Demarcus Ramirez knows he's good. But he also knows that, in 2008, Chad Nelligan was better.
"I think I robbed Nelly a bit," said Ramirez, 28, after hearing he'd won his second straight Adams League Outstanding Pitcher Award Sunday night. "I had a pretty good year, but he was better, no doubt about that."
Both Ramirez and Nelligan, who both came up in the Saskatoon system and were teammates before Nelligan was traded to Hickory in 2005, had stellar 2008 campaigns. Ramirez went 20-5 with a 2.38 ERA, striking out 251 while walking only 30.
Nelligan, 29, went 17-8, struck out 242, and posted a minuscule ERA of 1.60 - the lowest ever in AL history. But even that figure couldn't sway voters' minds.
"I don't want to say anything bad against the D-Man," said Nelligan. "I mean, when we were in Double-A we shared hotel rooms together. Had some crazy times out on the desolate Canadian prairie."
"Maybe if I won 20 - who knows," he added.
Nelligan still could walk away with some hardware, however - he's a leading candidate for an as-of-yet unnamed award given out to the best pitcher by owners of the 12 Adams and Zotti league franchaises. That award should be given out in the next few weeks.
Good post. It brings up an idea I have for the awards: We name them after former players who won't ever get in the Hall of Fame because they entered the league too late.
ReplyDeleteFor example, I propose the Craig Barmore award to honor the best pitcher each season.
That's much appreciated around these parts, Mr. Ramirez. We're sure that the season old "Never Hanging" had is appreciated for what it was, bling or no bling. And now, the Chad Nelligan Fun Facts, Jayson Stark-style, that would have been featured if Nelligan had been given the award:
ReplyDeleteFor the months of July and August, when Nelligan was being investigated for trumped-up charges of doctoring the ball (baseless speculation initiated by "anonymous sources" in the Pacific Northwest), his numbers were a pedestrian 6-4 with a 3.07 ERA, with 90 K's to a whopping 13 bases on balls in 82 and 1/3 innings. Disregarding these two months, Nelligan's line for the season: 11-5, a 1.56 ERA, 155 K's and 17 walks over 179 1/3 innings. His WHIP was .78 over this time period.
Between July 26th and August 28th, Nelligan allowed 3 or more earned runs in 6 out of 8 starts (3 twice, 4 three times, and 6 once). In only one other start this season did he allow more than two earned runs.
Between 4/16 and 5/18 (7 starts), Nelligan allowed one earned run. In the entire month of May, he allowed two earned runs.
Nelligan's first loss came in his sixteenth start of the season.
Nelligan did not surrender more than two bases on balls in any start. In 16 out of 37 starts, he allowed no free passes.
Four times this season, Nelligan allowed zero earned runs and was awarded no decision. Four more times he allowed one earned run and did not figure in the decision.
Anyway, maybe it was the low BABIP that did him in.
And perhaps the Joseph Denn award for outstanding hitter?
ReplyDelete