Potential 2013 Comeback Player of the Year Candidates.

[Goober]

Lets have a discussion.

Who do you think will will the CPOY award in 2013?

Troy Tulowitzki seems like the best candidate in my opinion.

[Guest]

Tulo is a pretty good choice as anyone.

I don't think Jon Lester is going to do as bad as he did last season. I say he comes back with a pretty good season, but it might not be good enough to win the comeback award.

[EmpireWF]

I hope he has a great year, don't know if there's any realistic reason to believe it though....Carl Crawford.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Scott Kazmir

[Woy]

Going to get his third of these...boosting that Hall of Fame resume!

[Villain]

I hope he has a great year, don't know if there's any realistic reason to believe it though....Carl Crawford.

I will be insufferable if that happens.

[Glenbino]

Mariano Rivera and it wont be close.

Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk 2

[NAHSTE]

[Leftwich]

It's never who you think, i have to think of someone obscure.

Will get back to this.

[EmpireWF]

Look back at the history of the award and at the end, the top 5 guys whose WAR increased the most from the year preceding their comeback award.

AL

2005 - Jason Giambi (NYY) - Missed 80+ games year before, returned to hit 32 HR with 108 BB and a .440 OBP, the latter two led the league.

WAR Difference (from the year before) - 4.5

2006- Jim Thome (CHW) - Only played 59 games year before, hit 42 HR and 109 RBI after being dealt by Philly in the off-season.

WAR Difference - 4.5

2007 - Carlos Pena (TB) - Was part of three organizations in 2006 (DET, NYY, BOS), played in just 18 games. Signed by Tampa in January 07, went on to play career high 148 games, 46 HR, 121 RBI with .627 slugging. All career highs, though he hit 70 more HR the following 2 years in Tampa.

WAR Difference - 6.7

2008 - Cliff Lee (CLE) - Under 100 innings in 2007, he had an ERA over 6 and after an injury, ended up going to the minors during the year. Went on in 2008 to have a career year, 22-3, 223.1 IP, 2.54 ERA, 170 SO, 1.11 WHIP…won the Cy Young and had his first All-Star appearance.

WAR Difference - 7.4

2009 - Aaron Hill (TOR) - His 2008 ended in the spring due to a concussion. Played 158 games in 2009, having a career year. 36 HR, 108 RBI, .499 SLG and his first (and only) All-Star appearance.

WAR Difference - 5.2

2010 - Francisco Liriano (MIN) - Missed the 2007 season (tommy john), pitched a combined 212 IP the following two seasons with a sub 0.5 WAR each year. In 2010, he pitched 191 IP (most of his career to this day) with 201 SO.

WAR Difference - 4.4

2011 - Jacoby Ellsbury (BOS) - Played 18 games previous season with broken ribs. In 2011, had 32 HR, 39 SB, 105 RBI, 46 2B and 119 R.

WAR Difference - 8.2

2012 - Fernando Rodney (TB) - Lost his closing job in 2011 to Jordan Walden. Took over Tampa's closer spot after Farnsworth was hurt. Ended up with 48 saves in 50 chances and a 0.60 ERA, he only gave up 5 earned runs (28 BB in 32 IP in 2011, 15 BB in 74.2 IP in 2012…only 2 HR allowed).

WAR Difference - 4.1

NL

2005 - Ken Griffey Jr. (CIN) - Missed half the 2004 season and so much more time the previous few years. In 2005 at 35-years-old, he played 128 games (most since 2000) with 35 HR, 92 RBI, .301/.369/.576 and 30 2B (most since 1998).

WAR Difference - 3.0

2006 - Nomar Garciaparra (LAD) - Played in just over 1/3 of the 2005 season due to injury. In 2006, he hit over .300 with 20 HR, 93 RBI, 31 2B and 82 R (all highest #s since 2003).

WAR Difference - 2.1

2007 - Dmitri Young (WAS) - Year before, had tons of personal issues (divorce, struck his girlfriend, the law, drugs, addiction, depression) and was cut by Detroit after 48 games. Played 136 games for Washington hitting 13 HR, 74 RBI, .320/.378/.491, 38 2B and his 2nd career All-Star appearance.

WAR Difference - 0.3

2008 - Brad Lidge (PHI) - Tons of blown saves the previous 2 years off the Pujols HR in the playoffs. This season, he was perfect making good on all 41 save chances.

WAR Difference - 1.2

2009 - Chris Carpenter (STL) - Pitched in 21 innings the previous two seasons combined due to injuries. Returned to pitch 192.2 IP, 144 SO, 2.24 ERA, 17-4, Cy Young runner up.

WAR Difference - 4.7

2010 - Tim Hudson (ATL) - Tommy John surgery in 2008, missed majority of 2009 season. Pitched 228.2 IP (most since his Oakland days) with 17 wins, 2.83 ERA, 139 SO, 1.88 SO/BB.

WAR Difference - 4.7

2011 - Lance Berkman (STL) - A knee injury the year before plagued him and he had career worsts 14 HR, 58 RBI, .248 batting between Houston and the Yankees. Signed with St. Louis, healthy, and he went off with 31 HR, 94 RBI, .301/.412/.547 and his first All-Star appearance in three years.

WAR Difference - 3.7

2012 - Buster Posey (SF) - Broken leg in 2011 ended his season after 45 games. Played in career best 148 games in 2012 with 24 HR, 103 RBI, .336/.408/.549 and 39 2B. Also named NL MVP.

WAR Difference - 5.9


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1. Ellsbury 8.2
2. Cliff Lee 7.4
3. Carlos Pena 6.7
4. Buster Posey 5.9
5. Aaron Hill 5.2