For both Prince Fielder and Matt Harvey, 2014 was a season lost to injuries, with Harvey not even playing in a single game.
Fast forward to the end of 2015 however, and both Fielder and Harvey are back on top of the baseball world. Fielder was named Comeback Player of the Year for the American League today while Harvey grabbed the title for the National League.
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Fielder was traded to the Rangers prior to the 2014 season and things got off to a rocky start for the home run hitting slugger. In 42 games with the Ranges, Fielder hit just three long balls while hitting .247. He was soon shutdown for the season after undergoing neck surgery.
In 2015, Fielder returned to form as he smacked 23 homers with 98 RBIs in an All-Star season that saw his Rangers return to the postseason. Fielder also was able to hit .305, which was the second highest batting average for the veteran in his 11 seasons.
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Harvey on the other hand was coming back from a Tommy John surgery that saw him miss the entirety of the 2014 season. The Dark Knight of Gotham came back with a vengeance in 2015, leading the Mets to their first postseason since 2006 and first World Series appearance since 2000.
While on the field Harvey was nothing short of spectacular, the pitcher did have to overcome some off the field issues during the 2015 campaign. From innings limits to missed practices, Harvey struggled to stay out of the negative side of the media. He responded big however, going 2-0 in the postseason with a 3.04 ERA.
Not everybody was happy with the award results however, as there is some believe that Alex Rodriguez should have taken home the hardware over Fielder. It's fair to say that A-Rod, who missed the entirety of 2014 due to his steroid suspension, had to battle back from more adversity than many players before him.
Rodriguez not only had to come back from an entire missed season at the age of 40, but he also had to play under the pressures and vitriol of the New York media. Many in and out of the sport wanted A-Rod out of the game of baseball all together, but he came back with poise and helped lead the Yankees to a wildcard berth as one of their only offensive constants.
All players in the race were deserving of the award, but in the American League it seems like things possibly should have gone in A-Rod's favor. As a constant villain of MLB however, it appears he was not given the props that he most definitely earned.
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