There are no more trades, 🍎waiver-wire pickups or tweaks to your roster tha💞t can be made. There is no more time to find the red-hot, record-setting rookie who will carry your offense, or time to throw your hands up in the air when James Shields loses yet another game.
By Sunday night, another fantasy baseball season wil𓄧l have come to an end and a champion w𒉰ill be crowned. This is it, the final day of the season.
So, before the final pitch is thrown, it’s time for Roto Files to hand out awards to the players who helped you achieve fantasy glory, as well as those who helped you consider starting up fantasy woolsa🌞ck racing league🌜. Here’s a look at the best (and worst) of 2016:
MVP
AL: Mookie Betts — Not only d🌞id he rank second in the AL in hits and average, he is among the top five in RBIs and runs scored. He is also in the top 10 for OPS, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and steals, and the top 20 in home runs. Because he was drafted in the second or third round gives him the edge over Jose Altuve, Mike Trout and Josh Donaldson. Honorable mention: Brian Dozier.
NL: Nolan Arenado — Yes, if you take Arenado out of Coors Field, he is more like Nolan Arenormal, but he still led the NL in homers and RBIs, while ranking second in runs scored (Kris Bryant wa💜s first). He also raꦗnked in the top six in OPS and slugging percentage. He edges Bryant based on better second-half numbers.
LVP
AL: Jose Bautista — Missing 46 games didn’t help, but neither did a .𒉰235 average (his lowest mark since 2006). Still has a lot of pop i🌜n his bat, but age and injuries certainly make his 17.6 ADP a tough pill to swallow.
NL: Bryce Harper — His overall numbers may not look all that terrible, but they’re no൲t what you were expecting f♊rom a reigning MVP or top-three pick.
Cy Young
AL: Justin Verlander — You can make the case for Corey Kluber, Chris Sale or a handful of oth🐻er pitchers, but Verlander turned back the clocks and delivered an unexpected, top-tier worthy season after being the 33rd pitcher taken off the boards.
NL: Max Scherzer — Not only does he have the most strikeouts (277) and lowest WHIP (0.94) in all of baseball, he has the lowest opponent average (.193), ranks third in wins (19) and sixth in ERA (2.82).𒐪 He is as dependable as they come.
Son of a pitch!
AL: Dallas Keuchel — Regression was expected from the 28-year-old reigning Cy Young wi🦩nner, but not to the point where the 14th-ranked pitcher would go 9-12 with a 4.55 ERA and 1.286 WHIP.
NL: Jacob deGrom — Zack Greinke, Matt Harvey and Geritt Cole were disappointing for various reasons, but deGrom was ranked higher. His numbers may not 🔥look horrifꦕic, but injuries and so-so efforts left a major gap in rotations for those who drafted him as the seventh-best pitcher.
Top rookie
AL: Gary Sanchez🥀 — Michael Fulmer came out of nowhere to win 11 games for the Tigers, but Sanchez came out of nowhere to set records and carried fantasy teams’ offense over the 🐓last two months.
NL: Corey Seager — He wins be ཧdefault, since Trevor Story (his only 🧜competition) played just 97 games.
Biggest bargain
AL bat: Jackie Bradley Jr. — Some outfielders taken before Bradley (313.0 ADP) in drafts include: Stev♉en Souza Jr., Colby Rasmus, Domingo Santana. He outperformed them, as well as a good portion of the other 97 outfielders drafted ahead of him.
NL bat: 🐭Jonathan Villar — Not only did he lead the majors in steals, but he ranked in the top 30 in runs scored, hit over .280, had 16 homers and drove in 60-plus runs. Yes, he struck out a ton (eighth most in the league), but he was eligible at two positions and had a 351.3 ADP. Honorable mention: Yasmany Tomas.
AL arm: J.A. Happ𒀰 — Entered the season as the 105th ranked pitcher (342nd overall) with a 318.0 ADP, he set career marks in wins (20), strikeouts (166) and innings pitched.
NL arm: Kyle Hendricks — A 203.0 ADP got you 15-plus wins, 160-plus sꦡtrikeouts and the only qualifying starting pitcher in the majors with an ERA under 2.00.
Comeback player
AL: Ian Desmond — After subpar seasons in 2014 and 2015, Desmond reverted back to his 2012 All-Star form this season. Whatever is in the water in Arlington, they better make sure Desmond continues to drink it🐽.
NL: Jose Fer𝓡nandez — Watching him pitch and 🎃being as dominant as he was at the age of 24 (16-8, 2.86 ERA, 253 strikeouts), and not too far removed from Tommy John surgery, was an absolutely incredible experience. It is hard to believe we never will see him take the mound again.
Adam Dunn Award
AL: Todd Frazier — A൩nyone who can hit 40 or more home runs while barely hitting above their weight (he is listed as 220 pounds) is a shoo-in for this award.
NL: Chris Carter —ꦗ See Frazier🌸 (only, Carter is listed at 245 pounds).
Biggest surprise
AL: Rick Porcello — He went very late in drafts (302.0 ADP), if he was even selected. He entered 💖the season 85-78 with a 4.39 ERA for his career, so pretty much no one expected him lead the majors in wins (22), or have an ERA anywhere close to 3.00, or have the third-lowes🌊t WHIP in the majors (1.01).
NL: Trevor Story — 💛His numbers over 97 games (.272, 27 HR, 72 RBI, .909 OPS) are♈ better than every Atlanta Brave not named Freddie Freeman (and many other everyday players).
Back to the future
AL: Evan Longoria — After seeing💎 his numbers consistently decline since 2012, Longoria reversed the trend to have a career-high home run and hit totals, his highest RBI total since 2011 and his highest slugging percentage since 2012.
NL: Bartolo Cꦑolon — Big Sexy was still a big contributor at the age of 43. Had his share of clunkers, but posted one of his best and most reliable seasons since his 2005 Cy Young campaign.
Sill overrated
AL: Carꦫlos Gomez — Though he played well in September, it is hard to overlook the numbers from the five previous months (.206, 7 HR, 37 RBI, 112 strikeouts).
NL: Jason Heyward — Every year, he is drafted as a top-25 outfielder (67.6 ADP) and every year fantasy owners are se♕verely disappointed. Maybe 2017 finally will be the year people realize how ove🐟rrated he is.
All NL Team
C: Wilson Ramos, Nationals
1B: Anthony Rizzo, Cubs
2B: Daniel Murphy, Nationals
SS: Corey Seager, Dodgers
3B: Nolan Arenado, Rockies
OF: Kris Bryant, Cubs
OF: Matt Kemp, Braves
OF: Charlie Blackmon, Rockies
SP: Jon Lester, Cubs
SP: Max Scherzer, Nationals
SP: Kyle Hendricks, Cubs
SP: Jose Fernandez, Marlins
SP: Noah Syndergaard, Mets
RP: Kenley Jansen, Dodgers
DH/UTIL: Freddie Freeman, Braves
All AL Team
C: Jonathan Lucroy, Rangers
1B: Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays
2B: Brian Dozier, Twins
SS: Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox
3B: Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays
OF: Nelson Cruz, Mariners
OF: Mike Trout, Angels
OF: Mookie Betts, Red Sox
SP: Corey Kluber, Indians
SP: Rick Porcello, Red Sox
SP: J.A. Happ, Blue Jays
SP: Chris Sale, White Sox
SP: Justin Verlander, Tigers
RP: Zach Britton, Orioles
DH/UTIL: Mark Trumbo, Orioles
Team Names of the Year
Best Tom Hanks movie: A Puig of Their Own
Best ’90s rap group: Cron Thugs N’ Harmony
Best Jay Z lyric: H to the Rizzo
Worst country Song: Aoki Breaky Heart
Comes with your entrée: Soup or Salas?
Best Rodney Dangerfield movie: Odorizzi Money
Best fire safety advice: Strop, Drop and Roll
Best Dee Gordon team name: P.E.Dee
Underrated Richard Pryor movie: Buxton Loose
Best Eugene O’Neill play: The Bryce-man Cometh
Best new Star Wars character: Kylo Renteria
Worst Star Wars flick: Episode I: The Phantom Yoenis
Best place for fish n’ chips: Great Britton
Best 1990s TGIF show: Familia Matters
Worst James Bond movie: Licence to Cahill
Best summer outfit: CarGo shorts
Best secret society: Scully and Bones
Best Frankie Avalon movie: Beachy Blanket Bingo
Worst Julia Roberts movie: Eaton, Pray, Love
Best Paul Reiser TV show: Mad About Abreu
Best Pink Floyd song: Another Brick in the Qualls
Best Italian cookies: Almond Piscotty
Best Pierce Brosnan movie: The Lawn-Mauer Man
Underrated ’60s movie: Valley of the Dahls
Best unused reader submission: Votto’s Locos (@coachesser)