2013 ALDS MVP: Omaha v. Montreal
The 2013 Stroh's ALDS MVP Award goes to....
LF JOSEPH "G-FUNK" JOHNSON, OMA. Round of Applause.
The reality is that the award should be split among Omaha's starting pitchers. Their shut down of Montreal proved to be the greatest factor in Omaha 4-1 taking of the series. However, to name a single player it came down to Johnson and Freddie Mitchell. Johnson pulled out the award with a because of a better batting average, more RBIs, and more timely hits. He totaled 8-19, .421, 1 HR, 1 R, 6 RBIs. Johnson had a hit in every game but Game 1 and his Games 2,3, and 4 performances were excellent. Game 4 included his 3 run HR which really helped put Montreal away. Johnson has become almost a Robert Horry of EWB postseason play. This will be his 3rd Stroh's Award. He won the 2008 ALDS MVP and the 2009 World Series MVP. Even more remarkable is that Johnson spent virtually the entire season in AAA Lincoln only to be brought up for the playoffs where he wins another Stroh's. Funk-da-fie yourself, Joseph, with this complimentary funky twelve pack of Stroh's Bros cans.
2012 World Series MVP: El Paso v. Omaha
The 2012 Stroh's World Series MVP Award goes to....
SS JUAN CAMACHO, ELP. Round of Applause!
Guest commentator GM JTTX said it well - Series MVP: veteran SS, Juan Camacho. In GAME 1, with Omaha winninng 2-0 in the 6th, he drew a lead off run and scored El Paso's 1st run in an inning where they tied it up 2-2. And more significantly, in the 7th inning he hit a 2-our HR to give El Paso a 4-2 lead, which proved to be the final score. In GAME 2, he hit the game winning, walk off HR in the bottom of the 14th. In Game 3, nothing dramatic but did go 1-3. In Game 4, again nothing dramatic but went 2-6 with 2 RBI. And then in the clinching Game 5, with El Paso holding a slim 6-5 lead in the 9th, Camacho hit a lead off HR that opened the flood gates for a 5 run inning, putting things out of reach. So 3 HRs, and each was huge and late in the game. And the guy is a 33-year-old journeyman with declining ratings. Here's a Stroh's for the peak of a long strange journey, Juan.
2012 ALCS MVP: Omaha v. Las Vegas
The 2012 Stroh's ALCS MVP Award goes to....
OF CRAIG MCCLAIN, OMA. Round of Applause.
McClain ended up 10-29, 5 R, 9 RBI, and 3 HR for the 7 game series against Omaha nemesis Las Vegas. More importantly, though, McClain won 3 Player of the Game Awards including POGs in Games 6 and 7. Omaha faced a 2-3 deficit in the series but in Game 6 McClain came alive going 2-3, 1 R, 3 RBI, and a HR. He would hit another big HR in Game 7 and finish 3-4, 1 R, 2 RBI. McClain stepped up big when his team needed him the most and will be the proud owner of a new Stroh's coozy for this achievement.
2012 NLCS MVP: El Paso v. Miami
The 2012 Stroh's NLCS MVP Award goes to....
LF MARCOS GRAVES, ELP. Round of subdued Applause.
Some players are awarded MVP for a sustained performance throughout the series. Others, like Graves, are awarded for stepping up at the most crucial of times and singlehandedly dictating the result of a series. In Games 1-5 Graves was 3-21 with very little impact on the series. Miami had taken a 3-2 series lead heading into Game 6 and was a heavy favourite to take the game and a heavier favourite to take the series. Graves would alter that by accounting for every run scored for El Paso. In the 1st innning he launched a 3 run HR off of Todd Fowler to take a 3-0 lead. Miami, though, would battle back and tie it up by the 4th and it would remain tied going into the bottom of the 9th where Graves would lead off the inning. Miami MA brought in elite CL Eric Anderson for the 9th and he worked Graves to a 1-2 count when Graves turned on the ball and.....whacked a solo game winning HR. His teammates went wild and dogpiled him at the plate of home. Graves won the Player of the Game Award and gave El Paso the momentum and confidence booster to beat Miami rather easily in a Game 7.
2012 ALDS MVP: Omaha v. Portland
The 2012 Stroh's ALDS MVP Award goes to....
SP JOSE "ALIBI" DE LA GARZA, OMA. Round of Applause!
De La Garza is quickly becoming one of the most prolific postseason pitchers in EWB history. Alibi's two outstanding starts and wins against Portland became his 28th start and 15th Win in his playoff career. De La Garza set the tone in Game 1 going 8.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, and 11 K's! Despite that performance and Omaha's 10-0 win, Richie Bowers was given the Player of the Game. De La Garza just went out and captured it in the clinching Game 6 when he went 8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, and 10 Ks. De La Garza's final total was 2 Wins 16.1 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 2 BB, and 21 K's, it doesn't get much better than that. No need to use an alibi this postseason, Jose, you were definitely present, here's a Stroh's on us.
2012 ALDS MVP: Las Vegas v. Montreal
The 2012 Stroh's ALDS MVP Award goes to....
LF VICTOR HICKS, LV. Round of Applause!
Hicks had a monster series and has Renegade fans forgetting the name Ty Johnston. In Game 1 Hicks was able to launch a Game winning HR in the 13th inning off of Domingo Ortiz which set the pace for the series. Hicks easily won the Player of the Game and finished with a 3-6 line with 3 R, 3 RBI and 2 HR! He followed up in Game 2 with another POG Award and a LV victory. Game 3 was Hicks only let down, though he rebounded well for the rest of the series as LV took it in 6 games. Hicks finished with an 11-25, 7 R, 7 RBI, 3 HR and 2 POG's. Get even zanier Victor with a keg of Stroh's this offseason!
2012 NLDS MVP: El Paso v. Atlanta
The 2012 Stroh's NLDS MVP Award goes to....
C JOSE SILVA, ELP. Round of Applause!
Silva may be the first non-pitcher MVP to actually sit 2 games. His production in the five games he did play was stellar: 7-19, 6 R, 3 HR, 8 RBI. More importantly though was that Silva was essentially the sole reason for wins in Game 4 and a crucial Game 7. In both games he was named Player of the Game. Silva has made a splash in his rookie season and now has a reputation as a clutch leader as he leads his team on in the postseason. Get out of your catcher crouch, buddy, and enjoy a wonderful Stroh's tonight. Miami awaits.
2012 NLDS MVP: Miami v. Cleveland
The 2012 Stroh's NLDS MVP Award goes to....
LF MILLARD HAMMOND, MIA. Round of Applause!
Cleveland and Miami were eager to match up in this playoff series considering their postseason history. It was a definite back and forth battle this time with the series stretching out to 7 games. No player was as instrumental to Miami's victory than All Star Millard Hammond who consistently performed in every game. Hammond compiled a hit in every game of the series and was the sole offensive force in several Miami games. He totaled a .423 avg going 11-26, 5 R, 4 HR, and 6 RBI. Hammond is one of the leaders of the team and is currently in contract negotiations for an extension. Whether you're back with the Banditos or not, Millard, here's some cold brews. You may need them to seduce wooing teams.
2011 World Series MVP: Miami v. Kansas City
The 2011 Stroh's World Series MVP Award goes to....
IF/OF EARL WEBSTER, MIA. Round of Applause!
Never in the history of the Stroh's Award has it gone to an offensive player with only 3 ABs in the series, or anywhere close to that. Yet, two of Earl Webster's ABs changed the course of the series and ensured a Miami victory. Skeptics will say that Webster was only lucky in others ineptitude and they may have a point but Webster was able to come up and make something happen and cash in when fortune blessed him. In Game 2 he put the game winning hit past Manolo Reyes for a 1-0 Miami victory and a 2-0 series lead. Then in Game 4 Webster again put the bat on the ball and FORCED Ryan Shelton into making an Error which scored the tying run. Earl Webster himself would cross the plate on a Luis Manuel Romero hit to end up the winning run in a 11-10 Miami victory. In his only other AB in Game 5 he struck out making his MVP line: 1-3, 1 R, 2 RBI. But in Miami that line will be remembered as 1 WINNING RUN, 1 WINNING RBI, and 1 TYING RBI. Knock back a sixer of ICE COLD Stroh's Earl, only a Stroh's man makes magic in limited opportunities!
2011 NLCS MVP: Miami v. Brooklyn
The 2011 Stroh's NLCS MVP Award goes to....
DH BO WALSH, MIA. Round of Applause...I guess.
The GM of SF should be happy as he was a strong lobbyist for Bo Walsh to receive the Award after watching Miami sweep Brooklyn rather easily. The Miami offense performed in harmony which made deciding who contributed the most a difficult task. However, Walsh did put up good numbers and actually put up some timely hits, which is contrary to his nature. Bo Walsh ended up 4-13 but with 6 BBs he was a major OBP presence. His slugging is what really did Brooklyn in though. Walsh hit a HR in each of games 2, 3, and 4, driving in 9 runs, and scoring 5 runs throughout the series. Bo Walsh hopes he can keep it going during the World Series but said he won't be too bothered if he slipped back into his old ways of K'ing with runners in scoring position. Kick back with this complimentary keg of Stroh's, Bo, you'll need it for this upcoming FA season!