OOTP Awards

Rookie of the year awards go to Toledo's Thomas Romero, who won the batting title with a .349 mark, and Preston Greenfield of Bay Area, who hit .225 with 12 homers and 31 steals.  It was certainly a weak major league class.  Second place went to Carl Rice of LA, who went 9-9 with a 3.56 ERA.  Lee Thompson of NYC took third, hitting .235 in 79 games with strong defense.

In the Superior league James Batts finished second, though he would not leave the award ceremony empty handed.  Kent Garner of the Knights finished 3rd.  The 27 year old, who had signed out of an Independent league, drew 133 walks, hit 15 homeruns, and drove in 102 runs.

In no surprise to anyone, world series managers RJ Duke and Wally Calhoun were named managers of the year.

With no clear starting pitcher in the lead, the Superior League Cy Young award was a surprise as Orlando's James Batts took the award in his rookie season. Batts had a 7-2 record, saved 48 games, and had an ERA of 1.05 in 77 innings.  He did not allow a homerun all season and is the first reliever to win the award since Utah's Henry Rollins.  Chicago's Danny Almonte (18-4) finished second, followed by Miami's Dwight Schrute (48 saves, 1.50 ERA).

Peter Buchanon wins the major league award with a 20-6 record, 2.25 ERA, and 211 strikeouts.  He also won 5 games, including 3 series deciding games, in the playoffs, however this award only considers his regular season stats.  New York's Buddy Dervish (16-3, 1.93) finished second while his teammate Stephen Hamburg (17-10, 232 strikeouts) finished third.

Miami's Devan Arceneaux won the MVP award in his second season with a .345 average, 27 homers, 110 RBI, and a .602 slugging percentage.  Frank Lewis was second (.308-31-106, 134 walks, .463 OBP) and Aaron Moore (28 homers, 109 RBI) third.

In the major league the best seasons were had by players whose teams did not make the playoffs.  Denver's Mark Crawford wins his first award with a .308 average, 33 homers, and he even stole 26 bases.  For Crawford, 35, this was hardly his best season, but some of the best seasons in league history saw him blocked from the award by even better Joe Young seasons.

Bryce Parkman hit 36 homers and finished second, and Larry Brooks hit .344 with 22 homeruns to finish third.