Colorado Rockies Chad Bettis Deserved Comeback Player of the Year
By David Hill
It is hard to argue that any other player overcame more to return to the diamond than Colorado Rockies pitcher Chad Bettis. He deserved the National League Comeback Player of the Year award.
On Wednesday, MLB players gave their thoughts on who the top players in the game were. They voted on the Most Outstanding Player, Most Outstanding Pitcher, Rookie of the Year, and so forth, for both leagues. Amongst those awards, the Player’s Choice for the Comeback Players of the Year were announced for each league.
The players chose Mike Moustakas in the American League, and Ryan Zimmerman in the National League. Under normal circumstances, these selections would be acceptable; Moustakas came back from a torn ACL to put together a career year, and Zimmerman had come back from the brink of irrelevance to put together an All Star campaign.
As strong of a season as Zimmerman put together, there was another player who overcame more in his efforts to return to the field. Colorado Rockies pitcher Chad Bettis made his return to the diamond on testicular cancer, and the aggressive chemotherapy required to treat his relapse, on August 14. In a storybook return to the mound, Bettis fired seven shutout innings in his season debut, showing that he was over his illness.
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Although Bettis could not continue his mastery throughout the season, his return was still remarkable. His 2-4 record and 5.05 ERA may seem unremarkable, but he did post an ERA+ of 99. Bettis also had a 1.360 WHiP, the best mark of any season he spent in the majors.
Based strictly on the numbers, Zimmerman deserved the award. He had his best performance since 2010, posting a .303/.358/.573 batting line, hitting a career best 36 homers, and driving in 108 runs. His resurgence helped the Nationals run away with the National League East, while giving hope that he can be a key part of the future.
Yet, if any award in baseball is not based on performance, it is the Comeback Player of the Year. This is an award to celebrate those players who overcome the odds to return to the game they love, finding a way to contribute once again. Considering what Bettis had to overcome, he deserved this award.
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Maybe next year, when he plays a full season, Colorado Rockies pitcher Chad Bettis can take home the Comeback Player of the Year award. It would just be a year late.