This is a much better production than last year’s awards, but here we go again. This is the Majors.net’s second annual MLB Anti-Awards, given out to the worst of the worst this year in the MLB.
The Anti-Batting Title
Awarded to the worst hitter in each league
American League
Matt Dominguez – Houston Astros
I know the Astros want to go with young players that are inexpensive and could develop into top talent, but Matt Dominguez just killed them at the plate this year. His .215 batting average was 2nd worst among qualifiers, but his on base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS were the worst in the American league.
National League
B.J. Upton – Atlanta Braves
B.J. Upton hit a pathetic .208 for the 2014 season in 519 at bats. My question is, why the hell did the Braves give him over 500 at bats? His OBP was sixth worst among qualifiers in the NL and his Slugging was 4th worst giving him the 4th worst OPS in the NL. The only suckers in this situation are the Atlanta Braves, because they still owe him $46.4 million dollars over the next three seasons.
The 50 Cent Award
50 Cent (who’s first pitch at a Mets game is arguably the worst looking throw of all time) gets an award named after him for the worst pitcher in each league.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83FHj53QBHY
American League
Justin Verlander – Detroit Tigers
Justin Verlander allowed the most earned runs in the American league with 104 but still managed somehow to win 15 games with a 4.54 ERA. But this is an award for your overall failures not successes. But he still somehow managed to bag Kate Upton, so I guess he still wins at life.
National League
Edwin Jackson – Chicago Cubs
Because the Cubs are awful is the only reason that Edwin Jackson was trotted out for 27 starts allowing 97 earned runs in 140.2 innings of work, which slotted him with a 6.33 ERA and a worst among pitchers -2.3 WAR.
The Plastic Slugger
The opposite of a Silver Slugger. Awarded to the worst hitting MLB regular in each league. A minimum 200 plate appearances are needed to qualify.
American League
- Catcher: Jose Molina – Tampa Bay Rays
- 225 AB, .178/.230/.187, 0 HR, 10 RBI, 55 K’s
- 1st Base: Jon Singleton – Houston Astros
- 310 AB, .168/.285/.335, 13 HR, 44 RBI, 134 K’s
- 2nd Base: Eric Sogard – Oakland Athletics
- 291 AB, .223/.298/.268, 1 HR, 22 RBI, 37 K’s
- 3rd Base: Matt Dominguez – Houston Astros
- 564 AB, .215/.256/.330, 16 HR, 57 RBI, 125 K’s
- Shortstop: Jonathan Villar – Houston Astros
- 263 AB, .209/.267/.354, 7 HR, 27 RBI, 80 K’s
- Left field: Michael Choice – Texas Rangers
- 253 AB, .182/.250/.320, 9 HR, 36 RBI, 69 K’s
- Center field: Jackie Bradley Jr. – Boston Red Sox
- 384 AB, .198/.265/.266, 1 HR, 30 RBI, 121 K’s
- Right field: Raul Ibanez – Kansas City Royals
- 246 AB, .167/.264/.285, 5 HR, 26 RBI, 59 K’s
- Designated Hitter: Ryan Raburn – Cleveland Indians
- 195 AB, .200/.250/.297, 4 HR, 22 RBI, 51 K’s
National League
- Catcher: A.J. Ellis – Los Angeles Dodgers
- 283 AB, .191/.323/.254, 3 HR, 25 RBI, 57 K’s
- 1st Base: Lyle Overbay – Milwaukee Brewers
- 258 AB, .233/.328/.333, 4 HR, 35 RBI, 60 K’s
- 2nd Base: Javier Baez – Chicago Cubs
- 213 AB, .169/.227/.324, 9 HR, 20 RBI, 95 K’s
- 3rd Base: Charlie Culberson – Colorado Rockies
- 210 AB, .195/.253/.290, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 62 K’s
- Shortstop: Zack Cozart – Cincinnati Reds
- 506 AB, .221/.268/.300, 4 HR, 38 RBI, 79 K’s
- Outfield: Skip Schumaker – Cincinnati Reds
- 247 AB, .235/.287/.308, 2 HR, 22 RBI, 50 K’s
- Center field: B.J. Upton – Atlanta Braves
- 519 AB, .208/.287/.333, 12 HR, 35 RBI, 173 K’s
- Right Field: Nate Schierholtz – Washington Nationals
- 353 AB, .195/.243/.309, 7 HR, 37 RBI, 84 K’s
- Pitcher: Bartolo Colon – New York Mets
- 62 AB, .032/.032/.048, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 33 K’s
The Pleather Glove Award
Awarded to the worst defensive players in each league at each position. RDRS = defensive runs saved
American League
- Catcher: Jason Castro – Houston Astros
- .221 CS%, 11 PB, 4.18 CERA, .995 FPCT
- 1st Base: Jose Abreu – Chicago White Sox
- -2.1 dWAR, .994 FPCT, 6 E, -11 Rdrs
- 2nd Base: Rougned Odor – Texas Rangers
- -0.7 dWAR, .981 FPCT, 9 E, -11 Rdrs
- 3rd Base: Nick Castellanos – Detroit Tigers
- -2.7 dWAR, .950 FPCT, 15 E, -30 Rdrs
- Shortstop: Yunel Escobar – Tampa Bay Rays
- -1.7 dWAR, .965 FPCT, 16 E, -24 Rdrs
- Left field: Rajai Davis – Detroit Tigers
- -1.4 dWAR, .976 FPCT, 4 E, -19 Rdrs
- Center field: Dexter Fowler – Houston Astros
- -1.8 dWAR, .980 FPCT, 5 E, -20 Rdrs
- Right field: Torii Hunter – Detroit Tigers
- -2.4 dWAR, .978 FPCT, 5 E, -18 Rdrs
- Pitcher: Jeremy Guthrie – Kansas City Royals
- 0.0 dWAR, .857 FPCT, 6 E, -1 Rdrs
National League
- Catcher: Travis d’ Arnaud – New York Mets
- .194 CS%, 12 PB, 3.69 CERA, .990 FPCT, -15 Rdrs
- 1st Base: Ryan Howard – Philadelphia Phillies
- -2.3 dWAR, .993 FPCT, 9 E, -10 Rdrs
- 2nd Base: Daniel Murphy – New York Mets
- -1.0 dWAR, .974 FPCT, 15 E, -11 Rdrs
- 3rd Base: Pedro Alvarez – Pittsburgh Pirates
- -0.5 dWAR, .924 FPCT, 25 E, -5 Rdrs
- Shortstop: Hanley Ramirez – Los Angeles Dodgers
- -0.6 dWAR, .961 FPCT, 16 E, -9 Rdrs
- Left field: Justin Upton – Atlanta Braves
- -0.9 dWAR, .972 FPCT, 8 E, 0 Rdrs
- Center field: Ben Revere – Philadelphia Phillies
- -1.8 dWAR, .988 FPCT, 4 E, -18 Rdrs
- Right field: Matt Kemp – Los Angeles Dodgers
- -3.1 dWAR, .980 FPCT, 2 E, -23 Rdrs
- Pitcher: Stephen Strasburg – Washington Nationals
- 0.0 dWAR, .905 FPCT, 4 E
The Peace and Love Team
Love the WAR statistic? These guys don’t, as they were the worst at their positions for it.
American League
- Catcher: Jose Molina – Tampa Bay Rays
- -2.o WAR in 80 GP
- 1st Base: Nick Swisher – Cleveland Indians
- -1.1 WAR in 97 GP
- 2nd Base: AlbertoCallaspo – Oakland Athletics
- -1.0 WAR in 127 GP
- 3rd Base: Matt Dominguez – HoustonAstros
- -1.6 WAR in 157 GP
- Shortstop: Brendan Ryan – New York Yankees
- -0.7 WAR in 49 GP
- Left Field: Michael Choice – Texas Rangers
- -1.9 WAR in 86 GP
- Center Field: Justin Maxwell – Kansas City Royals
- -1.2 WAR in 20 GP
- Right Field: Stefen Romero – Seattle Mariners
- -1.5 WAR in 72 GP
- Designated Hitter: Ryan Raburn – Cleveland Indians
- -1.4 WAR
National League
- Catcher: John Baker – Chicago Cubs
- -1.0 WAR in 74 GP
- 1st Base: Ryan Howard – Philadelphia Phillies
- -1.1 WAR in 153 GP
- 2nd Base: Aaron Hill – Arizona Diamondbacks
- -1.2 WAR in 133 GP
- 3rd Base: Chris Johnson – Atlanta Braves
- -1.3 WAR in 153 GP
- Shortstop: Josh Rutledge – Colorado Rockies
- -0.7 WAR in 105 GP
- Left Field: Junior Lake – Chicago Cubs
- -1.5 WAR in 108 GP
- Center Field: Tony Gwynn Jr. – Philadelphia Phillies
- -1.0 WAR in 80 GP
- Right Field: Jay Bruce – Cincinnati Reds
- -1.1 WAR in 137 GP
The Alan Trammell Award
Given to the least winningest manager each year who somehow managed to keep their job at the end of the season.
American League
John Farrell – Boston Red Sox
The dude won the World Series the year before and was blessed in 2014 with the unluckiest team in baseball. The Red Sox front office let several veterans walk and counted on many younger players that didn’t produce as expected. However, GM Ben Cherington reloaded the roster at the trade deadline with a bunch of talent for the 2015 season, so don’t be surprised if they are playing deep into October in 2015.
National League
Walt Weiss – Colorado Rockies
Weiss didn’t have any healthy talent to work with. If my best player was Justin Morneau and I had guys like Troy Tulowitski, Carlos Gonzalez, and Michael Cuddyer hurt all year long too, I don’t think I’d win many games either.
