Ray Knight is one of six players with ties to the Orioles that have won Comeback Player of the Year Award since its inception in 1984. He took home the National League honors in 1986, when he hit .298 with 11 home runs and 76 RBI for the world champion Mets a year after mustering only 36 RBI and batting .218 in 90 games. The other comeback kids are Rick Sutcliffe (a two-time winner), Storm Davis, Lonnie Smith, Eric Davis, and Javy Lopez.
Sutcliffe was the only one of these players to win Comeback Player of the Year as an Oriole. He was recognized for his efforts in 1992, his initial season with the O's. During the year he went 16-15 with a 4.47 ERA after injuries limited him to six wins and 18 starts for the Cubs in 1991.
The 2010 Comeback Player of the Year was probably not on the Orioles roster, although Corey Patterson was a surprising contributor (.269, 16 2B, 8 HR, 21 SB) a year after mustering only three hits in 16 big league games and Jeremy Guthrie cut his ERA from 5.04 to 3.83 while reaching a career high in innings pitched with 209.1.
Francisco Liriano was named A.L. Comeback Player of the Year for 2010.
ReplyDeleteI must have missed that...thanks Greg!
ReplyDeleteKevin,
ReplyDeleteI found a list of award winners that went back to 1965. Davey Johnson won that award with Atlanta for his 1973 season. Boog Powell won in 1975 and 1966 (as an Oriole, obviously). And interestingly, future manager Phil Regan also won in 1966, for the World Series opponent Dodgers.
Tim - Thanks for the backup! I must have found a list pertaining to the most recent iteration of the award.
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