THT Awards

Welcome to the awards.

All stats are for the games starting Monday, July 18 and ending Sunday, July 24. If you are a new reader, reference the week one column for category explanations.

This week’s proof that assigning wins and losses to a pitcher is an archaic practice that must stop

Good luck division

J.A. Happ got the win despite allowing five runs in five and two thirds on seven hits and four walks.

In a game where 25 runs were scored, Tim Wakefield and Brad Bergesen were pummeled for 15 of them. Neither received the loss.

It gets worse as in Wakefield’s other start this week he allowed seven runs in six and a third on 10 hits and a walk to the Mariners’ limp offense yet he received the win. He is now 6-3 with an ERA over 5.00.

Brett Cecil allowed five runs in seven innings to the Mariners and escaped with a no-decision. I would combine his line with that of Michael Pineda who was charged with five runs in six and a third, but I would rather point out the inept Aaron Laffey and Jeff Gray, who each allowed a runner inherited from Pineda to score.

Derek Holland and Dan Haren were shelled to the tune of a combined 14 runs in nine and two thirds with 18 hits, four walks, and seven strikeouts. Neither got the loss.

Doug Fister was blasted for five runs in six innings by the Jays. No decision.

Tommy Hanson got the win despite six runs in six innings.

The Yankees scored 17 runs against Trevor Cahill and the A’s. This explains how Phil Hughes could fail to make it out of the fifth inning, getting charged with seven runs on nine hits and four walks and still not wind up with the loss. Hector Noesi and Luis Ayala were charged with no runs in the remaining four and two thirds (though Noesi allowed one run charged to Hughes).

Tom Gorzelanny: three innings, eight hits, five runs, one walk, three strikeouts, no decision. Ted Lilly: five innings, eight hits, six runs, two walks, six strikeouts, no decision.

Bad luck division

Justin Masterson threw seven and two thirds scoreless, striking out six, walking none. Chris Perez allowed two runs, blew the save and took the loss.

Bruce Chen and John Danks combined to allow one run in 15 frames in nine hits, striking out 10, walking two. Neither starter got the win as the White Sox bullpen couldn’t maintain the one-run lead and the game went into extra innings.

Not only did C.J. Wilson allow only one run to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, City of Industry, Alhambra, and Calabassas, he allowed only four base runners in his eight innings. He lost.

Sean Marshall’s blown save turned Matt Garza’s seven-inning, one-run effort into a no-decision.

Tim Lincecum allowed only one run in his seven innings of work but it was enough to get him the loss as Clayton Kershaw was too much for the Giants lineup, who got shut out.

Chris Narveson gave the Brewers a nice start by throwing seven scoreless, which was then wasted by Francisco Rodriguez who allowed two Diamondback runs. The Brewers wound up winning the game but Narveson did not get credit for that victory.

Vulture Award

Joey Devine inherited a one-run lead and gave it up in the first batter and added another Tigers run on top of that. The Oakland offense picked up after him and made him a winner.

Wes Littleton Award

We have another True Littleton! Zach Duke entered the Sunday game against Denver up 5-0. He threw four scoreless to finish the game and get a rare four-inning save.

Holding a three-run lead, the three batters Drew Storen retired to record his 25th save were Jason Michaels, who ended the game batting .210/.245/.314, Chris Johnson .243/.283/.385, and Carlos Corporan at .197/.215/.276.

Please hold the applause

Daniel Bard retired one batter to end the eighth inning, protecting a three-run lead. That batter was Greg Halman, who was batting .256/.284/.385 at the time.

Pedro Beato entered the game with nobody on and nobody out in the seventh inning protecting a one-run lead. He proceeded to give up a single to John Buck, induce a fly out, advance the pinch runner to second on a wild pitch, then walk the next two batters to load the bases before he was mercifully pulled. The run that scored to tie the game was charged to him.

Any sufficiently advanced defense is indistinguishable from pitching

Ervin Santana struck out one of 28 Orioles in seven and two thirds. Only three balls in play found safe pasture and he got the win.

Jeff Karstens took the loss, but he was lucky in that he allowed one run in seven innings on seven hits despite striking out only one of the 28 Cincinnati batters he faced.

Joe Carter Award

Travis Snider drove in six runs in 27 PA. He went 3-for-26 with a double, a home run, no walks, and a caught stealing. .115/.111/.269 is really awful.

Sanchez Award

Nate Schierholtz and Ryan Ludwick each produced six hits in 21 PA. That sounds great until you factor in the fact that they did not walk and ended the week at .286/.286/.429 as corner outfielders.

Mark Trumbo went .278/.263/.389 in 19 PA.

Harmon Killebrew Award

Todd Helton only gave the Rockies four hits in 22 plate appearances, but three of the four went for extra bases and the first baseman walked five times, leading to an impressive .235/.423/.529 line.

Eric Hinske went .222/.364/.500 in 22 PA.

Drew Stubbs went .222/.364/.556. He was 2-for-2 on the base paths, walked three times, and one of his two home runs was of a particularly high leverage condition.

Caution: this might be the first positive thing you have heard about Torii Hunter since the spring. The right fielder hit for a low average this week, but walks and power made it a productive seven days. .190/.346/.571.

Curtis Granderson has been much better than Torii Hunter, so it isn’t that much of a surprise to see him post a .182/.387/.455 line.

Steve Balboni Award

I mentioned Travis Snider earlier in reference to his RBI’s. Now I prod him for his strikeout rate. Snider fanned 10 times in his 27 plate appearances, which was a primary factor in his awful line.

Ryan Howard whiffed nine times in 21 PA, leading to a .200/.238/.400 week.

Three true outcomes

Granderson popped two home runs, walked five times, and struck out 12 times in 27 PA.

Evan Longoria went 2-8-8 in 32 PA.

Daniel Descalso was missing a true outcome, but 0-6-5 in only 19 PA is worth noting.

The anti-TTO

Rookie Mike Moustakas went 0-0-1 in 26 PA. That is kind of a cheat though because he sneaked in a HBP, which I consider the forgotten fourth true outcome.

This week’s MVP

AL: I feel no shame in saying I really did not see the Jacoby Ellsbury breakout coming before the season. I really did not expect to see him slug more than 100 points higher than his previous career average. This week the surprise power hitter went .462/.483/.846 with three home runs, two walks, and only one strikeout in 28 PA.

NL: Justin Upton has taken a step forward this year as well. The difference is that it was expected that he would improve. .519/.552/1.000 in 29 PA with five doubles, a triple, two home runs, and two walks is the week’s most impressive line.