2044 SIMBL GM AWARDS ANNOUNCED

The SIMBL GMs Have Spoken As Best Of The Best Voted Awards For 2044 Season

2044 SIMBL GM Awards:
*-Indicates Repeat From Last Season
(Career Awards):

SIMBL GM Of The Year: Andy Hutchinson Knoxville (2)
UL Slugger Of The Year: Akato Sakata Oregon (2)
SL Slugger Of The Year: Miguel Gonzalez Las Vegas
UL Hurler Of The Year: Michael Kilbane Texas (4)
SL Hurler Of The Year: Billy Lynch Sacramento (2) *
UL Middle Reliever Of The Year: Russell Kirk Calgary (5) *
SL Middle Reliever Of The Year: Carlos Castillo Norfolk (1)
UL Fireman Of The Year: Ricardo Martinez Toronto (1)
SL Fireman Of The Year: Michael Mayhugh Sacramento (1)
UL Rookie Of The Year: Franklyn Borba Seattle (1)
SL Rookie Of The Year: Kei Morita Rochester (1)

2044 Postseason MVP Awards:
2044 ULDS: SS Jesus Diaz Texas
2044 ULDS: 3B Mark Webster Westbury
2044 SLDS: SP Gary Richards Las Vegas
2044 SLDS: 3B Miguel Angel Banda Knoxville
2044 ULCS: RF D.D. Styles Texas
2044 SLCS: CF Charles Arms Las Vegas
2044 SIMBL CS: 1B Cade Maxwell Westbury

2044 Union League Tony Aguilar Silver Slugger Awards:

Catcher Buddy Checovetes Bristol Owls (2) *
First Baseman Akato Sakata Oregon Pioneers (4) ****
Second Baseman Trevor Lane Calgary Clippers (3) ***
Third Baseman David Wayne Cleveland Brownies (1)
Shortstop Franklyn Borba Seattle Seawolves (1)
Left Fielder Mike Lunder New York Enforcers (2)
Center Fielder Mark Thornton Bristol Owls (1)
Right Fielder Anthony Guerrero Bend Bandits (2) *
Designated Hitter Floyd Garraway Jr. Toronto Rush (2)

2044 Syndicate League Tony Aguilar Silver Slugger Awards:

Catcher Robert Sladky Las Vegas Hustlers (3)
First Baseman Roger Marcum Hawaii Pineapples (1)
Second Baseman Hector Colon Hawaii Pineapples (3)
Third Baseman Tyler Conway Boston Revolution (3)
Shortstop Miguel Gonzalez Las Vegas Hustlers (1)
Left Fielder Kevin Singleton Norfolk Buccaneers (2)
Center Fielder Charles Arms Las Vegas Hustlers (1)
Right Fielder Ben Mitchell Sacramento Giants (2)
Designated Hitter Bobby Papesh Knoxville Lumberkings (2)

2044 Union League Richard P. DeMarco Gold Glove Defense Awards:
*-Indicates Repeat From Last Season
(Career Awards):

Pitcher Rodrigo Navarro New York Enforcers (1)
Catcher Luis Carrasco Oregon Pioneers (3)
First Baseman Fernando Gonzalez New York  (1)
Second Baseman Esteban Solano Dallas Texans (1)
Third Baseman Dallas Jones Bristol Owls (3) *
Shortstop Turhan Clause Toronto Rush (2)
Left Fielder Manuel Ayala Seattle Seawolves (1)
Center Fielder Lawrence Richardson Toronto Rush (3) ***
Right Fielder Chris Metcalf Oregon Pioneers (2)

2044 Syndicate League Richard P. DeMarco Gold Glove Defense Awards:
*-Indicates Repeat From Last Season
(Career Awards):

Pitcher Brock Vinci Las Vegas Hustlers (1)
Catcher Ivan Balderas San Diego Warewolves (2) *
First Baseman Joe Goans Las Vegas Hustlers (1)
Second Baseman Nicolas Pagano Knoxville Lumberkings (3)
Third Baseman Felix Ayala Chicago Hitmen (3) ***
Shortstop Juan Solis Norfolk Buccaneers (2)
Left Fielder Todd Williams Boston Revolution (4) ****
Center Fielder Vincent Stewart Norfolk Buccaneers (3)
Right Fielder Julio Escobar Austin Dark Horses (1)

2044 200-Hit Club:

229 Akato Sakata Oregon
226 D.D. Styles Texas
222 Anthony Guerrero Bend
217 Jacob Barker Austin
217 Lawrence Richardson Toronto
210 Kimoyo Shimazu Oregon
209 Miguel Gonzalez Las Vegas
207 Franklyn Borba Seattle
207 Turhan Clause Toronto
207 Mark Thornton Bristol
206 Angel Vasquez Oregon
204 Jose Antonio Gonzalez Calgary
203 Charles Arms Las Vegas
201 David Wayne Cleveland
200 Akiro Hikaru Calgary
200 Kevin Singleton Norfolk

2044 30-Home Run Club:

44 Miguel Gonzalez Las Vegas
43 Roger Marcum Hawaii
42 Franklyn Borba Seattle
42 Mike Lunder New York
41 Akato Sakata Oregon
41 Felipe Santana San Diego
38 Jesus Diaz Texas
37 Eladio Romriell Boston
37 Trevor Lane Calgary
37 Jose Antonio Gonzalez Calgary
37 Bobby Papesh Knoxville
37 Floyd Garraway Jr. Toronto
36 Hugh Gordon Boston
36 Thomas Sheffield Sacramento
35 Jimmy Hunter Dallas
35 Kevin Singleton Norfolk
34 David Ellis San Diego
34 William James Boston
33 Anthony Guerrero Bend
33 Popeye Parrish Westbury
33 Kris Weston Knoxville
33 Matthew Morraco Rochester
33 Tyler Conway Boston
33 Gene Smith Cleveland
33 Kiki Jefferson Calgary
33 Keith Cooper Tampa Bay
33 Buck Pratt Seattle
33 Garrett Knight Las Vegas
32 Hector Colon Hawaii
32 Juan Solis Norfolk
32 Angel Roman San Diego
32 Logan Pickard Oregon
32 Ruben Candelaria Montreal
32 Alex Bates Dallas
31 Kenny Lee Swank Hawaii
31 Robert Sladky Las Vegas
31 Vince Moody Rochester
30 Stephen Ladner Sacramento

2044 100 RBI Club:

141 Akato Sakata Oregon
139 Miguel Gonzalez Las Vegas
138 Anthony Guerrero Bend
133 Trevor Lane Calgary
126 Mike Lunder New York
126 Pedro Santana Calgary
124 Tyler Conway Boston
118 Eladio Romriell Boston
118 Doug Henderson Texas
118 Roger Marcum Hawaii
118 Felipe Santana San Diego
118 Vince Moody Rochester
116 Jose Antonio Gonzalez Calgary
115 Kevin Singleton Norfolk
115 Kimoyo Shimazu Oregon
114 Logan Pickard Oregon
113 Floyd Garraway Jr. Toronto
112 Franklyn Borba Seattle
112 Arlen Cox Seattle
108 Jesus Diaz Texas
108 Ruben Candelaria Montreal
105 Cade Maxwell Westbury
104 Matthew Morraco Rochester
104 Keith Cooper Tampa Bay
103 Thomas Sheffield Sacramento
103 Gary Briggs Bristol
102 Malcom Young Tampa Bay
102 Gene Smith Cleveland
101 Popeye Parrish Westbury
101 Kris Weston Knoxville
101 Jeff Kovach New York
101 Kiki Jefferson Calgary
101 Alex Bates Dallas
100 Vicente Romero Asheville

2044 40 HR 40 SB Club:

Mike Lunder New York
Felipe Santana San Diego

2044 30 HR 30 SB Club:

Eladio Romriell Boston
Trevor Lane Calgary
Floyd Garraway Jr. Toronto
Hugh Gordon Boston
David Ellis San Diego
Anthony Guerrero Bend
Popeye Parrish Westbury
Kris Weston Knoxville
Kiki Jefferson Calgary
Hector Colon Hawaii
Juan Solis Norfolk
Logan Pickard Oregon
Kenny Lee Swank Hawaii

2044 SIMBL GM OF THE YEAR:

Andy Hutchinson
GM Knoxville Lumberkings

Knoxville Lumberkings GM Andy Hutchinson was voted by his peers as the 2044 SIMBL GM Of The Year. Andy, who has been at the helm of the Lumberkings and a part of the SIMBL since real-life date February 2, 2008 and the 2010 season, led his team to a 91-71 record and an 18-game improvement from the previous season which ranks among the top single-season turnarounds in SIMBL history.  Hutch led the L-Kings to their first postseason appearance and divisional title since the 2038 season ending the SIMBL's third-longest postseason drought.  Andy joins eight other SIMBL GMs now to have won the award two or more times in league history and joins his 2033 SIMBL GM Award on his mantle.

Boston GM Anthony Keence finished a distant second place in the voting while Seattle GM Troy Vogel finish in third.

2044 UL SLUGGER OF THE YEAR MVP AWARD:

Akato Sakata has been around SIM Baseball League enough to know a good hot streak when he sees one -- and he got to see one firsthand all year. For his standout run through the 2044 season, he's taking home the Daryl Ryles Slugger Of The Year MVP Award in the Union League.

The Oregon first baseman put up a batting average of .358 with 26 doubles, 2 triples, 41 home runs and 141 RBIs.

Anthony Guerrero of the Bend Bandits finished second in voting, while Franklyn Borba of the Seattle Seawolves finished third.

2044 SL SLUGGER OF THE YEAR MVP AWARD:

Las Vegas's Miguel Gonzalez put the wraps on a fine campaign today by winning the 2044 Syndicate League Daryl Ryles Slugger Of The Year MVP Award.

The 27-year-old veteran scorched the opposition with a .329 average, picking up 209 hits, 32 doubles, 1 triple, 44 home runs and 139 RBIs, while scoring 105 runs.

Gonzalez was voted the award unanimously and for the only the second time in SIMBL history and the first since Daryl Ryles 36 seasons ago in 2008.

2044 UL HURLER OF THE YEAR AWARD:

Michael Kilbane of the Texas Roadrunners might be an old man, but he can still pitch with the best of them. Today the 37-year-old hurler snagged the Union League Bobby Grimes Hurler Of The Year Award honors for his outstanding 2044 performance.

He posted a 3.35 ERA with 18 wins, 12 losses, 178 strikeouts and 43 walks in 271 innings.

Kilbane wins the award for the fourth time in his career joining his awards for the 2036, 2037 and 2041 seasons.  He also finished second in the voting for the 2040 and 2042 seasons.  HIs four Hurler Of The Year awards now rank second in SIMBL history next to SIMBL Hall Of Famers Bobby Grimes' eight, Alan Alexander Anderson's six and Richard Dicks Jr.'s five.

Kevin Kennedy of the Texas Roadrunners finished second in voting, while Andres Franco of the Bend Bandits finished third.

2044 SL HURLER OF THE YEAR AWARD:

An old hand in this game, Billy Lynch of the Sacramento Giants silenced critics as well as he silenced the opposition this year by winning the Syndicate League Bobby Grimes Hurler Of The Year Award.

The 35-year-old starter threw 252.2 innings, notched 235 strikeouts and put up a 18-9 record to claim the coveted award.  Lynch wins the award for the second consecutive season and for the second time in his career.

David Virgil of the Asheville Smokies finished second in voting, while Jimmy Dietz of the Sacramento Giants finished third.

2044 UL MIDDLE RELIEVER OF THE YEAR AWARD:

He's a veteran presence in the Calgary Clippers bullpen and now Russell Kirk can say he's a 2044 award winner.

The bullpen ace was today named the Union League Bob Detty Middle Reliever Of The Year Award winner.

Kirk wins the award for the second consecutive season and ties former teammate and SIMBL Hall Of Famer Bob Detty with the fifth award of his career for the most Middle Reliever Of The Year Awards in SIMBL history.

"When you're 37 years old, your main objective is to just stay healthy and stay productive. I guess I did that this year," he said.

The award was won on the strength of a season that featured 15 saves in 75 relief appearances, with 93 strikeouts in 103 innings and a record of 12-3 to go with his 1.49 ERA.

2044 SL MIDDLE RELIEVER OF THE YEAR AWARD:

The Syndicate League Bob Detty Middle Reliever Of The Year Award for 2044 has been bestowed on Norfolk Buccaneers relief specialist Carlos Castillo.

The 28-year-old bullpen ace, out of Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela, nailed down the award with 1 save in 25 relief appearances, 43 strikeouts in 55.1 innings and a record of 4 wins and 1 loss to go with his 1.30 ERA.

2044 UL FIREMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD:

Toronto's 30 year-old closer Ricardo Martinez was nearly unhittable this past season and as such wins the 2044 UL Fireman Of The Year Award.

The seven-year SIMBL veteran in his second season as the Rush's closer made 73 appearances earning 37 saves with a stellar UL-leading 92.5% save percentage added to a 2.66 ERA and 1.07 WHIP.

Texas' Miguel Hernandez and Bristol's Rodney Monroe both finished tied for a distant second-place in the voting.

2044 SL FIREMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD:

Sacramento closer Michael Mayhugh had a season to remember and was voted the 2044 SL Fireman Of The Year.

The 34 year-old wins the award in his first full season as a closer in the SIMBL after being drafted by the Toronto Rush in the second round, 42nd overall pick, in the 2027 SIMBL Draft and acquired by the Giants in a trade with Cleveland on May 13, 2041.

The Houston, Texas native made 56 appearances pitching 79.0 innings, eighth in the SL with 34 saves and a 2.85 ERA and 1.09 WHIP.  His save rate was  a rare 100.0% and led the SIMBL this past season.

Knoxville's Robert Freed placed a distant second and Tampa Bay's Victor Kennedy, who had one of the best seasons statistically by a reliever in SIMBL history, came in third in the voting.

2044 UL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD:

Franklyn Borba put together some impressive numbers for Seattle to garner enough votes for the Union League Chris Cota Rookie Of The Year Award.

The Seawolves third baseman took the honor by hitting .330 in 158 games this season and finishing with 207 hits, 42 home runs, 112 RBIs and 95 runs scored.  Borba's bombastic rookie season was one of the most productive in SIMBL history.

Ellisworth Holliman of the Cleveland Brownies finished second in voting, while Ricardo Sandoval of the Westbury Cannons finished third.

2044 SL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD:

Kei Morita put together a sparkling rookie season to snag the Syndicate League's Chris Cota Rookie Of The Year Award for 2044.

In 159 games, the Rochester shortstop hit .299 with 190 hits, 11 home runs, 61 RBIs, 82 walks, 116 runs scored and a .380 on-base percentage.

Kent Powell of the Rochester Roosters finished second in voting, while Vince Moody of the Rochester Roosters finished third.

It's the first time in the SIMBL's 40-season history that all three top vote-getters for the award all were from the same team.