2024 5th Annual Sockie Awards
Before we get started with the new season we look back and give our awards for the previous one via the Rockem Sockem Writers Awards (based on the league attending the 2019 New York Chapter of the Baseball Writers of America Dinner) which were christened The Sockies! (Thanks Mike). They are held in early February over lunch and drinks. The first was kicked off at McSorleys and the locations vary each year.
This year we are headed to Paddy Reillys for the awards in the middle of a soaking, all day rain storm. While the bars Guinness has lost a bit of it's luster, it was still a fun time. Awards and pics below:
Sockie Awards 2023:
MVRSFP - The Most Valuable Rockem Sockem Fantasy Player goes to… Acuna, Fatty, Dogzilla
There were only two options on this one and while Olsen won BK the league, Acuna won Fatty this award. How do you mess with this line: 149 41 106 73 .337 1.012? Unreal. Acuna was also second overall in the month of September alone so he didn’t let Fatone down. He deserves the award as he did all he could to get Dogzilla a title. As mentioned this was only a two man race with Olson the very close number two (poop).
Rockem Sockem CK Goes to the best fantasy pitcher this year, just like the CY in real baseball (Renamed it CK in 2016 for Clayton Kershaw because he kept winning it): - Cole Bull Burnes When I Torkelson
This was another slam dunk of an award. Cole was the 6th overall ranked pitcher, the next closest? Logan Webb at 21 overall. Bull ate for free, finishing in third place, and a major reason why was Cole’s mound dominance. Well deserved from the Yankee ace, his second Sockie.
The Zeddemore Poles Coach of the Year Award Goes to the best Rockem Manager (named for Winston's Historic 11 point last day jump in 2008): - BK C-Town High Pockets
Do I really even need to give a reason? BK hadn’t won in years, and the slump wouldn’t be a slump to any other manager (well maybe Birdie), but another Hot September propelled the Champ to the title and this award. Shout out to Fatty for a full season of legitness, but this one is BK’s
The Eric Hinske Memorial (he's dead right?!) goes to the Biggest Bust Drafted that Year (Named for the Commish drafting Hinske in the 4th round of 2003): - Vlad and Bichette, SPD, Ain’t No Graveman
Co-winners of this award, the double dirty BJ’s just couldn’t get it going last year. For a one-two punch of 1st and 2nd rounders they finished 82nd and 86th respectively. Neither was hurt, both just sucked, especially based on previous seasons; figures they would both have down years when I owned them. Other Honorable mentions, Wander Franco…less said the better. Mullins was a let down but he also fought injuries, Matt Chapman sucked it up for Don and Willy Adames was god awful for Mike finishing 300th overall, just missing out on this award.
The Edwin Encarnacion Elation goes to the biggest positive surprise of the year who was drafted after the 10th Round. (Named after EE's amazing jump a few years back): - 230th Cody Bellinger, Vig, Electric Uncle Stans
This one was another obvious call as Bellinger had a bounce back year for Vig. Drafted with the 230th pick he put together an amazing year, finishing 13th overall. Tom almost struck gold with Yandy Diaz who he grabbed at pick 249 as he wound up 17th while Christian Walker went in the 10th round to Mike, making him eligible for this award and finished 32nd. Nice work and by the way, Vig has won this award in back to back years…and had to pay for dinner in both.
The Nomar Broken Everything Award: Goes to player whose injuries who sink a team (named for Nomar Garciapara sinking multiple teams early in Rockem History)- Judge, Bull
It is true that Bull barely pulled into 3rd, but what could have been with a full season of Judge Bombs? The world will never know for the first overall pick who only got 367 at bats. As it stands Judge dominated one year and has basically been hurt all the others…who else is like that? Step up Mike Trout (who is in danger of getting this award named after him) a second round pick, who was awful, but Wilson was never getting out of the basement so it has less impact. We already mentioned Mullins and Wander in the blurb above but they did have injuries to contend with as well. deGrom got deGone, Altuve started the season broken, and Oneil Cruz never got it going. Lots of options for this one this year.
The Cliff Lee Award : Goes to FA Pickup that changes the league (Named for Bull snatching Lee in Rockem 7)- Zach Elfin, Fatty
This was a two Devil Ray and 1 Nat race. On May 5th Fatty picked up the lowly Zack Elfin and boy did he pitch well for Don. 16 wins and finishing 36th overall that is some gold found in the dirt. He just edged out Bull (by one spot) as he grabbed the surprising Josh Lowe, who finished 37th and really over performed while Jeff grabbed Lane Thomas who finished 38th. Wild! Three pickups in an exact row at end of the year rankings. BK gets an honorable mention for his pick up of Scott Bradish who delivered as did Justin Steele for Mike.
The Winston Walters Spirit Award:
No one.