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How this works
Here is the complete list of winners since we started these in 2006. We'll be running one category a week for the next seven weeks, which should take us into the first week of February, when it'll almost be time for pitchers and catchers to report! So, that's nice. Here is the schedule:
- Week 1: Play of the Year - winner, David Peralta steals home
- Week 2: Single-game Performance of the Year - winner, Josh Collmenter's imperfect game
- Week 3: Game of the Year - winner, Killing Kershaw
- Week 4: Rookie of the Year - winner, David Peralta
- Week 5: Unsung Hero - winner, Evan Marshall
- Week 6: Pitcher of the Year - winner, Josh Collmenter
- Week 7: Most Valuable Player
For each, the pattern will be the same. Monday will be an open call for nominations - I'll offer some suggestions to get you going, but these are not etched in stone. So feel free to offer any suggestions in the comments - the number of "recs" received by suggestions will be a major factor in deciding which, if any, make the final list of nominees. That will then be posted on Wednsday morning, with accompanying video as appropriate. There will then be a two-day window for voting, with the winner being anointed on Friday morning. Rinse, repeat the following week, for the next category.
Most Valuable Player nominations
Standard practice previously has been to give automatic nominations to the Rookie of the Year, Unsung Hero and Pitcher of the Year, which would be David Peralta, Evan Marshall and Josh Collmenter respectively. I don't have a problem with any of those, leaving us with two or three slots to fill. Paul Goldschmidt deserves to be on the ballot, I think, even though he missed a third of the season due to injury - he still led the team in both bWAR and fWAR. But I'm open to suggestions for the final spot. Possible candidates:
- Miguel Montero = played more games than anyone else
- A.J. Pollock = second on the team in both bWAR and fWAR
- Wade Miley = the only member of the Opening Day rotation still there at the end
- Oliver Perez = sub-three ERA, nobody pitched more often for us
There may be others as well. Nominate these or any others in the comments, and the top one or two (depending on editorial whim) based on the number of recs received will be added to the final ballot, which will go up on Wednesday.