|
2021 Season Leaders and Awards
EL Batting
Hits
217 Gabriel Mendez (IND)
205 Steve Lowe (PHI)
194 Dominique Boutin Jr (CLE)
Batting Avg
.364 Gabriel Mendez (IND) *
.333 Charles Mueller (TB)
.323 Brent Hill (PHI)
Homeruns
44 Gabriel Mendez (IND) *
40 Francisco Martinez (DET)
39 John Sears (ATL)
RBI
141 Gabriel Mendez (IND) *
115 Domingo Villanueva (PHI)
114 Brian Watson (MIA)
Stolen Bases
48 Johnny Pineda (MIA)
42 Daniel Garcia (NO)
40 Jose Muniz (IND)
EL Pitching
Wins
20 Loren Neal (IND)
17 Ed Hudson (BOS)
17 Matthew McIntosh (ATL)
ERA
2.15 Freddie Bankfield (PHI)
2.28 Eric Parker (IND)
2.40 Will Christopher (DET)
Strikeouts
257 Larry de Meza (ATL)
246 Eric Parker (IND)
221 Freddie Bankfield (PHI)
Saves
44 Ron Henderson (CLE)
42 Marcos Diaz (TB)
41 Min-Jae Choi (NY)
WL Batting
Hits
239 Dixon Bodean (KC)
211 Jonathan Russell (MIN)
195 Michael Jennings (KC)
Batting Avg
.382 Dixon Bodean (KC)
.339 Luis Sanchez (OKC)
.324 Earl Malone (LV)
Homeruns
42 Michael Jennings (KC)
37 Wes Lauderdale (PHO)
35 Claude Cummins (MIN)
RBI
127 Dixon Bodean (KC)
121 Michael Jennings (KC)
107 Jose Velasquez (SEA)
Stolen Bases
57 Jonathan Russell (MIN)
49 Dustin Polk (SD)
38 Jose Velasquez (SEA)
WL Pitching
Wins
19 Anthony Barrett (DEN)
19 AJ Merriweather (OKC)
19 Zander Pace (LA)
ERA
1.81 Marc Birstall (HOU)
2.04 Isreal Montano (SD)
2.30 Zander Pace (LA)
Strikeouts
271 Anthony Barrett (DEN)
262 Pedro Escobar (SD)
252 Jose Marino (DAL)
Saves
46 Jose Maldonado (LA)
46 Sergio Santos (AUS)
44 Robert Grove (OKC)
Batting Champion – The Eastern League was led by Gabriel Mendez (IND) who’s .364 average was well ahead of Tampa Bay’s Charles Mueller (.333). In the west Kansas City star Dixon Bodean (.382) finished streets ahead of OKC’s Luis Sanchez (.339) to take the title.
Homerun Champion – Indianapolis superstar Gabriel Mendez (44 HR) took the title for the second time, finishing ahead of Detroit’s Francisco Martinez (40 HR). The Western League was won by Kansas City star Michael Jennings (42 HR) his first title, taking the award ahead of Phoenix CF Wes Lauderdale (37 HR) and Minneapolis LF Claude Cummins (35 HR)
Outstanding Hitter – In the east there was only one winner, Indianapolis 1B Gabriel Mendez (.364, 44, 141 RBI) collected his fourth award, his superb season ending in a batting Triple Crown (Avg, HR and RBI) the first player in NABL history to do so. Over in the west the Kansas City star Dixon Bodean (.382, 25 HR, 127 RBI) won the award, his excellent season overshadowed by Mendez’s.
Outstanding Pitcher – Indianapolis starter Loren Neal (20-6, 2.64 ERA) won in the east ahead of team mate and many peoples favourite for the award Eric Parker. In the west LA’s Zander Pace (19-7, 2.30 ERA) held off challenges from Denver’s Anthony Barrett and Houston rookie Marc Birstall to win the award.
Rookie of the Year – Tampa Bay CF Chris Ross (.296, 13 HR, 71 RBI) won the award in the east ahead of New Orleans LF Daniel Garcia (.298, 6 HR, 39 RBI + 42 SB) while in the west Houston’s rookie pitching sensation, Marc Birstall (16-2, 1.81 ERA, 250 K) took the award in a landslide.
Manager of the Year – Cleveland skipper Paul Ladd won his second award for leading the Corsairs to an Eastern League best 104 wins while in the west, LA’s Mario Sanchez took home the award for leading the Lynx to the World Series in only his second season in charge.
Glove Wizard Awards EL – P Katsumi Sugano (BOS) – C Mark Abraham (IND) – 1B Felipe Pagan (CHI) – 2B Nate Lucas (PHI) – 3B Brandon Bowman (DET) – SS Tom Calhoun (IND) – LF Chandler Harrington (CLE) – CF Denny Kent (DET) – RF William Vaughn (BOS)
Glove Wizards Awards WL – P Paul Williams (AUS) – C Rodrigo Lopez (PHO) – 1B Jonathan Baker (LA) – 2B Earl Malone (LV) – 3B Van Hanna (MIN) – SS Albert Lara (LA) – LF Marshall Ayersome (AUS) – CF Alexis Jennings (AUS) – RF Jerry Cochrane (SF)
Interesting Fact - Los Angeles 1B Jonathan Baker became the first player in NABL history to win a Glove Wizard award at multiple positions having previously won two awards for his work at RF. Los Angeles 3B Jeff Mueller and Tampa Bay 1B Charles Mueller became the first brothers in NABL history to play in the same game, when they met in game 1 of the World Series.
Pending free agent LF Francisco Martinez would be one of the more sought-after names in the upcoming class after an excellent three-year run. Playing for three different teams (Kansas City, Philadelphia and Detroit) he amassed 500 hits including 115 homeruns, scored 306 times and collected 324 RBI’s and was twice Outstanding Hitter Award runner-up (2019 and 2021).
|