The MVP sucks; It’s too positive. I don’t care for it. How about a least valuable player? An Allan Travers Award? A Lead Slugger? Let’s get to it:
MLB Least Valuable Players:
NL: Gregory Polanco, RF, PIT
AL: Willie Calhoun, UTIL, TEX
The worst players on the worst teams, simple as that. Polanco had over 150 AB, and finished with a Batting Average of .150. As for Calhoun, he hit one home run… all season. This is the full season equivalent of hitting three home runs, yikes. To add, both players finished with negative WARs. Easy selections, in my book.
MLB Allan Travers Award:
In 1912, Ty Cobb fought a fan, which isn’t that surprising. He was later suspended, and his teammates on the Tigers decided to sit out until the suspension was lifted. The Tigers needed a starting pitcher, so they decided to bring Allan Travers, a priest. He gave up 24 runs in eight innings pitched, and proceeded to never pitched again.
NL: Trevor Williams, SP, PIT
AL: Matthew Boyd, SP, DET
Pittsburgh once again wins an award. They were terrible, this shortened season. On a lighter note, remember in 2019 when the Tigers (who ended up being the worst team in the league) chose not to trade Boyd? He followed up by playing terrible, and they couldn’t trade him in the offseason. Cry.
The Mercury Glove:
This award is for the worst fielders in baseball.
NL: Joey Votto, 1B, CIN
AL: Nick Solak, 2B, TEX
Sorry Mr. Votto, you’re a good batter but you can’t field for anything. It’s first base (no offense) You should not have a -1.4 DWAR at that position! As for Nick Solak, speechless is the only word. You suck. Your team sucks. You would have won the LVP if you were not a rookie.
World Series LVP:
Nick Anderson, RP, TB
Anderson conlduded his first World Series with an above 5.00 ERA in the postseason. He gave up the leading run for the Dodgers in Game 6 of the NLCS. Sorry, Nick.
Worst Manager of the Year:
NL: Torey Luvollo, ARI (Not Fired)
AL: Ron Roenicke, BOS (Fired)
With a strong surrounding cast in Arizona, the task was handed on a silver platter to Torey Luvollo. And yet, he fumbled and dropped it. After a horrendous season, Luvollo should be on the chopping block for the D-Backs. Utter disappointment. Across the nation, in Boston, Ron Roenicke undershot his target as well. With an impressive lineup including Xander Boagerts, JD Martinez, and Rafael Devers, Roenicke didn’t reach a winning season. Yikes.
Photo: CBS Sports
