the bell tolls

It shall be called the Cool Papa Bell Award, in honor of the only Mississippi-born player in the Baseball Hall of Fame. It shall be awarded to the Mississippian (native or college alumnus) who is judged here to have had the best season in the major leagues. In what was pretty much a two-horse race, the 2009 Bell goes to Chris Coghlan, the Ole Miss product who could win National League rookie of the year honors. Coghlan, playing out of position in left field, energized Florida’s run at a playoff berth by hitting .321 with 84 runs, 9 homers and 47 RBIs in 128 games. He gets the nod over Seth Smith, another UM alumnus who hit .293 with 15 homers and 55 RBIs in 133 games for Colorado. Smith was a pinch hitter extraordinaire. Others who rated consideration: former Meridian CC star Cliff Lee, who went 14-13 with a 3.22 ERA overall and 7-5, 3.39 for Philadelphia, and ex-Mississippi State standout Jonathan Papelbon, who posted 38 saves in 41 chances and a 1.85 ERA for Boston. Lee, of course, did his best work in the postseason, but those numbers aren’t considered for the Bell.