Local, Sports, St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals 2013 Regular Season Wrap-Up: Steve Hands out Team Awards

Posted: October 2, 2013 at 8:21 pm   /   by   /   comments (0)

Team Cy Young – Adam Wainwright

Doug Benc/Getty Images North America

Doug Benc/Getty Images North America

This one was pretty easy to pick. Despite going through a mid-season lull, Adam Wainwright’s been far and away the team’s most dependable starter.

Wainwright ranked seventh in ERA (2.94), fourth in WAR for pitchers (6.3), third in strikeouts (219), second in BB per 9 innings (1.303), seventh in WHIP (1.068) and led or tied for the league in wins (19), innings pitched (241 2/3) shutouts (2), complete games (5),  and batters face (956). He took a no-hitter into the eighth on May 11 against the Rockies, and he showed no signs of being affected by Tommy John surgery. He’s already gotten the nod in Game 1 of the NLDS on Thursday. Wainwright’s walk total was so low that since the live-ball era began (1921), among pitchers who threw 240 or more innings, his 35 walks issued were the tenth-lowest total in history.

Rookies of the Year

Normally just one of these awards is given out per league, but I think there were two (really there were a LOT) of rookies that contributed too much to this team to be neglected.

Matt Adams was the only player with 300 or more plate appearances who slugged over .500 (.503). When Allen Craig went down with his ankle injury, Adams picked the pace up handily. Since September 4, Adams posted a .325/.355/.629 line with eight home runs and 15 RBI. Craig’s going to miss at least the NLDS with his ankle injury, so the team’s going to have to rely on Adams to provide some middle-of-the-order protection.

Meanwhile, Shelby Miller’s first full season as a rookie produced a final line worth of envy from any veteran. He tied for second on the team in wins (15), had an ERA of 3.06, and struck out nearly a batter an inning. Remove the leadoff batter from his start May 10 and he would have pitched a perfect game. Miller’s got tremendous talent; once he fully learns to harness it, he could prove to be a deadly 1-2 with Wainwright in the rotation.

Special Achievement in Awesome

Before he went down, Allen Craig was having a season for the ages. His overall numbers (.315/.373/.457, 13 HR, 97 RBI) weren’t anything special, but his ability to hit with runners in scoring position has become the stuff of legends.

Ok, maybe not legends, but it’s still pretty incredible. Among players who had 150 or more plate appearances with runners in scoring position, Craig ranked third all time with a .454 average. Third! The only two guys ahead of him you’ve also probably heard of: George Brett and Tony Gwynn.

He was nearly as good when hitting with RISP and two outs. Among hitters who had as many plate appearances as he in this situation (68), Craig ranks eighth all-time with a .448 average.

Special Achievements in Rookie Awesome

So, I already wrote about Shelby Miller’s brush with a no-no. And I’m fairly certain Michael Wacha’s attempt against Washington (sob) is still fresh in everyone’s mind.

There was another rookie, though, that made a little bit of history. Kevin Siegrist came up with the team in the middle of the summer and was far and away one of the most effective pieces of the bullpen. He pitched in 45 games and was scored upon in only two of them.

How good was he? Consider this. Since 1901, 1,091 rookie pitchers appeared in 40 or more games in their rookie season. Of those pitchers, Siegrist had the lowest ERA in recorded history at 0.45. His batting average against (.128) was also the second-lowest in recorded history. Neither of these are considered “official” records since he didn’t throw 50 innings (he threw 39.2), but it’s ok, Kevin. You’re still the record holder to our hearts.

 

"Thanks, man." (Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images North America)

“Thanks, man.” (Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images North America)

While it’s highly unlikely he’ll win the Rookie of the Year award, he should at least get some votes.