The first annual Batter's Box Least Valuable Player Awards (or BBLVPAs, as we like to call them) are now upon us. The voting was conducted among Batter's Box staff over the past two weeks, and the award winners will be announced in a series of articles over the next two weeks.
(UPDATE, Oct 28 : We are now almost through the 2003 BBLVPAs. The following awards have been announced to date.)
2003 BBLVPAs : Mismanagers of the Year
2003 BBLVPAs : The Batter's Box Schadenfreude Awards
2003 BBLVPAs : Allan Travers Awards
2003 BBLVPAs : Rookie Hype of the Year Awards
We had a very good ballot turnout, as 90% of eligible voters went to the polls. This trounces the 55% who voted in the recent Ontario election, and I am drafting a proposal to Elections Ontario to replace the current ballot with the BBLVPAs in the hopes of raising voter turnout and encouraging democracy in this fair province.
Anyhoo, most of you will be scratching your heads at this point and asking "what are the Least Valuable Player awards?" The answer to which is, of course, that the Least Valuable Player in each league is that player who was the least valuable to his team over the course of the season. It's the opposite of an MVP... the Bizarro World MVP, as it were, the guy who says "hello" when he leaves the ballpark and "goodbye" when he arrives, who wears sunglasses during night games, and takes his glove to the plate and his bat into the field. (Huh?)
But we also voted on so much more. The BBLVPAs aren't just about the LVPs. Rod Roddy, tell them what else they can win!
"Well, Bob, there are three other awards besides the Least Valuable Player. These are..."
The Allan Travers Award, which is for the outstandingly bad pitcher of the year in each league. It's the antithesis of the Cy Young Award, and if you're wondering who Allan Travers is and why he was chosen, check out his pages at Baseball-Reference.com and the Baseball Library.
The Rookie Hype of the Year Award, which is given to the rookie in each league whose performance is the most disappointing compared to his pre-season or in-season hype.
And finally, the Mis-Manager of the Year Award, which is given to the field manager in each league who displays the greatest ineptitude.
We hope you enjoy the BBLVPAs.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20031014095731999