SIMBL GM AWARDS HISTORY

SIMBL GMS HAVE SPOKEN: 2031 SIMBL GM AWARDS ANNOUNCED

2031 SIMBL GM Awards:
SIMBL GM Of The Year: Don Krause San Diego
UL Slugger Of The Year: Colt McAlister Calgary
SL Slugger Of The Year: Cody Taylor Deer Lake
UL Hurler Of The Year: Brock Vinci Seattle
SL Hurler Of The Year: Alan Alexander Anderson Las Vegas
UL Middle Reliever Of The Year: Bob Detty Calgary
SL Middle Reliever Of The Year: Felix Urbina Tampa Bay
UL Fireman Of The Year: Willie Roger DeMarco Seattle
SL Fireman Of The Year: Chad Bryan San Diego
UL Rookie Of The Year: Hue Henderson Calgary
SL Rookie Of The Year: Bernardo Guillen Las Vegas

The SIMBL GMs have spoken once again as the best of the best of the 2031 season have been voted on with another great showing at the polls by all 24 GMs and the 2031 SIMBL GM Awards have been announced.

2031 SIMBL GM Of The Year:
Don Krause San Diego Warewolves
88-74 SL West Division Champions
Lost In Seven Games To Eventual SIMBL Champion Las Vegas In SLDS
Worst-To-First +15 Game Improvement First San Diego Postseason Appearance Since 2024

Don joined the SIMBL on January 22, 2014 during the beginning of the 2029 season and quickly went to work on reversing the recent fortunes of the league's ten-time champions.  After winning the last of their SIMBL-record ten championships as a wildcard in 2024, the team went into a downward spiral forced by economics and a talent turnaround. In 2025, although finishing with an 89-73 record, San Diego became one of the few teams in SIMBL history to not even make the postseason the next season after winning a title. The next season, the Warewolves set a SIMBL-record by collapsing 30 games to 59-103 followed by seasons of 69-93, 66-96, and 71-91 in Don's first season in 2029.  Last season's 73-89 record was more of the same as San Diego's previous seasons of top five picks were grooming.  Faced at 44-44 at the 2031 All-Star break, Don went to work adding key additions like veteran four-time Hurler Of The Year and SIMBL New File Era wins leader Richard Dicks Jr. and acquired in the off-season and during the season multiple past veteran All-Stars who upgraded the 'Wolves pitching staff and lineups immensely.  The 'Wolves went from a .500 first half to an upstart 44-30 second half to eventually take over the division from two-time defending division champion Hawaii in the last week of the season to win the division by two games over Hawaii and four over Hollywood.  The 'Wolves led the Hustlers 3-1 in the 2031 SLDS but eventually succumbed to two brilliant pitching performances by Alan Alexander Anderson in the final four games to become one of the few teams in SIMBL history to lose a 3-1 postseason series lead to the eventual SIMBL champions.

In his mere two seasons in the SIMBL, San Diego GM Don Krause has proved to be one of the most competitive, savvy and active members of the SIMBL and is 2031 SIMBL GM Of The Year as he tries to vault San Diego again as a perennial SIMBL powerhouse as they were during all of the SIMBL's first 21 seasons.

Calgary's Christian DeMarco and Rochester's Jamey Carter finished a distant second and third in the voting.

2031 UL Slugger Of The Year:
Colt McAlister Calgary Clippers
.317 AVG 55 HR 137 RBI 1.128 OPS

The 37 year-old former #1 overall pick of the 2019 SIMBL New File Era Inaugural Draft had the best season of his SIMBL Hall Of Fame-bound career rebounding from his two previous least productive seasons and talk of his demise.  The 13-year Clippers veteran became the oldest winner of a MVP award in SIMBL history and won the first Triple Crown in 16 seasons and the first since Pablo Figueroa's in 2015 and joining SIMBL Hall Of Famer Daryl Ryles' historic 2008 campaign as the only batting Triple Crowns in league history.

It's the third UL MVP for Colt McAlister who has also won the award in four-year intervals now in 2023, 2027 and now 2031.  'Big Mac's' 55 home runs were a career-high and the fifth-most in a single-season.  His .683 slugging percentage ranks fifth in a single season while his blistering 1.128 OPS ties for fifth-highest.

This season seen McAlister break Ryles' SIMBL record of career walks after posting 132 free passes, his 13th straight season with 100+ walks and move into second-place on the SIMBL all-time home run list after becoming only the third player with 500 career home runs.  Colt tied a SIMBL record by making his 10th All-Star Game and posted only the eighth 50-home run season in SIMBL history becoming the fifth player to do so and he moved into second-place for career RBI and is closing in on Ryles' career RBI mark of 1581. McAlister's mammoth season silenced talks of him having any diminishing skills as he hit career-lows of .247 with 28 HR and 83 RBI in 2029 and .243 with 32 HR and 76 RBI in 2031 after starting his career with ten consecutive 30+ HR/100+ RBI.

McAlister drew 23/24 votes with his teammate and heir apparent rookie teammate Hue Henderson drawing the only other vote preventing a unanimous selection.

SL Slugger Of The Year
Cody Taylor Deer Lake Direwolves
.358 AVG 41 HR 119 RBI 1.085 OPS

The former #5 overall pick of the 2026 SIMBL Draft stepped up his game by going from perennial All-Star to SL MVP and came within a few RBI of corralling the fourth batting Triple Crown in SIMBL history.  Deer Lake's Cody Taylor has made the SIMBL All-Star Game in his first three full-time seasons in the league but stepped it up this season with a bombastic year that puts him among the league's top players.

Taylor flirted with the Ju-Won Shi's 2025 single-season batting average record of .360 all season long but finished with a .358 clip which is now tied for second all-time in a season.  Taylor's 221 hits were the most since New York's Artie Bradley's in his 2026 UL MVP season and stand fourth in a single-season now in the SIMBL's 27 seasons of play.  Taylor lost the Triple Crown to last season's SL MVP, Tampa Bay's Julian Winfield's late-season hot streak and 127 RBI.  Taylor's .646 slugging percentage is 11th all-time to signify what kind of massive breakout season the 26 year-old first baseman achieved.

Taylor finished with 21 out of 24 votes with Rochester's Alan Crawford receiving two votes and Tampa Bay's Julian Winfield finishing third with a single vote.

2031 UL Hurler Of The Year:
Brock Vinci Seattle Seawolves
20-13 2.87 ERA 1.03 WHIP 269.2 IP 76 BB 284 K 61.1 QS%

Seattle's former #9 overall pick of the 2023 SIMBL Draft has been on the verge of greatness since entering the SIMBL with an 18-9 4.34 ERA All-Star rookie season back in 2027 but his breakout season came this season after going 17-11 with a 3.10 ERA last season.

Brock Vinci was one of the four 20-game winners in the UL and one of the five overall in the SIMBL this season.  The 26 year-old's 284 strikeouts set a record for the most in the SIMBL New File Era (2019-current) and the most in the league since Vinny Corleone's 282 13 seasons ago.  The three-time All-Star also proved his numbers were true by throwing the most amount of innings in the SIMBL this season as he threw eight complete games in the process.  Vinci led the UL in VORP and and his WAR led the SIMBL.

Calgary's Jason Chapman, Whitby's SIMBL 2031 ERA king Keith Patterson and Whitby's J.J. Drew each drew two votes for second-place while Bend's Manuel Cabrera and Seattle's Matthew Allen each received a single vote for a very distant third-place in the voting.

SL Hurler Of The Year:
Alan Alexander Anderson Las Vegas
24-5 2.49 ERA 0.96 WHIP 271.0 IP 53 BB 265 K 83.3 QS%

'Triple A' continued his legend by easily winning his sixth SL Hurler Of The Year Award in the past seven seasons and has been an unstoppable force by winning 20+ games for the eighth straight season.  Alan Alexander Anderson's six awards now stand second in SIMBL history to SIMBL Hall Of Famer Bobby's Grimes' career-record of eight and his 8 consecutive 20-win seasons are the second-longest streak next to Grimes' remarkable record of 10.  Anderson also tied a SIMBL record with his 10th All-Star berth and tied a record with his tenth consecutive All-Star Game appearance.  Anderson has long cemented his place among the top 1-3 pitchers in SIMBL history and became one of only seven pitchers with 200 career SIMBL wins this season and is currently fifth all-time with 231 career wins at only 31 years-old.  It was Anderson's fifth season of 24 or more wins.  The #15 overall pick of the 2019 SIMBL New File Era Inaugural Draft proved his postseason legend by going 4-1 with a 2.53 ERA and blistering 0.73 WHIP in six playoff starts in earning him and his Hustlers teammates the first SIMBL championship of his storied career.  Anderson won SL Pitcher Of The Month Awards this past April, July and August for an astounding 18 total in his tenth full-time season of career.

Chicago's SL ERA king Jimmy Wagner earned the only other six votes to finish second in the voting.

2031 UL Middle Reliever Of The Year:
Bob Detty Calgary Clippers
103.0 IP 11-6 2.45 ERA 1.08 WHIP 23 BB 105 K 4 SV 20 HLD

Calgary's Bob Detty has become the 'Triple A' of SIMBL middle relievers and has been a Clippers pillar for 13 seasons now.  Detty has become the epitome of the SIMBL shutdown middle reliever and has cemented himself now as possibly the most consistent and dominant middle reliever in the SIMBL's 27 season of history and is another future SIMBL Hall Of Famer.  The SIMBL all-time game holds leader (213) wins the UL Middle Reliever Of The Year Award for a record fifth time in his career and for the third time in the past four seasons.

Detty is the example of bullpen workhorse having thrown his eighth straight season of 100+ innings out of the traditionally built and stable Clippers bullpen.  He has been named an All-Star eight consecutive seasons with the eight being the most by a position reliever/non-closer in SIMBL history.  Detty's 1.99 career ERA is second to former teammate all-time SIMBL saves leader Barrett Jenkins' 1.85 in the SIMBL New File Era of the past 13 seasons of pitchers who meet requirements.  With an original 'Iron Man' stamina look for the 37 year-old former fourth round pick in the 2019 SIMBL New File Era Inaugural Draft to not tail off too soon and to remain a force and icon in the Clippers bullpen arsenal for at least a couple of more seasons.

Detty took 14 of the votes with Bend's Kevin Stewart finishing second with five votes.

2031 SL Middle Reliever Of The Year:
Felix Urbina Tampa Bay Silverbacks
62.3 IP 7-3 1.88 ERA 1.03 WHIP 25 BB 61 K 5 SV 20 HLD

Felix Urbina was the top relieving prospect available in the 2029 SIMBL Draft and Tampa Bay snatched him up with the 14th overall pick.  For an up and coming team at the time without any semblance of a bullpen Urbina was specifically drafted for need and was the stud relieving prospect of the class.  That chance of drafting a reliever so high paid off as he had a stellar year leading a shaky-yet-stable Silverbacks bullpen as the best reliever in the SL and helped his team get to the SLCS for the third season in a row.

Urbina simply dominated the SL in just his second SIMBL season and is far from hitting his prime.  At only 23 years-old the already 10/7/7-rated 98 MPH-throwing right-hander is set to give fits to SL teams and to lead his Tampa bullpen for several seasons ahead as one of the SIMBL's top relievers.

Among true middle relievers Chicago's Jimmy Kenney finished a distant second and Rochester's Carlos Gomez and even more distant third in the voting.

2031 UL Fireman Of The Year:
Willie Roger DeMarco Seattle Seawolves
64.2 IP 0-5 1.81 ERA 1.07 WHIP 39 SV 97.5 SV%

After making the All-Star Game in his first nine seasons, tying a SIMBL-record and the most in SIMBL history still for a closer (the all-time record for any player is ten overall appearances as of this season), Seattle's Willie Roger DeMarco didn't make the cut for the past two seasons.  He didn't even make the All-Star team this season yet turned it on in the second half to win the third Fireman Of The Year Award of his career.

DeMarco spent his first six full seasons with San Diego from 2020-2025 leading the Warewolves to three titles and was named 2024 SL Fireman Of The Year.  He then went for the big bucks for Seattle in 2026 free agency where he has remained and won the 2028 UL Fireman Of The Year Award.  Now, at age 32, with three FOTY Awards he stands behind Barrett Jenkins' and SIMBL Hall Of Famer Bill Hyer's four for the most in SIMBL history.

DeMarco's 457 career saves are now third-most in SIMBL history and he is another lock for future SIMBL Hall Of Fame enshrinement.  At his current pace he should pass the 39 year-old Jenkins' current SIMBL record of 511 by the time DeMarco is done with his career.  In 10 of the past 12 seasons DeMarco has saved 35 or more games and has already established himself as one of the most dominant closers in SIMBL history with a career 91.6 SV%.

In a close vote 12-10, Britol's aforementioned Jenkins lost out on his SIMBL-record fifth FOTY award by two votes and finished in second-place.  Bend's Chris Dillinger and Westbury's Ramon Miraz received the only other votes.

2031 SL Fireman Of The Year:
Chad Bryan San Diego Warewolves
75.2 IP 5-6 2.02 ERA 0.94 WHIP 32 SV 91.4 SV%

San Diego GM Don Krause signed Chad Bryan as a free agent near Opening Day and soon relegated him to the much-needed vacant closer role.  The former 2025 UL Middle Reliever Of The Year adapted just fine and and shined was voted by SIMBL GMs as the best closer in the SL this season.  Bryan's pivotal solidifying a previous weak and unclaimed position was critical for the 'Wolves to have a blistering 44-30 second half and to eventually take over Hawaii in the last week of the season to advance to the postseason and end a seven-season drought for one of the SIMBL's most successful all-time franchises.

Bryan starred for New York for the previous 12 full seasons and emerged as the leader of the Enforcers bullpen before signing with the 'Wolves this Opening Day week. The 34 year-old three-time All-Star becomes the fourth player to win both a Middle Reliever Of The Year Award and then convert to a closer and win a Fireman Of The Year Award joining the First File Era's Oregon's Charles Vue, Bristol's Richard Bell and current Asheville closer Dez Jordan to do so.

In a one-vote 9-8 win, Bryan edged out Las Vegas' Cedric Issacson from Issacson's second SL FOTY Award. Boston's Juan Carlos Bermudez got five votes and finished third.

2031 UL Rookie Of The Year:
Hue Henderson Calgary Clippers
.289 AVG 43 HR 120 RBI .898 OPS

Calgary GM Christian DeMarco was giddy when Hue Henderson fell to him with the last pick in the first round in the 2024 SIMBL Draft.  With potential offensive potential ratings the same as long-time Clipper and future SIMBL Hall Of Famer Carlos Molina, the Clippers couldn't believe that 24 other teams passed on such raw talent even though Henderson was 18 years-old at the time.  The Clippers expected to groom Henderson at first base as the heir apparent to franchise and SIMBL icon Colt McAlister.  What the organization didn't expect was Henderson would take six long seasons succeeding and failing in the Clippers farm system to even hint at making the SIMBL.

The waiting paid off and after two previous short stints where he failed miserably in the SIMBL in 2029 and 2030, Henderson was officially called up for this season and earned the first base position over last season's UL Rookie Of The Year runner-up Harley Pipp, who eventually was sent back to the minors and which stirred up some controversy in the locker room led by team leader and mouthpiece Matthew Brown who believed that Clippers' rookies like Henderson, SS Antonio Oliva and LF Justin Sandy shouldn't been just handed spots in the formidable Calgary lineups over established veterans.  Brown seemed to motivate the 26 year-old who produced one of the most impressive offensive rookie seasons in several years in the SIMBL and one of the best freshman debuts ever.  Henderson batting behind McAlister made Clippers selectively forget about the nine years of one of the best duos in SIMBL history to bat with each other in future SIMBL Hall Of Famers McAlister and Carlos Molina who batted #3 and #4 for each other for nine seasons before Molina left for Hawaii in free agency for the 2028 season.

If Henderson's big freshman year has any indications of what is to come and following the best season of the aging McAlister's career showing the old man has gas left in the tank, the kid and the old man can still do some major damage together protecting each other in the Clippers lineups for several more seasons before McAlister hangs them up and leaves his throne to the willing and waiting Henderson.

Whitby SP Marco Torrez and Dallas SP Michael Knox, both former first round picks that have finally made it to the SIMBL as well, had very solid rookie seasons and finished second and third in the balloting.

2031 SL Rookie Of The Year:
Bernardo Guillen Las Vegas Hustlers
.274 AVG 37 HR 106 RBI .834 OPS

Las Vegas' Bernardo Guillen is another player, just like Calgary's Hue Henderson, that has had a long road to the SIMBL and has been waiting since being drafted with the 62nd overall pick of the same 2024 SIMBL Draft to get his chance on the green fields in the SIMBL.

Guillen came on more than advertised and ran away with the 2031 SL ROTY prize by hitting .274 and leading the Hustlers with 37 HR and finishing behind one of his childhood idols, the Hustlers' Carlos Molina, with 106 RBI in help upgrade the Las Vegas offense tremendously and helped them rampage on to the 2031 SIMBL championship.

If putting up the kind of numbers that the 26 year-old has put up in his freshman season in the SIMBL and winning a title in his rookie year as well, things are looking good in Sin City.

Guillen took 20 of the 24 votes with Knoxville's Marcos Guerrero taking three for second place and Hollywood's Juan Santos receiving the only other vote.

The 2031 SIMBL Richard P. DeMarco Gold Glove Defense Awards will be announced next along with the 2031 All-SIMBL Team, SIMBL postseason MVPs, the official 2032 SIMBL Draft order and the upcoming 2032 arbitration results and 2032 free agency class.