NewsSox in running for several awards
Pedroia, Youkilis, Bay, Lester could take home hardware
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
11/09/09 11:32 AM EST
BOSTON -- The envelopes are sealed, but not for long. Major League Baseball's Award season is upon us, and the Red Sox have some players who could well be recognized for their individual accomplishments in 2009.
Things officially kick off Tuesday, when the American League Gold Glove Award winners are announced.
Could Dustin Pedroia repeat at second base? He has the numbers to make a strong case. Pedroia made six errors in 2009, matching his total from a year ago. His .991 fielding percentage was just one point lower than 2008.
Several of Pedroia's best plays came with the game on the line, with manager Terry Francona so often marveling at how the second baseman would "will himself" to make great plays.
Boston's other top candidate for a Gold Glove might lose out because of his invaluable versatility. First baseman Kevin Youkilis won a Gold Glove in 2007, playing the entire season without making an error. While Youkilis still plays that same caliber of defense, his playing time has been split across the corners.
In 2009, Youkilis played 77 games at first base and 56 at third. He made just one error in 618 total chances at first for a .998 fielding percentage.
Perhaps Boston's most underrated defender is right fielder J.D. Drew, who plays his position with the athleticism of a center fielder. Fenway Park is also perhaps the toughest right field in the Majors to navigate. Drew has never won a Gold Glove, perhaps because he doesn't play his position with a lot of flair.
While defense will be the topic of Tuesday, the best hitters in the American League get their due Thursday, with the unveiling of the Silver Sluggers at each position.
Youkilis is again a candidate there, after hitting .305 with 27 homers and 94 RBIs and producing a .961 OPS (on-base plus slugging). Again though, splitting up his time at two positions will likely cost him.
Pedroia didn't have quite the same season as his Most Valuable Player Award performance of a year ago, but he was still pretty solid, hitting .296, scoring 115 runs, clubbing 185 hits, smacking 48 doubles and adding in 15 homers, 72 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. He faces stiff competition, however, as Aaron Hill had a huge year for the Blue Jays. Brian Roberts (Orioles) and Robinson Cano (Yankees) also had impressive seasons.
Jason Bay has a strong case to nab one of the three Silver Slugger berths in the outfield. Now a free agent, Bay had a big year for the Red Sox, belting 36 homers, driving in 119 runs and notching a .537 slugging percentage.
The awards get bigger in magnitude next week, as the AL Cy Young Award winner will be unveiled on Nov. 17. The Red Sox don't figure to have a winner, as the field is loaded with pitchers who had brilliant seasons, from Zack Greinke to Roy Halladay to Felix Hernandez. Power lefty Jon Lester could garner a few votes, backed by a lights-out final four months of the regular season. In 32 starts, Lester was 15-8 with a 3.41 ERA, leading all lefties with 225 strikeouts.
The AL Manager of the Year will be revealed on Nov. 18. Francona guided the Red Sox to the postseason for the fifth time in his six years at the helm. He has some stiff competition in Joe Girardi (Yankees), Ron Gardenhire (Twins) and Mike Scioscia (Angels).
The last major AL award comes out on Nov. 23, when the Most Valuable Player is unveiled. This was a festive occasion for the Red Sox last year, as Pedroia won the trophy and Youkilis finished third.
It seems unlikely a Boston player will take home the MVP for a second year in a row, but Bay and Youkilis are certainly candidates on the heels of their impressive seasons. Joe Mauer of the Twins is viewed in many circles as the leading candidate. Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira of the World Series champion Yankees have also been mentioned. Youkilis and Bay have both been in the conversation, and will probably both get some votes.
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
