AL/NL Comeback Player of the Year

I'd have to go with Madonna in the AL.

Despite a huge lull after Canseco (it's almost like she moved out of the country or something), she came back with a vengeance-while pushing 50, mind you--to snare the defending MVP (um, allegedly).

 

A good argument, but Lee's done it better -- and the pitcher's age in irrelevant to me. I mean, Moyer's 45 with an ERA of less than 4.00, so it's not like Mussina's the lone old pitcher doing well.

 

I'd go with any offense that spots the Rangers a huge lead only to rally for victory. The problem is, that includes just about every offense in the American League.

Why can't that team ever get its pitching remotely right? Has someone chekced on Nolan Ryan to see if he's even on the job as team president?

 

It doesn't matter. Have you seen his numbers this year? They're not even mediocre. They're below-average.

 

Um, what part of coming back from a major knee injury is so difficult to understand? The fact that the injury happened late last season makes it more impressive, that he came back so quickly to have a great season.

And I agree with Oz. The pitcher's age is irrelevant. F_T argued that Mussina had to make adjustments, but so did Lee. And it is a bit ridiculous to say he wasn't good enough before 2007 to consider it a comeback. Lee won 18 games in 2005. He wasn't as good as Mussina in his prime, but he was a very good pitcher.

 

The point, which continues to sail over your head, is that last year's numbers are irrelevant to the comeback Davis is making. He had to be treated for cancer during this season, then came back to pitch.

 

And I don't fucking care. Good for him; glad he's going to be OK. He's still not deserving of the award. It's not a participation medal.

And the point hit me just fine, thanks. Take your condescending, smug shit to someone who will just roll his or her eyes and ignore you.

 

The point which POO doesn't get is that Jon Lester didn't get the award last year when he returned from cancer. Therefore returning from cancer does not give someone an automatic berth in the finals of the Comeback Player of the Year award.

 

The problem with Milton Bradley is the comeback-from-what question. Bradley wasn't a star before this season. In fact, most years he was laid up with injuries and/or suspensions. If he makes it to 100 games (he's still two short), Bradley will have reached that number for only the third time in nine seasons -- he played in 101 in 2003 and 141 in 2004.

 

I got it just fine. Dickens is the one who doesn't understand that in this case, the statistics from 2007 are meaningless. He couldn't admit that saying otherwise was an extremely weak argument since the condition that Davis is coming back from was diagnosed AFTER the 2007 season.

Then again, he's really upset that anybody dare suggest a candidate other than his beloved, brittle Cubbie.

And TSP, I saw your point about Lester. That doesn't disqualify Davis from the argument. The pool of candidates changes from year to year. I wouldn't give it to Davis over Wood or Lidge. I just think he belongs in the discussion.

But you still think Lidge was "solid" in 2007, don't you?

 

Fair point, and the main reason I think that Lee is more deserving.

 

To me, the Comeback POY isn't something based on an injury, it's based on performance. You were good, then terrible for an extended period of time, then good again suddenly one season. Jon Lester was never good enough, then bad enough to make a comeback. Same with Josh Hamilton, who if anything has had two breakthrough seasons in the majors.

I've just never seen the Comeback POY as something tied to injuries.