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alfdogg

AL Rookie of the Year

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The winner is....

 

Jody Gerut, OF, Cleveland Indians.

 

It was in my paper a few days ago.

 

I looked around and didn't see it mentioned.

 

Discuss.

 

EDIT: This was the Sporting News winner of the award. I'm not sure if that's the one that's recognized or not.

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The Baseball Writers of America reward will not be revealed until 11-10. The Sporting News recently named him the AL's top rookie position player. I didn't read the article close enough. Sorry.

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Guest Anglesault
Gerut should at least be in the running for it, but it's probably going to go to non-rookie Hideki Matsui.

If it can go to Ichiro, it damn well better go to Matsui.

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I still don't think that Ichiro should have won it.

 

I don't think that just because you played professional baseball in a different country (Matsui- 10 years and Ichiro- 9 years) and come over to a new league that you should be eligible. I mean you take someone like Rocco Baldelli who, prior to last year had never played a day in MLB, but look past his solid numbers because an experienced player had better numbers?

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I don't think that just because you played professional baseball in a different country (Matsui- 10 years and Ichiro- 9 years) and come over to a new league that you should be eligible. I mean you take someone like Rocco Baldelli who, prior to last year had never played a day in MLB, but look past his solid numbers because an experienced player had better numbers?

No offense, and not to be nitpicky or anything (well, yeah, kinda to be nitpicky), Matsui and Ichiro also never played one MLB game before their "rookie" seasons, and they had good numbers in those "rookie" years, too. Sure, they played high level pro baseball, but not MLB.

 

Jason

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Yeah, I kind of worded that wrong I guess.

 

I was more referring to the fact that Baldelli had never played at the same level that Matsui and Ichiro played at.

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As the award first went to negro league players such as Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby, there's a fairly big precident for electing players in the situation of Ichiro and Matsui. Of course, this year you can make an argument for several players. Along with Matsui, Geret, and Baldelli, Angel Berroa deserves consideration.

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Guest undisputedjericho

Ichiro & Kaz Sasaki got it in back to back years, why can't Matsui get it?

 

And Japanese baseball is more regarded as AAAA compared to Major League Baseball anyway. Matsui was also the Yankees most reliable player, and was never effected by pressure, even with like 100 media members around him all day.

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Guest Ghettoman

The funny thing about Matsui is his main weakness is the reason why there should be no gripes about Japanese veterans getting the Rookie award: Unfamiliarity with ball parks. Most of Matsui's mistakes in the outfield were because of a misjudgement about either the turf, the wall, or how the ball carried. It's that familiarity that really makes the definition between rookies and seasoned players.

 

I have Matsui edging out Baldelli, 1, because his contribution to the team had more of an impact on there success, and 2, in terms of being just a good hitter Matsui's better.

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What a teams does isn't supposed to come into play.

 

Berrora is my pick. He plays SS, and after struggling early defensivley he played well in the field. The numbers are also good, for his position.

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Guest Ghettoman

What a team does should always come into play/. If not your supporting the idea that stats alone are of importance in bseball. If your contribution makes the difference between a division leader and a wild card contender you should have a better shot than anyone sitting on a 100 losses especially if those numbers are as good or better.

 

I think when the numbers don't show much clear definition you need to look at if the impact he haqd equalled success. Baseball is about winning not numbers.

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If you're going to use that argument, what impact did Matsui have on the Yankees? They've won the division the last five years without him. The Royals, on the other hand, were pegged for 4th place at best, and they hung in the race until September.

 

Are stats everything in baseball? Probably not. But they are the only non-biased, accurate, and fair method to rate performance.

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