Blue Jays 2015 Year End Awards: Most Improved Player

Apr 28, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Toronto Blue Jays catcher Josh Thole (22) plays catch with a fan prior to a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The Most Improved member of the Blue Jays is an interesting award. On the one hand, it acknowledges the great strides that a person has made in their chosen career over such a short period of time. On the other hand, it acknowledges that someone may not have been very good at their job the year before and had to work hard to get to the point where facepalms could be avoided. It really is the backhanded compliment of the ceremony.

Nevertheless, for the first time in the award season, there is not an unanimous result! There is debate! There is proof that all the writers of the site weren’t thinking like a hive mind! It is encouraging for the human race. The fact that there was so much growth to talk about from the holdovers of last year’s roster is a sign that the Blue Jays’ surge is not just because of the deadline acquisitions and free agent signings.

If this franchise can continue to develop talent that contributes, it’s more promising of the long-term success of the team on the field.

So which Blue Jays earned the writers’ attentions as being far greater contributors to this season’s success as opposed to last season’s mediocrity? We have three honorees but only one gets to take home the third J.J. YEA (pronounced Jay Jay Yay!) of 2015. Let’s take a look at who significantly cut down on the amount of fan cursing this past year.

Next: Runner-Up: A Buried Infielder Turned Fielding Wizard

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Runner-Up Most Improved: Ryan Goins

Last season, Ryan Goins was supposed to be the answer at second base for the Toronto Blue Jays. Instead he just raised further questions. The bat that showed signs of promise in 2013 turned into a toothpick in the following April. He didn’t even last the month, sent down after the game on April 26th with a .150 batter average. It was so bad, Munenori Kawasaki was an OFFENSIVE upgrade when he took the role over in June following the failed Brett Lawrie experiment. Goins was back up with the club for a mid-summer stint and again with the September call-ups but the results were not good. Goins finished with a .188/.209/.271 slash line, and was just above replacement level with his 0.1 WAR.

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With the acquisition of Devon Travis in the offseason, Goins was expected to shift into Steve Tolleson’s utility role, becoming a glove that could be deployed where necessary. Injuries would prevent that plan from taking full shape though. Jose Reyes‘ cracked rib allowed Goins to play everyday at his natural shortstop position, and perhaps with the pressure off, his bat came back to life…relatively speaking. He hit .240 during his stint at short, and when shoulder issues popped up with Travis, Goins slid over with ease, continuing to provide above-average defense. Travis’ return sent him back to the bench, but when it became clear the shoulder was going to be too much, Goins took the opportunity and ran with it. His average rose 30 points in the final two months of the season and he finished with respectable averages of .250/.318/.354 with five home runs.

Goins still has some work to do as a hitter. His inability to get a bunt down in Game 6 against Kansas City was evidence of that. But his glove is phenomenal, the main reason his WAR rose to 1.5 in 2015. Is he good enough to justify trading Troy Tulowitzki and installing him as the everyday shortstop? Absolutely not. He has earned the right to compete with Travis for the everyday starting position at second base in 2016 though. Given both Travis and Tulowitzki’s history with injuries, even if he starts the season on the bench, he will likely have his chance to build on 2015’s success.

Next: Runner-Up: A Spare Arm Boomerangs to Fortify the Bullpen

Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

Runner-Up Most Improved: Liam Hendriks

Acquiring Liam Hendriks prior to the 2014 season did not make many waves in the Toronto media. Hendriks would be on his fourth team in three months following waiver claims that took him from Minnesota to Chicago to Baltimore to the Blue Jays, and that was following an uninspiring three seasons with the Twins that resulted in a 2-13 W-L record and a career ERA of 6.06.

He was expected to provide depth in the organization, but was still tapped in May to make two starts. Hendriks performed well, allowing three runs over 11.2 innings. The June start against Cincinnati was not as good, as Hendriks was tagged for six runs while recording just five outs. That was it until he was traded to Kansas City in the deal that brought Danny Valencia to town. Kansas City used him as a spot starter, where he fared poorly failing to go more than three innings in either start, but the two relief appearances later in September, where he was bent but did not yield a run, may have convinced Alex Anthopoulos to give the young Australian another chance. He was reacquired when the Royals designated him for assignment in exchange for minor league catcher Santiago Nessy.

Hendriks pitched well enough to start the season in the Blue Jays bullpen where the ability to focus on using his fastball instead of his sinker resulted in improved results. Hendriks’ K/9 rate spiked to a career high 9.9 as he struck out 21 more batters in 21 fewer innings than his best season with the Twins. He had a perfect month in June, allowing no runs as his sinker, which previously was seen 40% of the time according to Brooksbaseball.net, dipped to 19% behind the four-seamer as well as his slider. He finished the season with a 2.92 ERA, a mark more than two runs better than his previous low mark.

He followed it up with his most memorable performance to date, a four and a third inning relief appearance in the playoffs against Kansas City where he allowed a single hit. Even when John Gibbons told him he would take him out after the fifth, Hendriks argued to stay in. He fared better than Matt Harvey did, walking out in the 6th and retiring Eric Hosmer, Kendrys Morales and Mike Moustakas in order, Hosmer swinging.

Now heading into 2016, there is no question which team he is going to pitch for. The question instead is will he return to the bullpen, or be stretched out as a fifth starter option? Hendriks seems to prefer the former option. After Game 4 he told the media, “I love being in the bullpen. It’s a bulldog mentality. You need to go out there and go right after guys.” Given his success there as opposed to starting, Blue Jays fans won’t mind seeing him emerging from beyond the left field wall in 2016.

Next: 2015 Most Improved Player Winner: Atoning For a 'Mistake'