9-News: 37.095 – McKinney Takes FL Gillstrom?

[RonCo]

YS9 ROOKIE CAPS BRILLIANT SEASON

Like sensing a drop of rain in the arid desert that was the 2037 season, Yellow Springs fans felt at least temporary respite from the oppression when they heard that outfielder Andy McKinney appears to have outpaced California star outfielder Raul Hernandez and Seattle pitcher Luther Summer in their chase for the Frick League Gillstrom award, given annually to the best rookie in the league. Edmonton’s Steven Collins also made a solid showing. We say “appears to have” because the voting deadline has passed, but no tallies have been formally released. So this is kind of like election day results being called based on a percentage of precincts reporting. All we need now is some news guy doing his touch screen analysis, and we’re good to go.

As it stands, however, the results do seem definitive, with McKinney gathering 22 first place votes and a pair of seconds, good enough to nearly double Hernandez’s overall point total.

“If it’s true, I’m honored and thrilled,” McKinney said. “It was a long season, and those other guys are really great players.”

McKinney blasted 30 homers on the year, and posted a league leading .418 wOBA, 1.091 OPS, and 161 wRC+ scores—all of which the advanced metrics guys around the place say are pretty danged good. In addition to nabbing the Gillstrom, McKinney also received several votes as the league’s prestigious Sawyer Silk Award winner.

GM Shenanigans?

Of course, receiving votes may or may not mean anything because GM Ron Collins reportedly showed up on a few team’s down ballot for GM of the Year. Rumors are that these were votes from other Heartland teams who wanted to make sure that Collins wasn’t canned after a string of resounding defeats in the playoffs culminating in the team’s floridly disastrous season in 2037.

“There’s no way those aren’t jokes, right?” said one local commentator.

The league office has remained silent on the matter, presumably in order to protect the guilty.

[7teen]

GM Shenanigans?

Of course, receiving votes may or may not mean anything because GM Ron Collins reportedly showed up on a few team’s down ballot for GM of the Year. Rumors are that these were votes from other Heartland teams who wanted to make sure that Collins wasn’t canned after a string of resounding defeats in the playoffs culminating in the team’s floridly disastrous season in 2037.

“There’s no way those aren’t jokes, right?” said one local commentator.

The league office has remained silent on the matter, presumably in order to protect the guilty.

I was one of those votes.

For what its worth, I think more goes into being a top GM other than just wins and losses. Participation is high on my list as well.

[Ted]

GM Shenanigans?

Of course, receiving votes may or may not mean anything because GM Ron Collins reportedly showed up on a few team’s down ballot for GM of the Year. Rumors are that these were votes from other Heartland teams who wanted to make sure that Collins wasn’t canned after a string of resounding defeats in the playoffs culminating in the team’s floridly disastrous season in 2037.

“There’s no way those aren’t jokes, right?” said one local commentator.

The league office has remained silent on the matter, presumably in order to protect the guilty.

I was one of those votes.

For what its worth, I think more goes into being a top GM other than just wins and losses. Participation is high on my list as well.

This is a neat take. I never really thought about the participation angle. I do agree with you on wins and losses. I tend to try to find the person who I think did the most to improve a team in a given year. Often the winning-est team was just as good or close last year. On the other hand, all of those teams did something well at some point to get where they are, so I can see both angles.

[RonCo]

I admit that I will often take participation into account in my voting. But the fans don't care about anything but the win column.