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It’s amazing to think that, just two years ago, we had lost 110 games, and I was seriously wondering whether to bother even having awards. Now, here we sit as the reigning National League champions, and have more to celebrate than 28 other clubs. Unexpected, to be sure. But outside of a few dodgy weeks after the All-Star break, it was certainly the most fun season I can remember, and quite rekindled my interest, which had been struggling, for a variety of reasons, since the pandemic. I’m really looking forward to remembering, celebrating and honoring the best and brightest of a fabulous campaign, as we roll out the eighteenth annual edition of this feature.
The format will be the same as we’ve run in recent years. Each week, there will be an initial list of potential candidates on Sunday, with an open thread for discussion and other nominations, which can be rec’d for support. On Wednesday, the ballot will be posted, with details of each candidate. And on Saturday, the winner will be revealed. The schedule is as follows:
- Week beginning November 12: Play of the Year
- November 19: Performance of the Year
- November 26: Game of the Year
- December 3: Rookie of the Year
- December 10: Unsung Hero
- December 17: Pitcher of the Year
- December 24: Most Valuable Player
Some have obvious, and frankly, near-certain winners [coughRookiecough]. Others... not so much. It will be interesting to see what criteria people use in terms of nominations and deciding what matters. For now, I do have one question: post-season eligibility. Particularly for the first three categories, should playoff plays, performances and games be eligible? Checking back, it appears that in 2017 they were NOT - the wild-card contest would surely have won Game of the Year otherwise. I can see both viewpoints, so am prepared to listen to opinions, and there’s a (non-binding!) vote below.
Poll
Should post-season plays, performances and games be eligible for awards?
For the record here are last year’s winners. If you want the full list since 2006, here you go.
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