2007 CDBL MVP AWARD 2nd Runner Up - Ryan Howard, Topeka Stingers P Age AVG OBP SPC AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HBP BB K SB CS 1b 27 .298 .367 .644 658 196 35 5 61 128 149 5 68 262 0 0 The Topeka Stingers won 85 games this year and were competitive in the playoff race, and Ryan Howard was a big part of that. His 149 RBI was best in the league, as was his 61 home runs. No one had more extra base hits than Howard's 101. Howard was also 9th in the league in runs scored with 128. Howard did set a new league high in strikeouts with 262, but that was a small price to pay for the production he gave the Stingers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1st Runner Up - Jim Thome, Tualatin Thunder P Age AVG OBP SPC AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HBP BB K SB CS dh 36 .329 .457 .719 501 165 29 2 54 122 120 3 116 150 0 0 Thome continues his late in career surge, posting another great season. Thome's .719 slugging average of .719 was best in the majors, as was his .457 on base average. Thome hit 54 home runs (3rd best in the league) and his 120 RBI was 8th best in the league. Thome also led the league in runs created with 171. All this while only playing 140 games. If he was able to play a full season he might have been able to claim the MVP (and to help Tualatin win more than 73 games). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2007 CDBL MVP - Carlos Pena, Montreal Voltigeurs P Age AVG OBP SPC AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HBP BB K SB CS 1b 29 .304 .455 .652 537 163 33 2 50 143 121 13 143 163 2 0 The Voltigeurs had a season to remember, winning 90 games and a league wildcard playoff spot. Their 934 runs scored was 2nd best in the league, and Carlos Pena was the main driver. His .455 on base average was 2nd best in the league, and his .652 slugging average was 3rd best in the league. Pena scored a league high 143 runs, his 50 home runs was 4th best in the league and his 121 RBI was 7th best. Pena's 170.3 runs created was 2nd best in the league. In 2007 Pena had that magical combination of personal and team success. ******************************************************************* 2007 CDBL CY YOUNG AWARD 2nd Runner Up - Joe Blanton, Milwaukee Pilots P Age ERA OPS W L S G GS CG SHO INN H R ER BB K HR GDP sp 26 3.35 .668 22 4 0 33 33 2 2 226.0 212 87 84 45 136 25 15 The Milwaukee Pilots posted a league best 110 wins during the season, and the team ERA of 3.88 was 3rd best in the majors. Blanton was the ace of the staff, posting a league best 22-4 record with a 3.35 ERA. Blanton's .287 on base average against was 8th best in the majors, and his 10.4 runners per 9 innings was 6th best. Blanton was also king of the quality start, posting a league best 78.8%. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1st Runner Up - Chien-Ming Wang, Albuquerque Maul P Age ERA OPS W L S G GS CG SHO INN H R ER BB K HR GDP sp 27 2.54 .598 14 10 0 32 32 5 4 223.0 177 72 63 59 109 11 38 The Albuquerque Maul had the league's dominant pitching staff and won the Gehrig division title. Their team ERA of 3.26 was over a half run better than 2nd place. Wang's won the ERA crown with a 2.54 ERA. His .313 slugging average against was 2nd best in the majors, and was top 6 in batting average and on base average against. Nobody allowed fewer runners per 9 innings than Wang's 9.9. Wang also threw 4 shutouts, tops in the majors, and his 78.1% quality starter percentage was 2nd best in the majors. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2007 CDBL CY YOUNG - Brandon Webb, Albuquerque Maul P Age ERA OPS W L S G GS CG SHO INN H R ER BB K HR GDP sp 28 2.70 .664 18 10 0 36 36 3 0 246.2 228 84 74 74 197 21 20 Brandon Webb led the Albuquerque Maul to the Gehrig division title and a team ERA nearly a half run better than the 2nd team in the majors. His 18 wins was tied for 3rd best in the majors, and his 2.70 ERA was 2nd best to teammate Chien-Ming Wang. Webb's .364 slugging percentage against was 8th best in the majors. Webb's quality start percentage of 77.8% was tied for third best. Webb's nod for the Cy comes from the sheer amount of innings he pitched at an elite level. His 246 2/3 innings was 2nd best in the majors, as was his 28.56 batters faced per game. Webb gave a dominant performance time and time again. ******************************************************************* 2007 CDBL FIREMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD 2nd Runner Up - Heath Bell, Springfield Isotopes P Age ERA OPS W L S G GS CG SHO INN H R ER BB K HR GDP mr 29 2.19 .530 1 7 34 68 0 0 0 82.1 55 21 20 21 107 6 3 Heath Bell hoovered up saves for the Isotopes this year, saving 34 games, 2nd best in the majors along with a 2.19 ERA. His 87.2% save percentage was 6th best in the majors. The Isotopes didn't have a great season, winning only 72 games, and Bell struggled when the game was on the line, going 1-7 in the W/L column. But at least the rotissere stats were great! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1st Runner Up - JJ Putz, Georgia Pines P Age ERA OPS W L S G GS CG SHO INN H R ER BB K HR GDP cl 30 1.02 .416 4 1 26 64 0 0 0 79.2 41 10 9 25 84 1 8 Putz was one of the most highly effective closers in the majors this year, saving 26 games for the Pines (9th best in the majors). His 1.02 ERA was tops among the 167 relievers in the league with at least 40 innings pitched, and his .416 OPS against was 2nd best in the group. Georgia did win 82 games with a neutral run margin, and the Pines would have likely had a losing record had Putz not closed for them this year. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2007 CDBL FIREMAN OF THE YEAR - Joakim Soria, Milwaukee Pilots P Age ERA OPS W L S G GS CG SHO INN H R ER BB K HR GDP cl 23 1.40 .404 7 1 38 67 0 0 0 77.0 37 12 12 13 84 5 1 The Pilots were the dominant team in the regular season, winning 110 games and the Tiant division crown. Soria cleaned up in the saves category, saving a league high 38 games. Soria's .404 OPS against was best among the 167 relievers with at least 40 innings pitched, and his 1.40 ERA was 2nd best in the group. Soria was clutch in close situations, sporting a 7-1 win/loss record in relief. Milwaukee had the league's best run differential at +210, but they were also great in close games. They went 83-3 when leading after 7 (best in the majors), 15-4 when tied after 7 innings, 10-2 in extra inning games and their 33-18 record in 1 run games was the most wins of any team in the majors.