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By Jon Weisman
It’s the award no player dreams of winning, until they go through a nightmare first.
But having been through that nightmare, Josh Beckett might have every right to become the National League’s next Comeback Player of the Year.
No hitters seem to be in the race at this point, though a couple of pitchers definitely are.
One chief rival appears to be Tim Hudson, one of only four NL pitchers who has a better ERA than Beckett (1.97/2.35), of six who has a better ERA+ (172/150) and of seven with a better WHIP (0.96/1.06). But Hudson, whose 2013 season ended in July after 21 starts and a 3.97 ERA in 2014 because of a fractured ankle, arguably didn’t have the mountain to climb that Beckett did, in having to come back from thoracic outlet syndrome that limited him to eight starts and a 5.19 ERA.
Two players in 10 years have won the award while playing more than half a season the previous year, as Hudson did: reliever Brad Lidge in 2008 (66 games in 2007, a pretty full load for a reliever) and Ken Griffey Jr. in 2005 (83 games in 2004). It also might count against Hudson that he already won the award in 2010, when he had a 2.83 ERA after missing nearly all of 2009 following Tommy John surgery.
Another potential winner is Johnny Cueto. Injuries limited Cueto (1.97 ERA, 190 ERA+, 0.79 WHIP) to only 11 starts last year. He’s been more valuable than Beckett in 2014, but is his comeback as dramatic? Cueto had a 2.82 ERA in 2013.
There’s still more than half a season left to play. Too soon to think about such things? Perhaps, though not too soon to find what Beckett has done in 2014 remarkable.
oldbrooklynfan
I’m more than happy with Beckett right now but I don’t know about comeback player of the year. All I can say is I wish him luck. Another guy I have an eye on in this category is Matt Kemp. I wish them both luck and I hope they give each other a run for their money.