My final season Yawkey League awards are in.

This is the first installment of the blog since the season has come to a close. Today we talk about my 2008 predictions for the YBL awards. We also update you on how the Kalamazoo Kings finished their season and finally you'll see Al D's first side-liners notes.

Lets start with the predictions (keep in mind, these are only my choices)
The MVP Award
1. Tony Iafolla-Brewers
2. Chris Santosuosso-East Boston
3. Adam Del Rio-Malden
4. Drew Tambling-McKay Club
5. Al Becker-East Boston

This was an incredibly tough call on my part. The Dirt Dog led the league with a .458 batting average and topped the YBL in OBP as well. He was also second in Hits, Doubles & OPS. Santosuosso was second in Homers and SLG %, 3rd in average, Hits & OPS. Del Rio, not only was a great hitter for the best regular season team, Malden, but his pitching stats were overwhelming. Tambling had an unbelievable rookie year at .432 and went 15-15 in stolen base attempts. Al Becker was his steady self, again batting around .400 and injecting leadership into the new champs.

Cy Young Award
1. Sean Gildea-Medford
2. Randy Casey, Jr.-Cambridge
3. Adam Del Rio-Malden
4. JT Ross-Black Sox
5. Tim Dacey-South Boston

This may have been the easiest choice for me. Gildea may have had the greatest single season by a pitcher in YBL history. He had a 0.50 ERA, allowing only 5 earned runs ALL YEAR! Randy Casey, Jr. had another stellar season for the Spinners, victimized, as usual, by low run support. He also had a terrific game in the Dominican All Star game. Del Rio could quite possibly be the next Marc Desroches. No disrespect meant to either player. He does it all. JT Ross seemingly came out of nowhere to lead the league in strikeouts. Tim Dacey was, well, Tim Dacey.

Good Guy of the year
1. Bernie Driscoll-Somerville
2. Rob Stephenson-South Boston
3. Marc Desroches-Somerville
4. Sean Gildea-Medford
5. Kevin George-South Boston

Almost impossible to pick 5 people in this category. Bernie Driscoll has always been nothing less than a superior gentleman since the day he joined the YBL, just barely getting the nod over Rob Stephenson. He was a particular fave of the Comcast crew, always hanging out after a game to help us out. Oh yes Rob, we notice. Marc Desroches, need I say more. Here's a player thats been on so many title teams, yet doesn't have an enemy in the world. Gildea is probably the most well-spoken person in the YBL. Kevin George is one of the nicest, most caring people I've ever met, bar none.

Rookie of the Year
1. Drew Tambling-McKay Club
2. Melvin Martinez-South End
3. Steve Lambert-Al Thomas
4. Jason Recore-East Boston
5. Ned Coffee-Revere

So many great first year players this year. One did outshine all. It was the McKay Club's Drew Tambling. He batted .432 with 6 doubles, 2 homers, 15 rbi and was the leader of the Beacons kiddie corp. Melvin Martinez was the best power hitter in the league, as he crushed 6 homers and drove in 18 runs. Steve Lambert had a great year for the A's, with 22 rbi and he went 16 for 18 in steals. Recore was the leadoff hitter for the new champions, batting .389, he led the league in hits, just what a leadoff guy is meant to do. Ned Coffee was part of the Rockie rush at the end of the season, belting 5 homers and driving in 24.

Comeback Player of the year
John Kincaid-Brewers Last season Kincaid played the same amount of games, 25, and had 8 more at bats 60-68. But, boy did he take advantage of those extra at bats. Last year hit .167. This year, almost 100 points higher, .265. He was one of the reasons the Brewers made it to the finals.

Coach of the year
1. Skip McCarty-East Boston
2. Jon Tenney-South Boston

McCarty helped hold this team together in the toughest conference in the YBL. He molded an incredible pitching staff and managed them superbly. Tenney was an outstanding coach, especially so that he was injured for much of the season.

Closer of the year
Jay Wisner-Malden He's been a great closer with Revere and now with Malden, leading the league in saves with 7. He had a 1.05 ERA, 27 strikeouts in less than 27 innings and his WHIP was a microscopic .086.

Executive of the year
1. Kevin George-South Boston
2. Dave McKay-McKay Club

Kevin has staffed a solid Saint team and he made a brilliant move in handing over the coaching reigns to Jon Tenney. Its also great to have the support of Kevin if you need a friend. He will stand by you through thick and thin. Dave McKay did something at the end of this season that most MLB managers and GM's should do. He reached out to his players one by one, congratulating them on a fine year. On a team THAT young, this was a brilliant move.

SILVER SLUGGER GOLDEN GLOVE
1B Melvin Martinez 1B Conner Reinfurt
2B Jason Recore 2B Jay Creveling
SS Dave Scioli SS Ryan Oshima
3B Chris Hartery 3B Mike Dibiase
C Tony Iafolla C Frank McPherson
OF Steve Lambert OF Chris Santosuosso
OF Chris Santosuosso OF Jay Shatto
OF Drew Tambling OF Sal Mendonca
DH Justin Crisafulli
P Mike Barthel P Chris Demers

We want to congratulate old friend John Leahy and his Kalamazoo Kings of the Frontier League on an extremely successful season. John, of course, was long time YBL voice and now calls play by play for the Merrimack Warriors of the Hockey East.

The Kings ran up against a buzzsaw in the finals in Windy City. The team ended up on the wrong side of a 3 games to none deficit after losing the last game Thursday night 6-5. The Kings had come from a 4-0 deficit to take a 5-4 lead in the 4th, but it was not in the cards. Windy City scored 2 in the bottom of the 5th and held on for the championship. Anderson, Ramos, Williams & Araiza had RBI for the Kings in a losing effort in front of 1,760.

AL D'S SIDE-LINER'S NOTES
How does one describe a champion? The answer is simple. It is someone or a team that shows respect and holds their head high. This, in fact, happened in front of my eyes at St. Peter's Field in Cambridge, when East Boston wrapped up the championship over the Brighton Brewers recently. Coach Mike Powers and the Somerville Alibrandi's were dethroned after winning the title 10 out of 11 years, 9 in a row. Mike and members of his team were at each championship game watching and waiting to present the McKay plaque to the new champ, which turned out to be the Bluefish. Mike, asst coach Rob McDonough and members of the team were present as franchise owner Tony Alibrandi graciously presented the trophy to Skip McCarty and the Bluefish with what must have been bittersweet smiles. But, it was the congrats on a job well done that makes this Somerville team much more of a champion than all the trophies put together. Its what you when you are not getting the ring that shows the type of person that you are. In this case, Somerville showed only CLASS!!!!1