Most Valuable Player Award – David Wright
There is little contest to oppose David Wright as team MVP. Harvey put up ridiculous numbers in his sophomore season, but Wright helped the Mets every day while Harvey only helped every 5th day.
With a .307 BA, a .390 OBP and a SLG of .514, there is no question that David was the most prominent offensive force the Mets had. It is hard to judge him on his RBIs considering the team often did not put any RISP on for him, but the 95 times he came to the plate with RISP, he drove in 31 runs at a .284 clip.
He hit a respectable 17 home runs, including two memorable ones: one to tie the first game of the Subway Series in May and one to tie the game in the top of the 9th off of Craig Kimbrel at Turner Field (the Mets would go on to win that one in extras). As for the defensive side, he arguably had another gold glove caliber season, which, when paired with his offense, earned him the starting spot at third in the All Star Game.
Despite the injury that took away nearly two months of his playing time, Wright had another solid season at the hot corner and at the plate, earning him the title of MMO’s 2013 Mets MVP. (Steph)
Least Valuable Player Award – Ruben Tejada
“The saddest thing in life is wasted talent.” – Robert DeNiro in A Bronx Tale
That quote pretty much sums up how Mets management and the fans view Tejada, fairly or unfairly. Granted we’re not privy to the inner workings of the team but you can gather with fairly good assurance that Tejada isn’t above Sandy Alderson’s performance line – the barometer he places each player on with those above the line being keepers and those below the line being, well, you know.
Tejada came unto the scene in 2012 and showed promise at the plate and even moreso defensively. His follow up year in 2013 was a complete reversal and marred by his lack of preparation and desire to improve, two things that didn’t sit well with anyone in the organization.
It’s safe to say that Ruben Tejada may have successfully played his way off the largest stage in all sports, out of a lineup and a team that decided to use a 30-something journeyman shortstop for the majority of the season rather than call up Tejada. Great job Ruben here’s to you, the Least Valuable Player for 2013. (Joe S.)
Catch A Rising Star Award – Zack Wheeler
Zack Wheeler made his long anticipated major league debut and suffice it to say he did not disappoint. The young fireballer ended his season with a 7-5 record and a 3.42 ERA, while flashing plenty of the potential that led the Mets to trade Carlos Beltran for him in the first place. From his first start, when he held the Braves scoreless while striking out seven, to his start on July 30 when he flirted with a no-hitter for six innings against the Marlins, Wheeler showed what he could do with that vaunted 98 mph fastball. The kid certainly earns our Rising Star Award along with the caveat it carries that the best is yet to come. (Joe D.)
Falling Star Award – Ike Davis
Oh, where to begin. Ike struggled (to say the least) this year, including a remarkably lousy .161 clip before his highly-publicized demotion to AAA Las Vegas. He salvaged his season by hitting .286 in the second half, but still ended the season at a very disappointing .205. His nine home runs didn’t do much to boost the stat line either. The real question, and one that’s not so easy to answer, is if Davis still has any role with this team? Who would have thunk that a year ago? (Rob C.)
Mr. Personality Award – Justin Turner
Justin Turner was indispensable for the Mets this year — who else would hit people in the face with shaving cream pies? Although his highlight of the year might have been nailing Martino in the face with a pie, Turner can play multiple infield positions and handle a defensive replacement in the outfield in a pinch, so the Mets kept him around. The world of #MetsTwitter held a grudge against Justin Turner all throughout the year, giving him the moniker “Trollner”, for his inability to get hits in big spots and for taking away starts from the younger players. I’m very mixed on Turner myself — I know he’s a good guy and appreciated in the clubhouse, but his production could certainly leave a lot to be desired. (Satish)
Bah, Humbug Award – Frank Francisco
Even though he was not even with the team until mid-September, even the mention of his name could bring anybody’s mood down a bit. Classless and crude, Frank Francisco probably dislikes the fans just as much as we dislike him. Not only did he hurt the team in the standings, but he most likely also hurt it mentally. When he’s not flipping coolers, he’s blowing games, hitting batters and causing unnecessary tension. He had some testy moments, particularly on September 12th when he drilled Jayson Werth on a 3-0 count in the midst of a 7-2 loss. The entire Nationals team thought it was intentional, and the only ones who commented on it being unintentional were Frank Franc himself and his manager, so you make the judgement call on that one. If there’s a Met that I’ll miss the least come next year, it’s Frank Francisco. (Steph)
Whole Lotta Glove Award – Juan Lagares
Juan Lagares was one of the most unexpected yet extremely pleasant surprises of 2013. By far the best defensive player in the outfield this season (which was supposed to be the worst outfield in baseball history!!!), Lagares not only led the majors in August in defensive runs saved with 12, but he finished the year with a Mets-rookie-record 15 outfield assists. He only made 5 errors, which is tremendous for a rookie in such a demanding position as center field. Not only was his ability to read the ball off the bat above average, but the jumps he got and his ability to track the ball down with fluidity made him such a joy to watch; not to mention his cannon for an arm. If he can develop his hitting, we may just be looking at an emerging star. (Steph)
What’s Glove Got To Do With It Award – Lucas Duda
Lucas Duda, he with the iron glove. I used to view Duda as a beast at the plate with the potential to mash 30 home runs — but now he seems more interested in drawing 100 walks. With the great players, they are not separate goals — but Duda seems to be a one or the other type of guy. His offense was clearly his claim to fame, as the Mets struggled to find a place for him defensively that wouldn’t hurt them too much. Duda still has a lot of value offensively as someone who can get on base at a high clip and still crush a few occasional home runs, so the Mets will stick him at first base. Or maybe not? I was on that bandwagon that believed in Ike Davis, so what do I know? (Satish)
Stay tuned for Part 2 of our 2013 MMO Awards which will be posted on Tuesday!
