The 2007 Luis Tiant Golden Cigar (most pleasant surprise): Hideki Okajima

This year’s Golden Cigar recipient should, ironically, not be a surprise to anyone at this point. On the day that he was acquired, the majority of the local fans and media shrugged him off as “Daisuke’s friend” (I’m not sure if these guys even hung out in Japan). In reality, Okajima probably shouldn’t have been dismissed so easily, as he had a 2.14 ERA in his last season in Japan.

As good as Hideki was overall (2.22 ERA in 69 relief innings, .561 OPS allowed), those numbers were negatively skewed by end of year struggles, probably fatigue-related. If you factor out the handful of innings Okajima pitched in September, you’re looking at a total of 62.1 innings and a 1.59 ERA. Undoubtedly one of the best middle relievers in the game this season, Hideki’s presence transformed a questionable bullpen into one of the more reliable squads in the league.

His performance in Game 2 of the World Series (2.1 perfect relief innings, 4 Ks) is one of the best relief appearances I have witnessed in my lifetime.

Honorable mention: Mike Timlin, Mike Lowell, Jacoby Ellsbury

The 2007 Smokey Joe Award (best pitcher): Josh Beckett

Another easy pick, as Beckett is the favorite to win the 2007 Cy Young Award. In 2006, Beckett struggled mightily at times, but any credible baseball analyst could sense that he had the stuff and the command to pitch well, and should have predicted a 2007 rebound. Relying more on his mystifying 12-6 curveball in tandem with a 98 MPH fastball, Beckett had a career year. The increased diversification of his pitches helped keep the ball in the park, as Beckett cut his HR total in half, from 36 in 2006 to 17 in 2007.

And, of course, there is the postseason. After another successful campaign, Josh now has a 6-0 record and a 1.73 ERA in 72.2 postseason innings. This ranks among the all-time greats of October.

Honorable mention: Jonathan Papelbon

The 2007 Ted Williams Platinum Fishing Rod (best hitter): David Ortiz

When the “MVP” mantra was heard chanted so often in 2007, it was not directed at Big Papi, the usual recipient of that acclaim. Instead, Mike Lowell was the benefactor of the cheer in 2007. However, Ortiz (perhaps under the radar due to a mid-season HR drought) was easily the best hitter on the team once again.

Ortiz was among the league leaders in the following categories:

Runs Created per Game: 1st
Extra Base hits: 1st
OBP: 1st
SLG: 3rd
OPS: 2nd (.001 behind A-Rod)
Home runs: 3rd
Doubles: 2nd
Menacing Glares to Umpire: 1st

Ortiz had the highest OBP total in the AL in the last 5 years. If it weren’t for A-Rod’s outrageous season in The Bronx, Ortiz would be a prime candidate for the league MVP award.

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