Kyle Hendricks Named Most Outstanding Pitcher at Players Choice Awards

Winners of the 25th Annual Players Choice Awards were named Wednesday night, among them Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Oh, there was another one too. It may not have the cachet of the Cy Young, but I’m guessing Kyle Hendricks is cool with being named the NL’s Pitcher of the Year. Heck, I bet he even smiled when he found out he won.

It’s always special to earn an award voted on by your peers, even if said crowd chose Daniel Murphy as NL Player of the Year. Hendricks beat out Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw in the voting, which could foreshadow the results of next week’s BBWAA ballot. Then again, Zack Greinke was named 2015’s Pitcher of the Year by the players while Jake Arrieta took the Cy Young.

The POY results are interesting too, as you’d think Kris Bryant would be at the top of the list. Unless the players put more emphasis on paying dues as a vet and perhaps voted for Murphy knowing that Bryant is the likely MVP. Oh well, pretty inconsequential either way.