Fausto Carmona: Comeback Player of the Year
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by user Wizardman
Is this going to be biased in a way? Since I'm an Indians fan, probably. But no one comes even close to deserving this award this year more than Fausto Carmona. After what he has to go through last year, compared to how he's doing this year, it's simply phenomenal. After winning his first start last year, he was 1-2 at this time last year with a 4.88 ERA. Not too bad. He was playing well for a while, when the trading deadline closed in and Wickman was gone. They needed someone for the July 30th game against Seattle to step in. Why not try Carmona? After all even though he was 1-3, he has nasty stuff and his ERA was 3.57 at the time.
So, Cliff Lee throws his 7.2 Innings well, and it's a tie game for Carmona. Top of the 9th, two outs, bases loaded, the type of moment a closer loves as a kid, let him handle it. The pitch to Javy Lopez, and... two runs score. Beltre's hit by the next pitch, then Ibanez brings in two more runs. They yank Carmona out finally and Mastny quickly gets the out.
Okay, so his first time didn't work and he's 1-4. Let's try again tomorrow, July 31st against the Red Sox. It's the bottom of the ninth, 8-6 Cleveland lead, let's put Carmona in and let him get his first save. One out, two on, Ortiz at the plate. A GIDP will win the game, or a strikeout will work too. The windup, the pitch... and Ortiz hits one out of the park, Carmona cannot close again, 1-5. But that's okay, I mean, it's Ortiz, most closers have problems with him.
Okay, it's August 2, Boston again. Bottom of the ninth, let's try Carmona this time, 5-4 lead. He gets Pena and Crisp immediately on his strikeouts. And now Carmona will finally get his first save. I mean, unless he hits two batters, walks the next, and has Loretta up with the bases loaded and two outs. Which means we have another classic save situation. And Carmona gets the... blown save again... 1-6, 5.13. Now at this point I feel so bad for this guy, he had great stuff but he keeps crumbling. Can another team make it better?
5-4 Cleveland against Detroit, August 5, 9th inning. Let's try Carmona against them, he's gotta break out of this tragic blown save kingdomd sometime right? He gets Granderson and Inge out for two outs, but they can't make the double play. And here comes Pudge! ...and we already knoew what's gonn ahappen, GW HR, 1-7 now, and at this point I feel terrible for the kid. He got the 9th inning clear the next two games, but the Indians won those two be a combined 27-2. So something's wrong here... Anyway, September he's back in the rotation where he should've been , but the damage was done. 1-10! ERA of 5.42, 7 hit batsmen.
How can anyone come back from something like that and actually be on a major league roster in 2007? Fausto can.
Cliff Lee's injury led to them having to use Carmona as a starter. ...and he loses his first game. But, let's just shake it off, with Cliff on the sideline, he has to prove that he belongs. Lee will be back in may, so Carmona will basically have to win every single game and play brilliantly to stay on the roster. Can a guy who lost 11 straight do that? Lemme run down the next games:
- Apr 24, Minnesota, W, 7.2 IP, 2 ER, 1-1
- Apr 29, Baltimore, W, 8.1 IP, 1 ER, 2-1
- May 7, Baltimore, W, 7 IP, 0 ER, 3-1
- May 12, Oakland, W, 7 IP, 3 ER, 4-1
- May 17, Minnesota, W, Complete Game, 5-1, ERA of 2.55!
He has, this past couple months, not only turned around his game and hi season, but his career. Had he not done this well he may still be in AAA. Even in his 2 recent losses he only allowed 3 ER (and the Tribe scored 1). Excluding his first start, he has had 0 games of fewer than 6 IP, and his stats across the board are great. I even consider him on the bubble for an All-Star appearance. From 1-10 to an All-Star? Amazing. He will be a great player for many years, he stuff is downright scary. Once he hit that shutout, we knew that he was over last season. Now with Lee and Westbrook back from injury, who's gone? Sowers, not Carmona. In fact Carmona's shot up to the #2 pitcher on the team. And he will only keep getting better. Someone coming back this far from such a painful last season is the clear winner in my book of the Comeback player of the Year candidate. The Ortiz GW HR is still fresh in my mind, but he's been able to get over it and become with the Cleveland Indians have hoped for.
