from baseball activities for at least eight weeks, but if the Mets former third baseman can make it back by June or July he would easily be the story of the second half around Major League Baseball.---

CC Sabathia Could Be Primed for a Major Comeback in 2016

CC Sabathia has a monkey off his back, the weight of the world off his shoulders and thanks to a new knee brace he has the weight of his body off his right knee for the most part. The offseason is the time to think big and dream big and I am dreaming really big right here because in my heart of heart’s I truly believe that CC is primed for a major comeback season in 2016.

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves let us define the term “major comeback” in terms of CC. Alex Rodriguez had a major comeback in 2015 and so did Mark Teixeira, that doesn’t mean they were necessarily MVP candidates and such. The same goes for CC, he can have a major comeback season without returning to ace form or being dominant again at 95 MPH. If CC stays healthy and actually keeps the Yankees in games while winning more than he’s losing, that’s a major step forward and a major comeback for Sabathia.

I don’t pretend to know what it’s like battling alcoholism and I don’t pretend to know whether he was drinking before starts, whether it affected his endurance or product on the field or anything like that. I do know that, based of comments he has made, he is light years ahead in his conditioning and with his arm this season and his head is clear. A pitcher can be their own worst enemy and on days when your curveball isn’t working or your fastball won’t go where you place it the difference between a disaster of a start or a good start is mostly mental.

The physical should improve. You would think without the alcohol CC would have more cardio, more endurance and more stamina heading into 2016. The new knee brace he tried out at the end of 2015 also seemed to help significantly, although getting on and off the mound quickly will still be a struggle for Sabathia.

Sabathia is a leader, he doesn’t need to be an ace. The Yankees have a ton of young pitchers and players coming up and down from the team all the time. CC is primed to lead and not only lead by example but lead with his words. He’s a warrior and I commend him while I look forward to his major comeback season in 2016. I’m rooting for you big man!

MLB Players Choice Awards to be Announced Tomorrow

Major League Baseball's annual Players Choice Awards are going to be handed out tomorrow night at 8:00 pm ET on MLB Network. Only Alex Rodriguez is up for an award as a member of the New York Yankees for Comeback Player of the Year, although he did not win MLB's version of the award last week, but there are many awards that will be handed out that night including all the awards we will go over in this post.

Player of the Year:
TOR Josh Donaldson
WASH Bryce Harper
LAD Zack Greinke

Outstanding Player for the American League:
SEA Nelson Cruz
TOR Josh Donaldson
LAA Mike Trout

Outstanding Player for the National League:
COL Nolan Arenado
ARI Paul Goldschmidt
WASH Bryce Harper

Outstanding Pitcher for the American League:
OAK Sonny Gray
HOU Dallas Keuchel
TOR David Price

Outstanding Pitcher for the National League:
CHC Jake Arrieta
LAD Zack Greinke
LAD Clayton Kershaw

Outstanding Rookie for the American League:
HOU Carlos Correa
CLE Francisco Lindor
MIN Miguel Sano

Outstanding Rookie for the National League:
CHC Kris Bryant
SF Matt Duffy
PITT Jung-Ho Kang

Comeback Player of the Year for the American League:
TEX Prince Fielder
KC Kendrys Morales
NYY Alex Rodriguez

Comeback Player of the Year for the National League:
COL Carlos Gonzalez
NYM Matt Harvey
CIN Joey Votto

Marvin Miller Man of the Year:
MIA Dee Gordon
BAL Adam Jones
CHW David Robertson

Looking Back At My 2015 Comeback Player of the Year Award Predictions

Every season I begin the year by predicting who I think will win each of the major awards around Major League Baseball. Truth be told I am usually way wrong, like most, but I still stick to my guns and tell you and show you how wrong I am. I'm humble like that. So SEE HERE for the original post or see below as we recap my picks for the AL and NL Comeback Player of the Year Award winners.

Every year around this time I begin the season long process of completely embarrassing myself by trying to predict the major award winners, playoff teams, and World Series victor before the season even begins. This season will be no different and I will start the 2015 prediction show by predicting the Comeback Player of the Year Awards for both leagues. I should, and wanted to, pick Alex Rodriguez for the American League side of the award but I feel like most would stop reading and remove your bookmark for the blog so rest assured, it’s safe to keep reading.

For the American League I am going to stay with the Yankees, I’m a homer sometimes what can I say, and I am going to pick Masahiro Tanaka. There aren’t many comeback trail type stories except for Barry Zito’s this season so I will go with the player that is coming back from a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow in 2014. I believe Tanaka, after following the diagnosis and advice of four highly acclaimed doctors, did the right thing in resting and rehabbing the elbow rather than going under the knife and will show the dividends of that decision in 2015. Tanaka has altered his mechanics a bit and added more of an attack to his repertoire with the addition of a two-seam fastball that he will use more consistently and should be better physically. The results have looked great thus far in spring training despite what the stat line says as the velocity is consistent with what it was last year before the injury and the command and control is as crisp as ever. I may be totally forgetting someone and it may just be the Yankees fan in me but I am going with Tanaka as my Comeback Player of the Year in 2015.

For the National League I thought about going with Ryan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals or Matt Harvey for the New York Mets but I ultimately decided on Carlos Gonzalez of the Colorado Rockies. Why you ask? For the first time in his career the Rockies are at least toying with the idea of trading Gonzalez and/or Troy Tulowitzki out of Colorado to a contender. Every player wants to win and having a big season so he can be traded to a playoff contender is the ultimate motivator. Gonzalez has done nothing to make you believe this is going to come true so this may be a bit of a bold prediction but I get these wrong nine times out of ten anyway so go big or go home, just like Gonzalez is going to this season.

Masahiro Tanaka, Mark Teixeira or Alex Rodriguez could conceivably win this award although the injury to Teixeira and the past may keep Rodriguez from winning the award. I'm not sure Tanaka will win the award but he's definitely been a great comeback story in my opinion as he defies popular opinion and the beat writers, fans etc. that think he should have gotten the ulnar collateral ligament surgery.

Carlos Gonzalez has quietly had a great and healthy season for the Rockies this season sporting a .263/.319/.536 slash in 140 games to go with 37 home runs and 88 RBI without Troy Tulowitzki in the lineup to give him protection. After getting in just 70 games last season and batting only .238 in 2014 Gonzalez should get recognition for the award but the media and the general fan base loves Matt Harvey so I can see him winning the award.

Check in tomorrow as we check out the Rookie of the Year awards.

New York Yankees First Half TGP Awards Show

Welcome to the Greedy Pinstripes First Half Awards Show! We have a jammed pack show for you this morning so let's jump right into it as we remember the Yankees best moment of the year, name the team's Comeback Player of the Year Award winner, Rookie of the Year Award winner, Cy Young Award winner and the team's MVP. We may also throw in a "most disappointing" and "biggest surprise" awards just to keep things fresh and interesting so let's get right into it, shall we?

Comeback Player of the Year Award:

We'll begin today's award show by announcing our Comeback Player of the Year Award. When we thought about this award we considered the great season by Mark Teixeira, the bounce back season of Brian McCann and the fact that Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda and Ivan Nova have all come back this season healthy but how does this not go to Alex Rodriguez? A Rod basically missed the entire 2013 season with a second hip surgery and various lower leg injuries and missed the entire 2014 season due to his Biogenesis suspension and has stepped up in 2015 like he never skipped a beat. Congratulations to Alex on the award, maybe this won't be his only one on the night.

Rookie of the Year Award:

The Yankees have had 11 players make their major league debuts this season with the club and has called up two others, Joel De La Cruz and Taylor Dugas, without getting them into a game which has flooded the field for the Rookie of the Year Award. Slade Heathcott and Mason Williams blast their way onto the scene with big home runs before injuries derailed their seasons while Robert Refsnyder came up before the All-Star break and collected his first two hits of his major league career in Fenway Park including a game-winning home run but it has been the pitching of Chasen Shreve that has really impressed. It probably helps that Shreve has been up for more time and seen more action than any other player on the roster but those are the kicks. Congrats to Shreve, keep up the good work kid and you'll go far.

Most Disappointing Yankee:

I know exactly what about 90% of readers are thinking right now, CC Sabathia is going to win an award on the TGP First Half Awards Show! Wrong! The other 10% may bring up the fact that Chase Headley has not only struggled with the bat but has really struggled defensively as well which means he has to win the award, right? Wrong again! So it has to be Masahiro Tanaka who has not pitched like an ace, Carlos Beltran or Stephen Drew who have let their 2014 struggles follow them into 2015 or Didi Gregorius in the impossible task of replacing Derek Jeter? Nope! How about Joe Girardi and his bullpen and starting pitching management? How about the fact that Girardi let Drew get 25 at bats a week while expecting Jose Pirela to hit the ball consistently with one or two at bats a week? Joe, well more your binder but who's counting, this is not the award you wanted to win this morning and you won it. Try better in the 2nd half.

Biggest Surprise Yankee:

The biggest surprise Yankee was another award that I think may had Alex Rodriguez pegged for but you guys know me by now, I like to go against the grain. I mean, who had Joe Girardi winning the biggest disappointment on the Yankees in 2015? Well I don't think anyone is going to see someone like Brett Gardner once again defy the odds and take down the likes of Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Chasen Shreve, Adam Warren and others but he did. I personally saw Gardner's 2014 season, especially in the power department, as the exception and not the rule but Gardner has found a way to not only replicate that success but maybe even found a way to improve upon it. Gardner was already honored with his first MLB All-Star Game berth this season and that doesn't stop there, he is also taking home the Biggest Surprise Yankee Award as well, congratulations.

Cy Young Award Winner:

The Yankees starting rotation has been consistently inconsistent this season making this one of the tougher awards to give out this morning. Tanaka has spent time on the disabled list and hasn't done enough to silence the critics who have questions about the health of his elbow and his UCL. Pineda has been up and down and so has Nathan Eovaldi while CC Sabathia has just been down for the most part leading me to look into the bullpen for the award winner. Really this comes down to Chasen Shreve, Justin Wilson, Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances and while all four have been great Miller has been injured and Betances filled in admirably. Betances has been the glue to the Yankees bullpen this season whether it was in the 7th, 8th or 9th inning and is the only obvious choice for the award, so I gave it to Dealin' Dellin. You won the award big man now cut that hair, please?

MVP Award Winner: 

This may have been the easiest decisions to make all night and it was supposed to be the hardest one of the show. Imagine a Yankees lineup, on a consistent basis anyway, without Mark Teixeira's big gluten-free bat this season. The team's offense goes from above average to mediocre in a flash. The team could weather the losses of Alex Rodriguez, Brian McCann, Brett Gardner or Jacoby Ellsbury much easier then they could if the team lost Teixeira. Teix, here is your award but I'm going to go ahead and carry it to your locker room for you... just in case. Congratulations!



That's it folks, the big awards have been handed out and so have the Derek Jeter gift baskets. I hope everyone enjoyed the show and tunes in to next year's show and to the New York Yankees in the second half. The team heads home tomorrow to Yankee Stadium to play host to Robinson Cano and the Seattle Mariners for the weekend so be sure to be there to see the early favorites for the TGP Postseason Awards coming to you this October. Have a good day everybody!

Predicting the Comeback Player of the Year Award Winners in 2015

Every year around this time I begin the season long process of completely embarrassing myself by trying to predict the major award winners, playoff teams, and World Series victor before the season even begins. This season will be no different and I will start the 2015 prediction show by predicting the Comeback Player of the Year Awards for both leagues. I should, and wanted to, pick Alex Rodriguez for the American League side of the award but I feel like most would stop reading and remove your bookmark for the blog so rest assured, it’s safe to keep reading.

For the American League I am going to stay with the Yankees, I’m a homer sometimes what can I say, and I am going to pick Masahiro Tanaka. There aren’t many comeback trail type stories except for Barry Zito’s this season so I will go with the player that is coming back from a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow in 2014. I believe Tanaka, after following the diagnosis and advice of four highly acclaimed doctors, did the right thing in resting and rehabbing the elbow rather than going under the knife and will show the dividends of that decision in 2015. Tanaka has altered his mechanics a bit and added more of an attack to his repertoire with the addition of a two-seam fastball that he will use more consistently and should be better physically. The results have looked great thus far in spring training despite what the stat line says as the velocity is consistent with what it was last year before the injury and the command and control is as crisp as ever. I may be totally forgetting someone and it may just be the Yankees fan in me but I am going with Tanaka as my Comeback Player of the Year in 2015.

For the National League I thought about going with Ryan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals or Matt Harvey for the New York Mets but I ultimately decided on Carlos Gonzalez of the Colorado Rockies. Why you ask? For the first time in his career the Rockies are at least toying with the idea of trading Gonzalez and/or Troy Tulowitzki out of Colorado to a contender. Every player wants to win and having a big season so he can be traded to a playoff contender is the ultimate motivator. Gonzalez has done nothing to make you believe this is going to come true so this may be a bit of a bold prediction but I get these wrong nine times out of ten anyway so go big or go home, just like Gonzalez is going to this season. 

Looking Back: My Predictions For Comeback Player of the Year in 2014

My original picks for Comeback Player of the Year were Grady Sizemore for the American League and Matt Kemp for the National League. While we know for 100% sure that Sizemore will not win the award in the AL, he is currently with the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL, Kemp still has a shot. See below for the original post made back in March of this year. 

Grady Sizemore of the Boston Red Sox, as much as this pains me to say, will be the Comeback Player of the Year in the American League. Grady is finally healthy, for real this time, and has the chance to shine in Boston replacing Jacoby Ellsbury in center. While in Cleveland Grady had to be the man, the face of the franchise, and had to carry the team on his back. In Boston he can blend in and relax, as crazy as that sounds, and get back to doing what he does best. It kills me to write it but Grady Sizemore is going to be a great pickup for the Red Sox, one I have been clamoring for the Yankees to make for the past two offseasons.

For the National League I predict the Comeback Player of the Year will be Matt Kemp. Kemp is finally healthy and now has some competition in the Dodgers outfield with Yasiel Puig, Andre Either, and Carl Crawford. Kemp may actually have to earn his spot this time around, sort of anyway, and that should be motivation enough to bring back #BeastMode.

Thinking About 2015: The Fourth or Fifth Outfielder

Here I go again thinking about 2015 and looking past the 2014 season while it’s still going on but I can’t help it. The product on the field this season has not lived up to the fan’s and owner’s expectations and I want to ensure that the team does not miss the postseason for a third consecutive season. While I know, although I have no proof, that members of the New York Yankees front office read my stuff I will use that to my advantage and slip them a few ideas from time to time, like who the team should bring in to essentially replace Ichiro Suzuki on the team next year on the bench as either a fourth or fifth outfielder. The drum beating continues today and will all offseason for centerfielder and former All Star Grady Sizemore.

For the past couple of off seasons I have called the name Grady Sizemore like he was the second coming of Derek Jeter and while his time in Boston last year made me back off that stance a little it has not swayed me enough to turn the page. Sizemore was stellar for Boston during spring training and had a hot start to the season only to cool down, come back down to Earth, and ultimately get designated for assignment by the team. Sizemore quickly latched on with the Philadelphia Phillies on a minor league deal and continued his comeback season. In 2015 I want Sizemore winning the Comeback Player of the Year Award for the New York Yankees, not some other club.

Sizemore is capable of playing all three outfield positions and is still relatively young at age 32 making him an attractive piece for 2015. We all know Joe Girardi isn’t going to use Antoan Richardson, Ramon Flores, or Zoilo Almonte if he somehow makes it back onto the roster so why not at least bring in a guy that makes some sense in Sizemore. 

Preview: New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox 4/23

The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox will continue to renew their rivalry tonight playing in their second game of the three game set at Fenway Park. The Yankees will send Michael Pineda to the mound to face Boston for the first time since Pine Tar Gate so expect to put your television on mute tonight. The Red Sox will counter with John Lackey facing off with Pineda. The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, ESPN, on your computer with MLB TV, and on the radio with WFAN.

Pineda has pitched six innings in each of his first three starts this season and has not allowed more than a run in any of the starts. Pineda beat the Red Sox on April 10 scattering four hits and allowing a solo home run striking out seven. You won't hear about his Comeback Player of the Year Award bid tonight though, especially with the game on ESPN, all you will hear about is the pine tar. Even though Pineda dominated the Cubs without pine tar on his hand, it doesn't matter, he cheated and the game is on ESPN.

John Lackey is pitching for the Red Sox, did I mention the game is on ESPN? I don't feel compelled to say anything about Lackey and his past starts because I am sure John Kruk will do plenty of talking about him for me.

Go Yankees!!

Quick Hit: Derek Jeter Comeback Player of the Year?

When thinking of Comeback Player of the Year I immediately went to Grady Sizemore with my pick for the award but what about our very own Derek Jeter? Jeter played in 17 games last season due to a many number of leg and ankle related injuries but seems to be healthy in 2014. Now Jeter is in his final season and knocking the cover off the ball with the consistency he had in 2012.

Does Jeter have a legit shot at winning the Comeback Player of the Year in 2014? I think so.

Predicting The Comeback Player of the Year Awards

Continuing my attempt to predict anything right for this coming season I will take a stab at predicting the feel good stories of the Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Grady Sizemore of the Boston Red Sox, as much as this pains me to say, will be the Comeback Player of the Year in the American League. Grady is finally healthy, for real this time, and has the chance to shine in Boston replacing Jacoby Ellsbury in center. While in Cleveland Grady had to be the man, the face of the franchise, and had to carry the team on his back. In Boston he can blend in and relax, as crazy as that sounds, and get back to doing what he does best. It kills me to write it but Grady Sizemore is going to be a great pickup for the Red Sox, one I have been clamoring for the Yankees to make for the past two offseasons.

For the National League I predict the Comeback Player of the Year will be Matt Kemp. Kemp is finally healthy and now has some competition in the Dodgers outfield with Yasiel Puig, Andre Either, and Carl Crawford. Kemp may actually have to earn his spot this time around, sort of anyway, and that should be motivation enough to bring back #BeastMode.

Mariano Rivera Named Comeback Player of the Year

Mariano Rivera has been named the American League Comeback Player of the Year for the 2013 season with the New York Yankees. Rivera missed most of the 2012 season after tearing his ACL shagging fly balls in the outfield in Kansas City and came back in 2013 for his farewell tour firing on all cylinders.

Mo finished the 2013 season with a 6-2 record with a 2.11 ERA, 44 saves, 1.047 WHIP, and a 2.4 WAR

Francisco Liriano took home the award for the National League in case you were wondering.