Comeback Players of the Year?

[HoustonGM]

If Lee falls apart, does Mussina have a chance at the Cy Young?

It'd take a falling apart of epic proportions from Lee....

[RedsoxRockies]

I would not say Mussina is Cy Young worthy yet

[metsguy234]

I don't really see any clear contender in the NL. Wood performed modestly last year, so he's out. Edmonds has a low batting average, and non-exciting HR totals, so I think he's out. And who else? Ankiel would be kind of confusing, because he was never, like, anywhere as a hitter. I think Tatis is pretty high up there when you consider it.

Lee or Mussina should win in the AL, and I'm preferring Mussina at this point.

On a related note- a few people considered Eric Hinske. ERIC HINSKE? ERIC FREAKIN' HINSKE?

[RedsoxRockies]

Why Mussina? Lee is obviously the better choice

[YEAH DAAAAWG]

If Lee falls apart, does Mussina have a chance at the Cy Young?

Moose will probably get some votes anyways, but Lee should win it running away.

[justanewguy]

I don't really see any clear contender in the NL. Wood performed modestly last year, so he's out. Edmonds has a low batting average, and non-exciting HR totals, so I think he's out. And who else? Ankiel would be kind of confusing, because he was never, like, anywhere as a hitter. I think Tatis is pretty high up there when you consider it.

Ankiel definitely doesn't work, because he's doing pretty much the same thing he was doing last season. It's like saying Josh Hamilton should be. Both are great stories (except for the possible 'roids aspect of Ankiel), but neither defines "comeback player" because they were never *there* and then *gone*.

I actually agree a lot with what you say... however, I'd still lean toward Edmonds. I'm not sure his time in San Diego would be counted, even though it was this season. That's what's dragging his BA down. But he's slugging around .600 right now, with 14 HR in 58 games with the Cubs, and aside from stats, he's gone from 2 straight seasons of lousiness and being almost completely forgotten, back to being one of the best CFs out there. If he plays even above average for the rest of the season, his numbers will average out and it'll look more apparent, stats-wise.

You're right about Wood, but it has more to do with his being healthy for an entire season for once (aside from the minor injury recently) than anything. Plus he went from a short relief role to the closer role, which gives him a boost.

I guess the more I think about it, I'd put Tatis second at the moment, given that he gets down the stretch and keeps up what he's doing (a little iffy, he's a career .250ish hitter), but he's been more or less out of MLB for around 6 years, so it's hard to argue.

I think my reasoning for Edmonds is what I stated above, and it has to be considered that he used to be a perennial top-3 CF, at times possibly #1 or #2, was a key player for a team with plenty of playoff success and a championship, where Tatis really only ever had one truly great season.

[gosensgo101]

Why do people keep saying Hamilton and Ankiel. I'm pretty sure one of them won it last year and the other would have. You can't comeback from a comeback year.

[metsguy234]

Why do people keep saying Hamilton and Ankiel. I'm pretty sure one of them won it last year and the other would have. You can't comeback from a comeback year.

Neither won it last year.

Dmitri Young and Carlos Pena.

[gosensgo101]

Neither won it last year.

Dmitri Young and Carlos Pena.

Really? But still, if they were going to win it, it should have been last year.

[justanewguy]

Why do people keep saying Hamilton and Ankiel. I'm pretty sure one of them won it last year and the other would have. You can't comeback from a comeback year.

I think it was repeated more as "Huh? No way..." than it was as actual suggestions.

I brought Hamilton up twice as an example of who should NOT get the award.

[HoustonGM]

Lee or Mussina should win in the AL, and I'm preferring Mussina at this point.

Why?

You usually will go against anything Yankee, to the point of calling Jeter and Rivera mediocre, yet you think a Yankee should win an award that MUCH BETTER fits a non-Yankee?

On a related note- a few people considered Eric Hinske. ERIC HINSKE? ERIC FREAKIN' HINSKE?

You really should look things up before laughing at what other people say.

You're right about Wood, but it has more to do with his being healthy for an entire season for once (aside from the minor injury recently) than anything.

Well, isn't that what the Comeback award is for? It goes to guys that miss one season to injury and come back at the same level as they were before, it should go to guys who've missed huge chunks of a lot of seasons as well.

[metsguy234]

Eric Hinske= 16 HR, .247 BA!

Not CPOTY material

[HoustonGM]

Eric Hinske= 16 HR, .247 BA!

Not CPOTY material

You really need to stop focusing so much on those two statistics.

He went .204/.317/.398, 83 OPS+, 6 HR, 21 RBI, 186 at bats, last year.

This year, he's on pace for .247/.340/.484, 120 OPS+, 23 HR, 71 RBI, 417 AB. That's a good comeback. If Cliff Lee wasn't around, he'd be a nice choice.

I'm really interested in why you'd take Mussina over Lee though...especially considering your irrational Yankee hatred.

[metsguy234]

cuz Mussina is performing now similar to how he performs normally, Lee only performed at his current performance level for a couple of seasons, Mussina always was an amazing pitcher.

[GregCujo]

Cook's been good, but not great.

That's debatable.

He does pitch half his games in a drastically hitter favoring park, even with the humidor. Ludwick's been very impressive this season, but it's important to remember that he has so many RBI's because of a certain someone who gets on base in front him quite often.