Monday, Oct. 19, 2009

Vote Now for the Sports Personality of the Year

Click here to vote for the Sports Personality of the Year.

Mike Anderson- It took just three seasons for Mike Anderson to revive University of Missouri basketball. In fact, just three years removed (to the day) from his March 26, 2006 hiring date, Anderson was in the midst of leading Missouri to a 102-91 win over #2 Memphis in the Sweet 16 in Glendale, Ariz.What started with Missouri being slated seventh in the Big 12 Conference’s preseason standings due to the infusion of seven newcomers, turned into a record-breaking 31-win campaign, the largest turnaround in college basketball (+15 wins), a trip to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight and Mizzou’s first-ever Big 12 Conference Tournament Championship.

Ryan Franklin- Cardinals pitcher Ryan Franklin far exceeded expectations in 2009. At 36, the right-hander enjoyed the best season of his career. Franklin took over the full-time closer role for the first time in his career and never looked back. He played a key role in the Cardinals push to the postseason. In July, he earned his first All-Star Game appearance, where he pitched a scoreless inning in front of the hometown fans at Busch Stadium. The following month, Franklin enjoyed his best stretch of pitching. He didn’t allow a run in August, converting all 11 of his save opportunities. Franklin was named the Major League Delivery Man of the Month for August.

TJ Oshie- When Blues rookie TJ Oshie hit the ice at the Sottrade Center for the first time last season, he became an instant fan favorite. The playmaking center made an immediate impact with his energetic play. Oshie was named Rookie of the Month for March by recording 13 points (four goals, nine assists) and a +6 rating in 14 games. Oshie finished strong by notching 35 points (12g, 23a) in his last 45 games and 15 points (5g, 10a) in his last 17 games.

Keith Tkachuk- Blues veteran Keith Tkachuk, 37, played in 79 games this past season, registering 49 points (25 goals, 24 assists) along with 61 penalty minutes. His 25 goals marked the 15th time in his 17 National Hockey League seasons that he has scored 20-plus goals. Tkachuk became the 72nd NHL player to reach the 1,000 point milestone and just the seventh US-born player after scoring a power play goal on Nov. 30 at Atlanta. He also became the fourth NHL player to record 1,000 points and over 2,000 penalty minutes in a career. Tkachuk earned his fifth All-Star Game appearance and second while representing the Blues.

Adam Wainwright- Adam Wainwright enjoyed a breakout season in 2009. He posted career highs in innings pitched, wins and strikeouts. At press time, Wainwright was leading all of major league baseball in wins and was closing in on 20, long a milestones for starting pitchers. He’d be the first Cardinal to reach 20 wins since teammate and mentor Chris Carpenter did so in 2005 -- coincidentally, that’s also the year that Carpenter won the Cy Young. This season, Wainwright is a leading candidate for the National League Cy Young Award.