 2011 DMBL Ben McDonald Award for Pitching | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Named after the first winner of the award, Ben McDonald of Arkansas, the trophy rewards the finest pitcher in the DMBL. This year's award goes to.... Adam Wainwright, Philadelphia
Adam Wainwright was initially drafted by Hoboken in the 2007 draft in the fourth round (#48). The Cutters brought him in as a reliever initially, but then traded him to South Boston in the middle of the season for Greg Norton and Brandon League. With South Boston being sold over the next offseason and moved to Blue Ridge, the new management decided that Wainwright would be better served in the starting rotation. Wainwright showed some flashes but ultimately struggled in his first year starting. But in 2009, he turned it around and posted a respectable 6-9 record to go along with a 3.86 ERA in 28 starts. Wainwright continued to improve for the Bombers, but was traded along with draft picks to the Endzone Animals for Matt Holliday in the 2011 offseason. Wainwright pitched brilliantly in 2011 and helped to lead the Endzone Animals to a division championship and their first World Series appearance. Wainwright just barely edged out teammate Roy Halladay (21-6, 3.02) by 5 votes. Finishing third was Hillsborough's Felix Hernandez (15-11, 2.79) - the only non-Philadelphia starter in the top five. Wainwright's other teammates Jered Weaver and Travis Wood rounded out the top five. The final member of the rotation, Johan Santana, acquired midseason from Arkansas, finished in 11th in the voting.
Points are scored as follows: 10 points for a first place vote, 7 for second, 5 for third, 3 for fourth, 2 for fifth and 1 for sixth. The all-time winners of the McDonald Award: 
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Adam Wainwright was part of a powerhouse starting rotation for the Endzone Animals. In fact, five starters on Philadelphia wound up with McDonald votes this year, including two that were acquired mid-season. Wainwright led the
DMBL in ERA (2.43), Quality Starts (26) and Quality Start Percentage (.788), and OPS against (.605). He finished fourth in strikeouts (216), third in innings (244.1) and complete games (6), and fourth in WHIP (1.07).