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With Play of the Year out of the way, we now get into a more regular schedule of ‘Pitties. Mondays will see an open thread to discuss the nominees. Wednesdays will see the five (typically) selected by the judging panel put up for a poll, with details to support each candidate. And Fridays will see the winner officially announced (though since you can watch polling unfold as it happens, it’s not exactly the Oscars!). We begin with the best single-game performance of the season. For some objectivity, here’s a VERY provisional initial shortlist of potential nominations, based on various metrics.
Generally, the final nominees have tended to be two starting pitching, two position players and one relief pitching, but this is not a hard and fast rule. I’ve limited it to one nomination per player in each category.
- Starting pitching, Game Score
4/17: Patrick Corbin vs. SFG - 9 IP, 1 H (92)
7/22: Zack Greinke vs. COL - 8 IP, 2 H (87) - Starting pitching, WP
6/3: Matt Koch vs. MIA - 7 IP, 3 H, +46.2% WP
8/28: Clay Buchholz vs. SFG - 7 IP, 5 H, +42.7% WP - Relief pitching
7/8: T.J. McFarland vs. SFG - 4 IP, 0 R, +56.7% WP
7/13: Brad Boxberger vs. SFG - 1 IP, 3 K, 14 P, 2-1 Save
8/6: Yoshihisa Hirano vs. PHI - 2 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, W
9/18: Matt Koch vs. CHC - 4 IP, 0 R, 7:0 K:BB - Hitting, total bases
4/30: A.J. Pollock vs. LAD - 3-for-5, three HR
8/6: David Peralta vs. PHI - 4-for-7, two HR, DBL, +57.7% WP - Hitting, WP
9/6: Paul Goldschmidt vs. ATL - 3-for-5, HR, DBL, +57.8% WP
7/20: Ketel Marte vs. COL - 3-for-5, TPL, four RBI, +57.7% WP - Hitting, miscellaneous
7/20: A.J. Pollock vs. COL - 5-for-5, three R, DBL, SB
6/9: Paul Goldschmidt vs. COL - 3-for-4, three R, two HR, four RBI, BB
Some interesting candidates here. Please discuss below which five should move forward, or nominating other possible entrants, as recs will be a factor in the final decision of the judging panel i.e. me. Perhaps explain how you come to your decision, what criteria are important to you, and how you compare across the different categories.