I know you’ve been waiting for it, and your patience will not go unrewarded. Here it is, your Houston Astros 2010 unofficial awards from the Astros290 Blog!
Astros MVP: Michael Bourn
On a team hurting for legitimate MVPs, the competition for this award was stiff with mediocrity. And many of you will doubtless laugh at my choice of Michael Bourn over those like Hunter Pence, Chris Johnson and Jeff Keppinger, who had more impressive overall stats. But here’s the case for Bourn:
He continues to play Gold Glove defense in center field. It’s already a crucial position with how big center field is in Minute Maid Park. Add that he’s flanked by the rhinoceros with a glove Carlos Lee in left and gaffe-prone Hunter Pence in right, and center field might be the Astros’ most important defensive position. He was a base-stealing machine, doing what he’s supposed to as a leadoff hitter — getting on base and then moving into scoring position. Sadly, he didn’t get much help getting home. But he led the league in stolen bases for the second year in a row despite being benched repeatedly against lefty pitchers and missing half of September with an injury. He was one of only three NL players in the top ten in baseball in stolen bases (seceond-best was Angel Pagan way down at 8th) and he was the only NL player with more than 40 stolen bases.
The Astros’ fortunes were also closely tied to his success. In the first half, when Bourn batted .255 with a .661 OPS, the Astros were 36-53. After the All-Star break (when, admittedly, the Astros made a slew of changes and Chris Johnson started hitting like crazy from the 7th spot in the lineup), until his injury, Bourn was batting .280 with a .724 OPS and the Astros were 36-24.
After his injury, the Astros totally tanked, ending the season on a 4-9 run.
Some of this evidence is coincidental, perhaps, and definitely multi-factored. But, on a team hurting for an MVP, I’m going to give it to their first-time All Star who was their lone representative at the game, who plays the best defense on the team and perhaps the best outfield defense in the league and leads the league in stolen bases. It’s about the only stat where the league-leader is an Astro.
Astros Cy Young: Brett Myers
I hate to say it about the ol’ wife beater, but Brett Myers was their ace this season (emphasizing full season and taking nothing away from what Roy Oswalt did before he was traded). He had career bests in innings (223.2) and ERA (3.14), tied his career best for wins (14) and had his second-best WHIP (1.24). And all of that playing for a bottom-dweller in a hitter-friendly park. He became the second pitcher this decade to start a season going more than 30 games with six innings, making him one of the most consistent pitchers in the league, and a work horse to boot.
That was crucial on a team that had bullpen problems galore and a rotation filled with guys who could not be counted on to go 6+ per start. Love him or hate him, he deserves recognition for what he did on the field this year.
Astros LVP: Carlos Lee
Could there be any doubt? It doesn’t even matter that Carlos Lee was second on this offensively anemic team in RBIs and HRs. Nobody on this team is paid so much to do so little. He’s a defensive nightmare, almost as big a detriment on the basepaths, and set career lows in batting average, slugging, on-base percentage and OPS (a lowly .708, just 22 points better than light-hitting Michael Bourn). He had his lowest RBI total since 2002 and his lowest HR total since 2001.
He was far from the worst player on the Astros, but when you adjust for pay scale, he was far less valuable than Kaz Matsui, Pedro Feliz, Kevin Cash and others that didn’t last until the end of the season.
Astros Rookie of the Year: Chris Johnson
Again, a pretty easy decision. It might have been a very different year had they started Johnson from the get-go. Playing mostly in just the second half, Chris Johnson led the team in batting average (.308), slugging percentage (.481) and OPS (.818). He was fourth in RBIs (52) despite playing in just 94 games and was on pretty much everyone’s list as the third baseman for any NL all-rookie team.
Astros BP Pitcher of the Year: Chris Sampson
He’s always been a favorite of mine, and it pains me to say it, but Chris Sampson was the most teed-off-on Astros pitcher this year. After a brilliant April and most of May (1.50 ERA, 0.75 WHIP) he fell apart, suffering from more injuries and posting a 12.44 ERA over the remainder of the season. Following a rehab stint at Triple-A Round Rock, the Astros parted ways with Sampson. He won’t be pitching batting practice at Minute Maid anymore.
Coolest Moment of the Year: Oswalt plays LF versus Astros
It never should have happened, but a solo homer by Jimmy Rollins off Wilton Lopez forced extra innings on August 24. And, as has been true so many times in Astros history, that’s when the magic really happened. After numerous substitutions and the ejection of Ryan Howard, Roy Oswalt had to come in to play left field against his former team. He actually got to make a play, too, retiring Jason Castro on a fly ball.
The Astros took the lead in the 16th inning thanks in part to rookies Chris Johnson, Tommy Manzella, and one of the players they got in the trade for Oswalt — Brett Wallace.
Then Oswalt came up with a chance to win the game with two runners on and two outs in the 16th. He batted to chants of “Os-WALT! Os-WALT!” From the Astros dugout, you could see former teammates Jeff Bagwell and Geoff Blum joining in the chant. Oswalt didn’t come through, which is totally okay as the Astros took the win, but it was definitely the coolest moment of the season.
Most embarrassing moment of the year: Blum’s elbow goes “boom, pop”
Normally, an injury is no laughing matter. But, it becomes kind of funny when it happens under funny circumstances. At the beginning of July, the Astros lost veteran utility man Geoff Blum when he injured his elbow putting on his shirt. There’s no embellishment here; it happened just that way.
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Totally agree with you on Bourn, Austin. So too does FanGraphs, as he had the highest WAR of any Astro (easily, BTW) for 2010.
I also believe that rhinos all over the world take great offense to being compared with Carlos Lee. I honestly think they should consider cutting him & moving on with a younger player. JD Martinez anyone?
Call me out of touch or old fashioned, but I don’t put a ton of stock in WAR. But, for sake of argument, you’re right about Bourn. He’s a full point ahead of Pence in WAR:
http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=nl&qual=y&type=6&season=2010&month=0
Lee is by far the worst, actually rating in negative territory. Meaning the Astros would literally be better off putting in a minor leaguer or career backup than putting in Lee.
Lee actually rates, according to WAR, as the second-worst player in the NL, ahead of only Melky Cabrera.
http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=nl&qual=y&type=6&season=2010&month=0
without question Pence was MVP, he led team in almost every offensive catagory and was 2nd in the others. He also had too many big hits during season and had HRs or other big hits off some of the best pitchers in the N.L. to win games. PENCE IS THE MAN AND MVP. PERIOD!
It’s a difference of philosophy about how literally you want to take the title “most valuable player.” Some think that means best player, some think it means the player that was of most value to your team. Pence put up the best stats of any Astro, to be sure. But, I’ll also point out that Lee was right there with him in HRs and RBIs and that he came through in some key situations. That doesn’t stop most of us from coming to the conclusion that his year was abysmal.
There’s a lot that goes into my consideration of the award beyond just HR, RBIs and OPS. I think that what Bourn does from the leadoff spot and what he does defensively is of far more worth than Pence’s. A big key is also what I mentioned about the team’s success coinciding so closely with Bourn’s success. I’ll also say that while Pence did come up with a lot of big hits, he also came up with a lot of equally large defensive miscues. I know you don’t like acknowledging Pence’s defensive shortcomings, but they are substantial.
Bourn is one of the worst leadoff hitters in the game and that is a fact, he officially ranks near the very bottom in the major leagues.
Pence’s defensive shortcomings are not near as substantial as you and your dear lisa make them out. It is a fact that both of you are very bias and have your little pet favorites and the players that you dislike no matter what, and anyone who can’t see that is blind.
Any way the Houston Sports writers picked Pence as the Astros MVP. They carry alot more weight with me than you and Lisa.
Officially? And what “official” list are you basing that on?
And the sports writers of Houston have their opinion. They’re entitled to it as I’m entitled to mine. I’m not saying they’re wrong and I’m right. I’m saying that’s their opinion and this is mine. I can totally understand why they’d give it to Pence. Like I said, it’s just a matter of a difference in philosophy.
Pence is not a good outfielder & barely qualifies an average one. He gets bad jumps & often takes poor routes. I’d much prefer him in left field as well, as his arm isn’t really right field quality.