New Jersey MVPs

[mikezone13]

2025 New Jersey Athletics MVP

This season NJ was rightfully restored to the top of the PL North, however once again making it to the AFBL Championship series proved a bridge too far. An epic 7 game series against divisional rivals Pennsylvania left the Athletics' fans in tears as the Railroaders took the PL championship and went on to triumph in the big series.

Team MVP, wow what a decision. After eight straight seasons of different players winning the award it came down to a straight shootout between last season's winner, Ken Calhoun and the 2023 recipient Mike Whitney.

For Whitney he continued to impress, he added a third straight All Star appearance, tied the NJ record for wins in a season (23), had 20 quality starts from 29 games, had his lowest ever ERA (3.06) and all this from the #5 spot in the rotation.

Ken Calhoun, well he was a dead cert to be the first Athletic to hit 40 or more HRs in a single season until he went down injured on 39 for the final two weeks of the season. He was given a shot at making 40 in the final game of the year but couldn't clear the fence. Ken also hit .294 and had the third highest WAR in the PL, despite missing 19 games of baseball.

Given it all though the award has to go to Mike Whitney, he's something of a cult hero having won the rookie of the year aged 27 and has been part of the Athletics' organisation since day 1 being drafted as a 16 year old way back in 2013. This year he was even trusted with a playoff start against the defending champs, New York, and pitched a complete game with 1 run given up also he hit a 3 RBI home run. Unfortunately he wasn't given much of an opportunity on the mound for the rest of the playoffs, and just maybe we're ruing not trusting his stats and throwing him the ball.

• 23-5 record
• 3.06 ERA
• 20 quality starts from 29
• 0.9 HRs per 9 innings
• .224 opponent batting average

[mikezone13]

2026 New Jersey Athletics MVP

Not a tough decision this season. He might not have won the most games or had the best average, but he played in the most games for NJ this season (158) and generally had one of the best seasons by an Athletic with the bat.

Fourth all time in runs (104), 8th in total bases (328) and 2nd in HRs (40) - only the second Athletic to ever hit 40 or more after Joe Hunter notched 44 in the inaugural season of the AFBL.

This season the MVP award goes to 3B Jake White. Jake had his best WAR season reaching 5.0 for the season and despite striking out 150+ times for the 5th time in his 6 year career he was the perfect middle of the lineup hitter.

Jake is one of those special specimens to have never played in the minors, straight from the ammy draft to 3B and he's stayed there,  injury free too playing 154+ games every season, ever since.

• .278 AVG
• 40 HRs - 2nd PL
• 112 RBI - tied 3rd PL
• 104 runs - 8th PL
• 328 total bases - 2nd PL
• 5.0 WAR - 8th PL

[mikezone13]

2027 New Jersey Athletics MVP

We could've been talking about back to back awards for Jake White as he was the most consistent of our hitters leading the team in batting average and home runs.

But this year we've gone back to the rotation and given the award to a first time winner in SP Bob Allen. Bob was superb on the mound putting up a career best for wins (22) but most importantly career bests for ERA (2.33) and WHIP (1.11).

Allen has continued his fine form winning no less than 17 games each of the past 4 seasons with his durability being a key to the progression of the Athletics in our second coming.

• 2.33 ERA - 3rd PL
• 22 wins - tied 1st PL
• 2 shut outs
• 1.11 WHIP 9th PL
• 5.4 WAR - 11th PL

[mikezone13]

2028 New Jersey Athletics MVP

A tough one in NJ this year, but not because of a raft of awesome performances, but because there were plenty of 'above average' but not outstanding efforts.

In the end it was probably not having one or two guys go head-to-head for the team MVP award that led to our early playoff exit.

Despite the pain felt at going out to our rowdy neighbours in NY, we've managed to go with CF Ken Calhoun for our MVP award. Jame White, Chad Thomas and even Ken Glass were options but Calhoun hit 36 dingers in just under 120 games so there's no doubt if he'd be have been fit all season he would've put up career defining numbers.

• .293 AVG
• 36 HRs - 6th in PL
• .932 OPS - 6th in PL
• 6.2 WAR - 4th in PL

[mikezone13]

2029 New Jersey Athletics MVP

It's not often a player wins 20 games and has an ERA below 2.50 so we've gone with the leader of our rotation SP Bob Allen.

Seeing as no one drove in more than 100 runs or hit 30 or more homers and Mo Allbutt was the only player to hit .300, Bob was an easy choice in a season from the Athletics that really didn't look like it would amount to much until the final week of the season.

Bob was one of just five AFBL Pitchers to keep an ERA under 3.00 as well as the only AFBL pitcher to win 20 games this season, a fair effort given the struggles the Atheltics experienced this season compared to others.

For six seasons in a row now Bob has won 16 or more games and never lost more than 9 over that period. While he doesn't rate too much of a mention normally in the top echelon of pitchers, his exploits this season have him on track for a Pitcher of the Year award, which I'm sure he would quickly trade for another shot at a championship ring.

• 2.49 ERA - 2nd AFBL
• 20 wins - 1st AFBL
• 1.08 WHIP 5th AFBL
• 6.3 WAR - 6th AFBL
• .237 OAVG - 5th AFBL

[mikezone13]

2030 New Jersey Athletics MVP

A tough one in NJ again this year, (see 2028) but not because of a raft of awesome performances, again no one really took the season by the scruff of the neck.

Going into the playoffs SP Jose Rosario looked to be a good shout for the award, but his 0-3 record in the post-season which included two crucial losses to our rivals from West Hillbilly town mean he slipped down the pecking order.

This season we've plumped for SS Mo Allbutt. Our English import became just the third ever Athletic to pass .330 in batting average for the season and could be consistently relied on as our leadoff. While the support behind him was somewhat erratic, Allbutt was a model of consistency, also hitting just below .300 throughout the playoffs.

Congrats to Mo!

• .331 AVG - 4th in the PL
• 55 SBs - 1st int he PL
• 5.4 WAR - 6th in PL

[mikezone13]

2031 New Jersey Athletics MVP

A playoff berth was definitely expected but the playoff run the Atheltics went on was so close to ending in joy, but after 6 straight wins including 3 to end the Patriot League and 3 to start the Federation Cup series it looked like the old guard in New Jersey was going to get their elusive third championship pennant.

We were driven on this season by Ron Catron, he hit a surprising .311 with 38 home runs to really set a solid platform either at 1B or the DH spot.

Special mention to Dan Collinsworth who was suburb throughout the season, leading the team in ERA and strikeouts.

[mikezone13]

2032 New Jersey Athletics MVP

2032 was the season the Athletics mailed it in and went on a pure rebuild. As such the 'MVP' award should've been tough to give out, but one player stood head and shoulders above everyone topping the average (.327), HR (17), games played (123), doubles (32) and RBI (65) and posting a 6.1 WAR.

Stand up catcher Eric Martin, the ex-Idaho minor leaguer was great for us in 2032.

[mikezone13]

2033 New Jersey Athletics MVP

While the team went backwards losing 10 more games in 2033 than 2032, our man behind the plate stood up tall. His 6.4 WAR in 2033 topped his 2032 effort while he stroked 22 HRs at a 2.93 clip from his 144 games

Congratulations to Eric Martin on back-to-back NJ Athletics MVP awards.

[mikezone13]

2034 New Jersey Athletics MVP

It was a three-peat of MVP performances by Eric Martin.  He played over 100 games and hit .262 with 8 HRs.

Special mention to a couple of veterans in Francis 'Franny' Guibert and Jose Rosario who toiled away all season and put up respectable numbers given the obvious lack of talent currently at the New Jersey ball club.