Nationals' slogan for 2013:

"This time it counts!"

Yikes, LaRoche probably deserved his. Craig and Garrett Jones beat him on OPS+ but he had 130 PA on both of them. bWAR does call it a Craig-LaRoche tie in Rbat but Craig had only 86 starts at 1B. Maybe Goldschmidt, Rizzo and Freeman can take big steps forward next year and the NL won't be embarrassed by their 1B.

Note, the AL had to steal Fielder and Pujols from the NL or they'd have had a mighty embarrassing collection.

Wow, I didn't realize Strasburg put up such a cromulent line with the bat (105 OPS+ for those of you too lazy to look it up). I was also shocked that Adam LaRoche with his 128 OPS+ was the best hitting 1B in the NL this year, but I guess with Votto missing time, that's probably right. Allen Craig had a 137 OPS+ but in 35 fewer games than LaRoche. Garrett Jones had a 129 but also in fewer games. Other than Prince and Pujols, nobody in the AL was better either.

Coke to Walt.

Yikes, LaRoche probably deserved his. Craig and Garrett Jones beat him on OPS+ but he had 130 PA on both of them. bWAR does call it a Craig-LaRoche tie in Rbat but Craig had only 86 starts at 1B.

On the other hand...

Edit: Half a Coke to Dave. Votto has 40 Rbat, though, so if that's your standard, he wins easily despite the missed time.

I realize Votto was something like 40 plate appearances shy of the 502 min but I still would have given it to him. He was far and away the best hitter in the league...

It's a good thing they shut him down early before his numbers had a chance to go down.

I was in line for food when Strasburg hit his first home run.

Yeah, I only looked at qualified batters. I thought Votto missed more time than that anyway.

Jeter's 5th Silver Slugger also adds $1.5M to the player option he has for the 2014 season.

Strasburg is a very good hitter (for a pitcher) but pitcher hitting is so variable. Some guys, like Gallardo and Leake, usually hit well; others, less so.

OPS leaders among starting pitchers, 2010-2012:

2010
Dan Haren, .902
Yovani Gallardo, .837
Mike Leake, .762
Chris Narveson, .712
Wade LeBlanc, .607 (49 PA)

2011
Carlos Zambrano, .848 (48 PA)
Daniel Hudson, .678
Homer Bailey, .633 (45 PA)
Yovani Gallardo, .577
Derek Lowe, .540

(Haren switched leagues. LeBlanc spent most of the year in AAA but hit when he was up. Leake in 2011: .451. Narveson: .416. Narveson and Hudson were injured in 2012, but Leake will show up again.)

2012
Stephen Strasburg, .759
Mike Leake, .749
Jaime Garcia, .686 (46 PA)
Cole Hamels, .560
Jordan Zimmermann, .527

(See above re Narveson and Hudson. Hudson was 2 for 13 in 2012; Narveson 0 for 3. Lowe switched leagues. Gallardo was at .418, Bailey at .255(!))

Strasburg was 1 for 20 in 2010 and 0 for 6 in 2011, but was 4 for 10 in the minors in 2010. The proof on him will be 2013 and 2014.

Best hitting pitchers of the sillyball era, min 200 PA

Hampton 67
Zambrano 62
Gallardo 58
Portugal 48
Haren 48
Wainwright 45
Russ Ortiz 44
Stottlemyre 44
Bohanon 41
Livan 38
Oliver 38
Looper 37
Dreifort 34 (that explains the contract)

Hampton has the best BA (246) and OBP (294); Z leads in SLG (388 ... almost 40 points higher then Darwin Barney).

The worst-hitting pitcher has been Tommy Hanson at -61.

With Z, Prior, Wood, Trachsel and Maddux all above 0 the Cubs have produced lots of good hitting pitchers. Good hitting position players not so much.

EDIT: Maholm has 221 K in 464 PA -- yikes!

Best hitting pitchers of the sillyball era, min 200 PA

Hampton 67
Zambrano 62
Gallardo 58
Portugal 48
Haren 48
Wainwright 45
Russ Ortiz 44
Stottlemyre 44
Bohanon 41
Livan 38
Oliver 38
Looper 37
Dreifort 34 (that explains the contract)

Where is Micah Owings and his 106 OPS+? He sweeps the rate stat Triple Crown for pitchers at .283/.310/.502.

In addition to Micah Owings, you missed Dontrelle Willis. He batted .244/.287/.378 for a 75 OPS+ in 447 PA.

probably too many PH appearances

I think the NL 1B award should have gone to Votto. He led MLB in OBP outright, led the NL in walks, and was second in doubles despite missing 51 games. Nothing to do with the award, but he also led NL first basemen in assists.