MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award

The MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award is the newest annual award officially sponsored by Major League Baseball. It is given to one player in each league who has reemerged as a star in that season.

This award, officially called the Major League Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award presented by Viagra® (sildenafil citrate), is a supplement to The Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award, first given in 1965.

The MLB award was first established in 2005. A committee made up of representatives of MLB and the editorial staff of its official website, MLB.com, shortlists six players in each league. The winner in each league is selected from the shortlist by an online poll of fans through MLB.com.

This article contains a complete list of TSN award winners from 1965 through 2004, as it was the only recognized "comeback" award of that era.

TSN Comeback Player of the Year Award

• 1965
  • Norm Cash, Detroit Tigers, AL
  • Vern Law, Pittsburgh Pirates, NL
• 1966
  • Boog Powell, Baltimore Orioles, AL
  • Phil Regan, Los Angeles Dodgers, NL
• 1967
  • Dean Chance, Minnesota Twins, AL
  • Mike McCormick, San Francisco Giants, NL
• 1968
  • Ken Harrelson, Boston Red Sox, AL
  • Alex Johnson, Cincinnati Reds, NL
• 1969
  • Tony Conigliaro, Boston Red Sox, AL
  • Tommie Agee, New York Mets, NL
• 1970
  • Clyde Wright, California Angels, AL
  • Jim Hickman, Chicago Cubs, NL
• 1971
  • Norm Cash (2), Detroit Tigers, AL
  • Al Downing, Los Angeles Dodgers, NL
• 1972
  • Luis Tiant, Boston Red Sox, AL
  • Bobby Tolan, Cincinnati Reds, NL
• 1973
  • John Hiller, Detroit Tigers, AL
  • Davey Johnson, Atlanta Braves, NL
• 1974
  • Fergie Jenkins, Texas Rangers, AL
  • Jimmy Wynn, Los Angeles Dodgers, NL
• 1975
  • Boog Powell (2), Cleveland Indians, AL
  • Randy Jones, San Diego Padres, NL
• 1976
  • Dock Ellis, New York Yankees, AL
  • Tommy John, Los Angeles Dodgers, NL
• 1977
  • Eric Soderholm, Chicago White Sox, AL
  • Willie McCovey, San Francisco Giants, NL
• 1978
  • Mike Caldwell, Milwaukee Brewers, AL
  • Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh Pirates, NL
• 1979
  • Willie Horton, Seattle Mariners, AL
  • Lou Brock, St. Louis Cardinals, NL
• 1980
  • Matt Keough, Oakland Athletics, AL
  • Jerry Reuss, Los Angeles Dodgers, NL
• 1981
  • Richie Zisk, Seattle Mariners, AL
  • Bob Knepper, Houston Astros, NL
• 1982
  • Andre Thornton, Cleveland Indians, AL
  • Joe Morgan, San Francisco Giants, NL
• 1983
  • Alan Trammell, Detroit Tigers, AL
  • John Denny, Philadelphia Phillies, NL
• 1984
  • Dave Kingman, Oakland Athletics, AL
  • Joaquín Andújar, St. Louis Cardinals, NL
• 1985
  • Gorman Thomas, Seattle Mariners, AL
  • Rick Reuschel, Pittsburgh Pirates, NL
• 1986
  • John Candelaria, California Angels, AL
  • Ray Knight, New York Mets, NL
• 1987
  • Bret Saberhagen, Kansas City Royals, AL
  • Rick Sutcliffe, Chicago Cubs, NL
• 1988
  • Storm Davis, Oakland Athletics, AL
  • Tim Leary, Los Angeles Dodgers, NL
• 1989
  • Bert Blyleven, California Angels, AL
  • Lonnie Smith, Atlanta Braves, NL
• 1990
  • Dave Winfield, California Angels, AL
  • John Tudor, St. Louis Cardinals, NL
• 1991
  • José Guzmán, Texas Rangers, AL
  • Terry Pendleton, Atlanta Braves, NL
• 1992
  • Rick Sutcliffe (2), Baltimore Orioles,
  • Gary Sheffield, San Diego Padres, NL
• 1993
  • Bo Jackson, Chicago White Sox, AL
  • Andrés Galarraga, Colorado Rockies, NL
• 1994
  • José Canseco, Oakland Athletics, AL
  • Tim Wallach, Los Angeles Dodgers, NL
• 1995
  • Tim Wakefield, Boston Red Sox, AL
  • Ron Gant, Cincinnati Reds, NL
• 1996
  • Kevin Elster, Texas Rangers, AL
  • Eric Davis, Cincinnati Reds, NL
• 1997
  • David Justice, Cleveland Indians, AL
  • Darren Daulton, Philadelphia Phillies and Florida Marlins, NL
• 1998
  • Bret Saberhagen (2), Boston Red Sox, AL
  • Greg Vaughn, San Diego Padres, NL
• 1999
  • John Jaha, Oakland Athletics, AL
  • Rickey Henderson, New York Mets, NL
• 2000
  • Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox, AL
  • Andrés Galarraga (2), Atlanta Braves, NL
• 2001
  • Rubén Sierra, Texas Rangers, AL
  • Matt Morris, St. Louis Cardinals, NL
• 2002
  • Tim Salmon, Anaheim Angels, AL
  • Mike Lieberthal, Philadelphia Phillies, NL
• 2003
  • Gil Meche, Seattle Mariners, AL
  • Javy López, Atlanta Braves, NL
• 2004
  • Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox, AL
  • Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals, NL

MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award

• 2005
  • Jason Giambi, New York Yankees, AL
  • Ken Griffey, Jr., Cincinnati Reds, NL
• 2006
  • Jason Giambi, New York Yankees, AL
  • Nomar Garciaparra, Los Angeles Dodgers, NL
• 2007
  • Jason Giambi, New York Yankees, AL
  • Dmitri Young, Washington Nationals, NL
• 2008
  • Jason Giambi, New York Yankees, AL
  • Brad Lidge, Philadelphia Phillies, NL
• 2009
  • Jason Giambi, New York Yankees, AL
  • Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals, NL
• 2010
  • Jason Giambi, New York Yankees, AL
  • Tim Hudson, Atlanta Braves, NL
• 2011
  • Jason Giambi, New York Yankees, AL
  • Lance Berkman, St. Louis Cardinals, NL
• 2012
  • Jason Giambi, New York Yankees, AL
  • Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants, NL

Notes

• The only players to be named twice in the American League are Norm Cash, Boog Powell, and Bret Saberhagen.
• The only player to be named twice in the National League is Andrés Galarraga.
• The only player to be named in both leagues is Rick Sutcliffe.
• Griffey and Giambi also received TSN Comeback Player honors in 2005.

External links

• MLB Press Release: MLB Announces New Award
• MLB Press Release: Griffey and Giambi Win Award