Comeback Player Of The Year

Note: In 1989, Lonnie Smith of the Atlanta Braves won the National League Comeback Player of the Year award, beating out San Francisco's Dave Dravecky.  Smith put up very good numbers after having his career derailed by cocaine abuse.  Dravecky pitched in only two games, but did come back from cancer in his pitching arm.  This has been a point of contention between Adam and Gabe for some time now.

Adam:  The race for comeback player of the year is going to be interesting this year.

Gabe:  Vogelsong or who?

Adam:  Beltran.  Berkman?

Gabe:  Oh right.  So Dravecky, then?

Dave Dravecky

Adam:  Did Carlos miss last year because of blow?

Gabe:  Probably.  It was under the floorboard of his locker.  It was Strawberry's at Shea, and they just moved it over.

Adam:  Nice.  I think Brooks Conrad's comeback is worthy of merit.

Gabe:  I do my best.  But I forgot about Fat Elvis.  He's been awesome.  Brooks is also a good option.  In other years he might have won.  He's the Jason Jennings of comeback players.

Adam:  Vogelsong would win if it were held today.

Gabe:  You'd think so.  He really has been amazing this year.  And not "good for a guy with his story."  Just good.

Adam:  Nice Jennings reference ... I was thinking Doug when I first read that ... very confused.

Gabe:  Sadly, Doug Jennings probably won't win this year.  But when I first read that, I was thinking Doug Henning.

Adam:  It's one award per league, right?

Gabe:  I think so, yes.

Adam:  'Cause JJ Hardy is legit, too.  And Hafner.

Gabe:  Totally.  But I'm still hoping he's in the NL by next month.

Adam:  Which one?

Gabe:  Hardy.

Adam:  Ohhhh good ... 'cause Hafner might not be a great fit in San Fran.

Gabe:  Yeah, he might have a tough time playing right at AT&T.

Adam:  Would pay to see that, though.

Gabe:  Absolutely.

Adam:  What would he have to hit to make sabermetric sense?

Gabe:  An OBP of roughly 1.400.

Adam:  Right, to go with his UZR of -654168448.3.

Gabe:  And a VORP- of pi.

Adam:  VORP would also transcend sabermetrics to become a word describing that feeling every Giants fan would get on a routine fly to right.

Gabe:  "Fly ball towards right, Hafner going baaaaaack ... oh, VORP!"

Adam:  You would all be longing for the days of torture.

Gabe:  Yep.  We'd miss Burrell's glove.

Adam:  Nah, you keep him for a defensive replacement.

Gabe:  Or to play shortstop.

Adam:  He was probably a shortstop in high school.

Gabe:  Just like every other Big Leaguer?

Adam:  Prince?

Gabe:  Ooh.  Good point.  Fat kid.  He was a catcher.