Each week through the season, at the end of the round table discussion, we’ve had a poll for you to vote and select the player of the previous week on the Diamondbacks. Over the past six months, we’ve been tallying up the results, and accumulating them: here, in reverse order, are the top three.
3. J.D. Martinez: 262%
This is quite a remarkable showing, given that at the All-Star break, I doubt many Diamondbacks fans would be able to pick Martinez out of a line-up. Personally, I thought he was the 877-CASHNOW guy. :) But after the trade, he had a second-half for the ages. His 29 home-runs in only 62 games was a franchise record after the break, and would be a 76 home-run pace for the entire season. His 1.107 OPS trailed only Luis Gonzalez’s 2001 for the best second-half figure in franchise history. There’s a good case to be made that, if it were not for Martinez, the last week of the season would have been a lot more nervous than it was.
2. Zack Greinke: 271%
After a disappointing 2016, his first after signing far and away the largest contract in Diamondbacks history, we needed a bounceback season from our ace. And we certainly got that, as he went 17-7 with a 3.20 ERA. He was particularly outstanding at Chase Field, where he was 13-1 with a 2.87 ERA in the regular season [shame that wasn’t quite sustained into the playoffs...] Greinke became the first pitcher to give Arizona a six bWAR season in eight years, since Dan Haren reach that mark in 2009. If the team decides to trade him this winter or not, it’ll be easier. If they hang on to him, fans will feel more optimistic about Greinke’s performance next season.
1. Paul Goldschmidt: 327%
When it comes time to anoint a Most Valuable Player for the 2017 Diamondbacks, it would not surprise me to see these same three names on top of the ballots. And after being dethroned there by Jean Segura last year, I doubt anyone would be shocked if Goldschmidt returned to reclaim his crown. Paul fully justified his fifth consecutive All-Star selection, tying his career high with 36 home-runs, and setting a new personal best by crossing home-plate 117 times. He led the team in both categories, as well as hits, RBI, and all of the triple-slash categories. Heck, he was even second on the team in SB, practically unheard of for a first-baseman.
Here are the full rankings, after all voting this season.
- Paul Goldschmidt: 327%
- Zack Greinke: 271%
- J.D. Martinez: 255%
- Patrick Corbin: 249%
- Robbie Ray: 240%
- Jake Lamb: 164%
- David Peralta: 154%
- A.J. Pollock: 117%
- Archie Bradley: 107%
- Fernando Rodney: 106%
- Chris Owings: 75%
- Brandon Drury: 60%
- Chris Iannetta: 54%
- Randall Delgado: 41%
- Zack Godley: 40%
- Taijuan Walker: 40%
- Jimmie Sherfy, 34%
- Nick Ahmed: 30%
- Ketel Marte: 28%
- T.J. McFarland: 27%
- Jeremy Hazelbaker: 25%
- Chris Herrmann: 16%
- J.J. Hoover: 9%
- Yasmany Tomas: 7%
- Daniel Descalso: 6%
- Jake Barrett: 5%
- Andrew Chafin: 2%
- Anthony Banda: 1%