Gallo takes top honor in Players League Awards
Joey Gallo opened the MLB The Show Players League on an 11-game winning streak, immediately captivating the gaming audience while also opening some eyes on social media.
His hot start was good enough to earn him the No. 2 seed in the postseason and earn the vote of his peers and the fans as the best player among the 30 participants.
The MLB The Show Players League Awards were determined by a vote, with 30 percent coming from the fans and the other 70 percent from the players. In the ¡°Best Player¡± category, Gallo received 39.79 percent of the fan vote and 10 from the 30 league participants. That helped Gallo beat Blake Snell (Rays) for the honor. Dwight Smith Jr. (Orioles) and Bo Bichette (Blue Jays) also received votes, finishing third and fourth, respectively.
Let¡¯s take a look at the results from the other seven categories:
BEST TWITCH NAME
This award was given to the player with the best username on Twitch, with Bichette earning the distinction with his ¡°BoFlows¡± username. Bichette received 24.8 percent of the fan vote and six player votes.
Ty Buttrey (Angels, BigButtButtrey) came in second, while Snell (classiclyfamous) placed third.
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BEST MANAGER
Smith (Orioles) was the clear favorite, and he ended up running away with it. The award is given to the player that had to do the most with the least. Smith certainly fits that description.
The Orioles have a 69 overall in the game, but that didn¡¯t stop Smith from finishing the regular season with a 19-10 record and earning a spot in the postseason. Because of his efforts, Smith received 34.22 percent of the fan vote and eight player votes. Amir Garrett (Reds) was the runner-up thanks to three votes from the participants.
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MOST ENTERTAINING STREAMER
In a league that flashed a lot of personality, it was Brett Phillips (Royals) who endeared people thanks to an unbelievably contagious laugh. Phillips, however, didn¡¯t receive the most fan votes (15.85 percent), but he led the way with five player votes, pushing him past Garrett, who received 15.98 percent of the fan vote.
Snell led the fan voting (22.81 percent), but the participants only gave him three votes.
IN-GAME MVP
Aaron Hicks finished with 14 home runs, 28 RBIs and a 2.369 OPS in the 29 regular-season games. While that wasn¡¯t enough to get the Yankees to the MLB The Show Players League postseason, it¡¯s certainly a deserving stat line. We would imagine that Hicks owes Tommy Kahnle a steak dinner for his efforts.
Willie Calhoun (Rangers) finished second in the voting, while Austin Meadows (Rays) earned a third-place finish.
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BEST REACTION
There were a lot of really good and funny moments during the regular season, but an interaction between Rhys Hoskins (Phillies) and Cole Tucker (Pirates) takes the cake.
In their game against each other, Tucker told Hoskins that he would name his first-born child Rhys if Hoskins hit a home run in the next at-bat. Well, Hoskins sent the very next pitch into the left-field bleachers for a dinger.
Rhys Tucker. It does have a nice ring.
Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres) going nuts after every home run also received votes, as well as Lance McCullers Jr.'s (Astros) story about a delivery driver eating his burrito.
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BEST CAMEO
Gallo used his skill to earn the Best Player Award, but his virtual self also played a key role in his success. In 48 at-bats as himself, Gallo hit 13 homers, drove in 26 runs and finished with a 1.814 OPS. Not bad.