Looking Back at My 2016 Comeback Player of the Year Award Predictions

This is my post regarding the Comeback Player of the Year Awards that I wrote in March. In the post I predicted that Matt Wieters of the Baltimore Orioles would win it for the American League and that Wil Myers would win it for the National League with the full knowledge that Major League Baseball only hands out one award for the entire league. I’m just nice like that and I want to hand out two. Here is the post with my predictions and explanations. It looks like I did a halfway decent job with these predictions if I don’t say so myself. 

The Comeback Player of the Year, quite possibly the most useless award in all of Major League Baseball’s set of awards? Why you may ask? The league or whoever votes on these things focus too much, in my opinion, on a guy who missed a chunk of the previous season due to injury and less on a player that makes a true comeback. I was pretty on the fence about this award before last year but when Alex Rodriguez did not win the award that solidified it for me. Leaving my bias and opinions aside I wanted to take a stab at an American League and National League Comeback Player of the Year Award winner for the 2016 season. 

In the American League I went a little off the script here with my pick. This player is technically still coming back from an injury but the injury did not keep him off the field for the majority of the 2015 season. In fact this man played much of the 2015 season on the field and behind the dish for the Baltimore Orioles, Mr. Matt Wieters. Wieters is entering the 2016 campaign in his second season removed from Tommy John surgery after playing in 75 games last season. Wieters struggled with the bat last season and struggled to command the running game at times last season. They say positional players need a year to recover from the injury while pitchers need two full years to be fully back to themselves but everybody is different just like every injury is different. Wieters has to throw the ball back to the pitcher a good 150-200 times a night, control the running game and bat on a surgically repaired elbow that may or may not have been 100% when he did it all. Wieters should benefit from a long winter off and should be back to form in 2016 winning the award outright.  

I considered going with Marcus Stroman here for the AL but after that September and October he had I felt like he already came back, you know?  

In the National League I went with a “can’t miss” prospect that has yet to live up to the expectations and hype over a 162-game schedule. Wil Myers of the San Diego Padres was thought to be the next big thing when he was with Tampa but after a trade to the West Coast and a wrist injury later we fans were left wondering once again what could have been with Myers. 2016 may finally be the year we see a full season and a productive season out of Myers as he has yet to play in more than 88 games in a season during his career or get more than 335 at bats. Myers started out last season hitting well with four home runs and a .286 average in April as the leadoff man before hurting his wrist again and ending his season. Myers, if he can finally stay healthy, might not only win this award but may be in consideration for the NL MVP Award as well. You never know. 

2016 Home Run Derby Open Thread

Ladies and gentleman I believe, in my personal opinion anyway, it is time for the best part of the entire All-Star break. The Home Run Derby. The derby is revamped once again for the 2016 season with a new bracket style competition that I predicted earlier in the day and it should be another awesome night of back, back, back, back, back, back gone's!

Who ya got? Put it down below in the comments section and live tweet it with us @GreedyStripes.

My Predictions for the Home Run Derby 2016

The 2016 Home Run Derby field has been set for Monday inside the spacious, yet beautiful, Petco Park. In the first round Todd Frazier (23 home runs) will take on Carlos Gonzalez of the Colorado Rockies. Meanwhile Mark Trumbo of the Baltimore Orioles (26 home runs) will take on Corey Seager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The other bracket will include Adam Duvall of the Cincinnati Reds facing off head-to-head with Wil Myers of the hometown San Diego Padres while Robinson Cano of the Seattle Mariners will face off with Giancarlo Stanton of the Miami Marlins. Who will take it home? Here are my predictions for what they are worth.

Trumbo

Seager

                           Trumbo

                           Stanton

Cano

Stanton

                                                      Stanton

                                                      Duvall

Frazier

Gonzalez

                        Frazier

                        Duvall

Myers

Duvall

Trumbo will move on to face Stanton while Frazier will face off with Duvall. In the semifinals I have Trumbo being upset by Giancarlo while Frazier is upset by Duvall, sorry Jersey boy. In the finals I can’t see anyone beating Giancarlo Stanton though, especially with the timeouts you’re allowed to call in the first two rounds and the pair of timeouts you’re allowed in the finals. He won’t gas out this time. Stanton wins. 

Predicting the Comeback Player of the Year

The Comeback Player of the Year, quite possibly the most useless award in all of Major League Baseball’s set of awards? Why you may ask? The league or whoever votes on these things focus too much, in my opinion, on a guy who missed a chunk of the previous season due to injury and less on a player that makes a true comeback. I was pretty on the fence about this award before last year but when Alex Rodriguez did not win the award that solidified it for me. Leaving my bias and opinions aside I wanted to take a stab at an American League and National League Comeback Player of the Year Award winner for the 2016 season. 

In the American League I went a little off the script here with my pick. This player is technically still coming back from an injury but the injury did not keep him off the field for the majority of the 2015 season. In fact this man played much of the 2015 season on the field and behind the dish for the Baltimore Orioles, Mr. Matt Wieters. Wieters is entering the 2016 campaign in his second season removed from Tommy John surgery after playing in 75 games last season. Wieters struggled with the bat last season and struggled to command the running game at times last season. They say positional players need a year to recover from the injury while pitchers need two full years to be fully back to themselves but everybody is different just like every injury is different. Wieters has to throw the ball back to the pitcher a good 150-200 times a night, control the running game and bat on a surgically repaired elbow that may or may not have been 100% when he did it all. Wieters should benefit from a long winter off and should be back to form in 2016 winning the award outright.  

I considered going with Marcus Stroman here for the AL but after that September and October he had I felt like he already came back, you know? 

In the National League I went with a “can’t miss” prospect that has yet to live up to the expectations and hype over a 162-game schedule. Wil Myers of the San Diego Padres was thought to be the next big thing when he was with Tampa but after a trade to the West Coast and a wrist injury later we fans were left wondering once again what could have been with Myers. 2016 may finally be the year we see a full season and a productive season out of Myers as he has yet to play in more than 88 games in a season during his career or get more than 335 at bats. Myers started out last season hitting well with four home runs and a .286 average in April as the leadoff man before hurting his wrist again and ending his season. Myers, if he can finally stay healthy, might not only win this award but may be in consideration for the NL MVP Award as well. You never know. 

Just as a quick note I am well aware that just one award is handed out and not one for each league. That just feels cheap to me so I gave one to each league, because I’m nice like that. Enjoy!

Fantasy Baseball: Who are the San Diego Padres?

This time last year we were all talking about the new look San Diego Padres and the absolutely aggressive offseason that new GM AJ Preller oversaw. This time around we see an entirely different story as these same San Diego Padres led by this same GM have sold off pieces for prospects this winter as they try to rebuild a bit on the fly. James Shields is still here and so are Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner but it’s the new cast of characters that were brought in from trades such as the one for Yonder Alonso and Craig Kimbrel we will focus on during this post. It is Prospects Month after all but we’re still going to try and win you your fantasy league for you regardless. We’re nice guys like that.

It feels like Wil Myers has been in the majors forever now and his AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2013 seems like so far ago but injuries will do that to a guy. Myers, still only 25-years old, will look to rebound from a wrist injury that cost him almost four months of his 2015 campaign. That alone will scare some fantasy owners away but I prefer to focus on his .291/.340/.493 slash before the injury rather than what he did in September when he returned. Myers is eligible at first base and the outfield making him a dual threat for your team and your lineup. Just don’t expect a ton of home runs from anyone who calls Petco Park home for 82 games a season.

I don’t believe in Fernando Rodney, I’m sorry but I don’t. I think what he did two years back shooting all those arrows into the sky was an anomaly and I think the 2015 season showed that. For that reason I can see setup man Kevin Quackenbush getting a true shot sometime this season. Rodney lost his closing job in Seattle after posting a 4.74 ERA and wasn’t all that much better in Chicago in limited innings with the Cubs. I don’t expect him to stay in the closer’s role all season long.

Finally you have two of the major prospects acquired in the Craig Kimbrel deal from the Boston Red Sox; outfielder Manuel Margot and shortstop Javier Guerra. These are the Padres #1 and #2 prospects respectively although neither is expected to reach the Major Leagues this season but hey, you never know. At least keep an eye out for them because it won’t hurt.

So there you have it, the young guys and prospects from the San Diego Padres that can help you win your fantasy leagues and drafts. Enjoy and I hope the information helps. 

Big Hits By Headley and Ryan Lift Yankees to Sweep-Avoiding Win Over Rays

Brandon McCarthy tossed seven innings of two-run ball and the Chase Headley/Brendan Ryan duo connected on a pair of RBI Doubles tonight as the Yankees avoided a sweep of this midweek series with a 3-2 win over the Rays.

For the Yanks, though they collected just four hits in it, the W was their first since Saturday, when they beat the Orioles by the same score. 

And yes, the two contests share a lot of similarities.

For one, in this evening's competition New York's offense really only had two good at-bats, coming in the fifth and sixth.

In the former of that couple, the aforementioned doubles by Headley and Ryan turned a 1-0 defecit into a 2-1 lead against Alex Cobb (6 IP, 3 ER), with Chris Young also contributing to the rally with a leadoff HBP.

Then in the latter, thanks to a Derek Jeter single and a couple of walks that loaded the bases, the Yankees were able to cross home again on a hard-hit sac fly by Brett Gardner that was caught at the wall by Wil Myers, doubling their advantage and essentially ending the ballgame.  

Yes, in the sixth Tampa Bay got one back on an Evan Longoria groundout, but since McCarthy bounced back with an immaculate performance in the seventh and Dellin Betances and David Robertson put up zeros in the last two frames the Yanks still ended up emerging victorious, something that thankfully improved their record to a solid three games above .500.