Player of The Year award

[radness]

That said Alo still walked almost once per game (49 in 56 games)

We had a player on our college team that walked more times than the best hitter in conference got on base.
No award for it.

 

[_MIA_]

I had my say about awards in a different thread...

 

[_MIA_]

We had a player on our college team that walked more times than the best hitter in conference got on base.

Was she 4'5"?

 

[radness]

Was she 4'5"?

No she was patient, selective, and chipped away at close pitches with lots of foul balls. It was common for a pitcher to have to throw lots and lots of pitches per at bat.
Really put endurance of the pitcher to test. To not just intentionally walk her but still try to get her out. I watched her win many battles.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

What would happen if the biggest hitter like Alo were walked every time.

And
Considering the rules and how many pinch-runner player could have eventually they would have to run for them self or be pulled

The entire lineup of consistent hitters is something to consider Beyond the one that can be worked around.

Does she get pulled for a pinch-runner that often? I would think the way they bludgeoned teams this season that there would be no need to do so.

@pattar raises a great question about WAR. If you took her out of the order, does it cost OU many games? 39 out of their 54 wins came via run rule, 6 more were shutouts but not mercies, and 4 more were by 3 or more runs. That's a staggering 49 out of 54 wins in which they still would have won with Pattar and I playing the outfield corners.

I think pitchers winning the MVP can be acceptable. I think Eck won almost as a nod to his overall career of work, but the other guys who won had absurd years on the mound. Take them off the their teams and they probably don't make the playoffs.

 

[_MIA_]

That's a staggering 49 out of 54 wins in which they still would have won with Pattar and I playing the outfield corners.

Do I get a chair to sit down in between pitches? I ain't playing otherwise..I think I hurt my back pitching BP from a bucket to my kid this morning..

 

[radness]

Does she get pulled for a pinch-runner that often? I would think the way they bludgeoned teams this season that there would be no need to do so.

@pattar raises a great question about WAR. If you took her out of the order, does it cost OU many games? 39 out of their 54 wins came via run rule, 6 more were shutouts but not mercies, and 4 more were by 3 or more runs. That's a staggering 49 out of 54 wins in which they still would have won with Pattar and I playing the outfield corners.

I think pitchers winning the MVP can be acceptable. I think Eck won almost as a nod to his overall career of work, but the other guys who won had absurd years on the mound. Take them off the their teams and they probably don't make the playoffs.

Point being
If there was an excellent hitter that did not have the support of great hitters in the rest of the lineup...
walking that batter every time could be the best solution and eventually they would have to be pulled if they could not run for themselves.

Therefore I would consider other players on the team roster who contributed on defense for awards because they're also the great hitters who affected decisions with
a batter like Alo.
( on that team there is more to consider than just one batter)

 

[Orange Socks]

The argument about her not playing defense is a good one, but Alo shattered the D1 home run record and was at or near the top in other key offensive categories. Hard to see how you don’t recognize that.

ETA: Alo’s HR total almost certainly would have even been higher if teams had actually pitched to her over those two or three weeks that she was closing in on the HR record.

Not taking anything away from Alo. Lots of records being broken by these super seniors. I recognize the Award is for the "player' of the "Year." 2 key words. Player and Year. Not hitter of the decade.

Should other players get some well deserved recognition? Sure. How would you like to be a great golfer in the Tiger Era? Sucks for them.

 

[_MIA_]

Not taking anything away from Alo. Lots of records being broken by these super seniors.

I think she broke it in less games than Chamberlain played..somebody can correct me if I am wrong. Somebody mentioned their HR/PA was about the same.

 

[Orange Socks]

I think she broke it in less games than Chamberlain played..somebody can correct me if I am wrong.

Probably so.

I mentioned this earlier this year. Kelly Jurden with TLU broke the D3 career stolen base record in her 5th year this year.. Melissa Livermore (UTD) set the SB record a few years ago. She was attending a game this spring the day after Jurden broke her record. I told her. Hey kid sorry about your record. She had no idea. She also didn't understand the the covid year stats counted as well. Will there be an * by these records?