For the fourth straight year, the United Cardinal Bloggers will recognize the best from on the field and in the blogging community.
The rules are simple. The ballot has to be posted on the website of the voter and you cannot vote for yourself.
Here is the Ballot for I-70 Baseball:
Cardinal Bloggers Awards
2010 Ballot
1. Player of the Year
–Matt Holliday
Holliday put together an impressive campaign. I would have to say that my vote here may be influenced by the desire to not just vote for Albert every year. Holliday did post the highest average on the team, first time that has happened for anyone not named Albert since 2001.
2. Pitcher of the Year
–Adam Wainwright
Wainwright put together a season that solidified him as the ace of this staff and started the process of the Cardinals moving past the era of Chris Carpenter.
3. Game of the Year
–August 10 at Cincinnati–Brawl, home run from Molina
I am not sure how any other game can be voted above this one? The shin guard tapping, the brawl within a brawl, the shot by Yadi, the ensuing sweep and then the total collapse of the team immediately after? Other than Wainwright’s first ever shutout, I cannot think of another game that sticks out as much as this one.
4. Surprise Player of the Year
–Jon Jay
My first instinct was to vote for Jaime here, but I really was not surprised by his performance. He has been dominant before and surprised at every level during his minor league days. I honestly did not see Jon Jay performing like he did, despite the fall off. I’m anxious to see what he does over a full year.
5. Disappointing Player of the Year
–Brendan Ryan
Brendan was a huge let down this year. A player that the Cardinals were relying on to anchor an offense and defense was sporadic at best in both at times this year. Reyes was supposed to be a strong reliever and I never believed in Lohse, but Ryan let us all down on a much greater level.
6. Rookie of the Year
–Jaime Garcia
I would have preferred this to be a two horse race between Garcia and David Freese, but Cinderella can’t keep his glass ankles safe and Jaime will be finishing in the top 3 in the National League voting this year.
7. Acquisition of the Year
–Jake Westbrook
Westbrook may not have had a major impact, but his arrival was too little too late. Penny might have got my vote had he stayed healthy. Whoever put Miles on this ballot needs to be drug into the street and shot.
8. Biggest Off-Field Story
–Colby Rasmus’s trade request
You couldn’t turn on the radio, tv, read a blog, or a newspaper without being infected with this story. What was lost in the whole mix was that the manager broke it to the media. Everyone conveniently forgot that and openly wondered where it came from.
9. Most Anticipated Cardinal
–Zack Cox
Word out of the Arizona Fall League is that he was overrated and not going to be quite what we have expected. I’m anxious to see how fast he gets here. Not to mention, living in Springfield, I will see him sooner than later.
10. Best Individual Cardinal Blog
–Write-in: C70 At The Bat
11. Best Team Cardinal Blog
–Write-in: Pitchers Hit Eighth
The guys over there have a great balance of new statistics, good commentary, and solid humor. The team is great and we have featured most of their writers at various times because of it.
12. Best Media Blog
–Obviously, You’re Not A Golfer
I like Leach’s mix of baseball and pop culture along with music. He is to the point and not too wordy and has some good insight.
13. Best UCB Project
–Roundtables
I enjoy these tremendously. The questions that come out, the various opinions and the respect shown across the board is tremendous.
14. Most Optimistic Cardinal Blog
–Write-in: Cardinal Diamond Diaries
15. Funniest Cardinal Blog
–Write-in: Joe Sports Fan
16. Rookie Cardinal Blog of the Year
–Cardinal Diamond Diaries
The ladies do an amazing job. It is different, it is uplifting, it is staffed by some amazing talented people, and it has become one of my most visited bookmarks over the course of this year.
