On the heels of a frankly pedestrian 13-12 won-loss record in the 2010 regular season, Seattle Mariner SuperArm Felix Hernandez is the '10 AL Cy Young winner.
I suspeect CC Sabathia and David Price are less than happy today., as are many fans -- the majority? -- who don't pay much attention to secondary statlines. I am not personally unhappy with the voting, but admit I am surprised. And a little, tiny piece of Nolan Ryan might be thinking today, "Dang, where were y'all in 1987?"
San Diego's Buddy Black and Minnesota's Ron Gardenhire are your NL and AL managers of the year, respectively, continuing an awards season that lacks anything remotely categorizeable as "surprising." Blue Jay leader Cito Gaston finished fifth in the AL balloting, one spot ahead of Joe Girardi.
Comments, Bauxites?
Texas reliever Neftali Feliz has been named the 2010 American League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year, the first Ranger to win since Mike Hargrove,in 1974, 14 years before Feliz was born. Feliz and runner-up Austin Jackson, the Detroit OF, were the only players named on all 28 ballots. According to noted baseball humorist (and Batter's Box's own) Jamey Newberg, "Derek Jeter placed third. (Not really.)"
Giants catcher Buster Posey got the National League nod. Read the full story on ESPN.com.
Feliz and Posey, recent World Series rivals ... that's some kinda all-rookie battery!
Ricky Romero warms up on the mound while third baseman Edwin Encarnacion reaches for the rosin bag. Romero did not have his best outing of the season as he gave up three runs on five hits and five walks over five innings but he kept the O's in check after giving up all three of his runs in the second inning.
Dave Niehaus, the one-and-only voice of the Seattle Mariners -- the team's primary broadcaster since their inception in 1977, has passed away.
There were plenty of legitimate complaints to Niehaus' style -- extreme homerism, Americanization of Latino names, stuff like that. But these were minor points compared to the voice-becoming-part-of-the-family joy Niehaus brought to the entire Pacific Northwest United States.
Rest well, David.
The complete list for NL GG'10:
C Yadier Molina Cardinals
1B Albert Pujols Cardinals
2B Brandon Phillips Reds
SS Troy Tulowitzki Rockies
3B Scott Rolen Reds
OF Carlos Gonzalez Rockies
OF Michael Bourn Astros
OF Shane Victorino Phillies
P Bronson Arroyo Reds
Any thoughts, BoxNation? Who got ripped off? Who got erroneously rewarded, and if you answer that, who SHOULD have won that position? And finally, which "team" is better overall, defensively, the AL or the NL?