Rookie of the Year Talk Update II

The season has reached the halfway mark, and with the advent of some new faces in the 2003 Rookie of the Year race, it’s time for another update. For those of you paying attention, things have changed. Last time, Kurt Ainsworth, Jesse Foppert, and Zach Day were the top three contenders in the NL. But now none of them makes the cut (though Foppert still deserves to be on the watch list). As before, I’ve listed the top ROY candidates in each league in the “Count Me In” category, as well as a few players per league in the “Don’t Count Me Out” category. And there are a couple names in the I’m Out” list that may surprise you.

 
Count Me In

AL

Rocco Baldelli (OF, Tampa Bay) - He’s cooled a bit, but maintains a .315 average and has stolen 16 bases. It will be very interesting to see how he fares in the second half, but for now, he’s probably the king of the hill in the AL.

Lance Carter (RP, Tampa Bay) - Carter is the only new name on the AL list. I didn’t think he was anything special earlier, just someone to keep an eye on. Well, my eye is still on him, and he deserves a mention here. Pitching for the lowly D-Rays, Carter has managed a 5-3 record so far, with 13 saves and a 1.22 whip. If he finishes with 8 wins and 25 saves in Tampa Bay, he could be a better bet than MacDougal as a contender from the mound.

Mike MacDougal (RP, Kansas City) - Last time I wrote, batters were hitting .174 against MacDougal. Now that number is up to .244. That’s what we call a “drop off.” Big Mac is proving hittable. But he still has 21 saves, his closer job is secure, and his ERA is an excellent 2.89, so he remains a strong contender.

Hideki Matsui (OF, New York) - Matsui has not become the power hitter that Yankees fans were hoping for; he hit 50 homers in Japan, but has only nine so far here in the good ol’ U.S. of A. However, he’s driven in 62 runs, which is on pace for about 120 rbi on the season, and that will keep Matsui in the running for a ROY award in any country.

If the Award Goes Out Today, I Give It To: Rocco Baldelli

NL

Alex Cintron (3B/SS, Arizona) - Cintron is getting good playing time while Craig Counsell is on the DL, and he’ll continue to play now that Junior Spivey is out longterm. This guy’s good, and his .304/7/24 numbers prove it. He may not be a top contender right now, but if he keeps hitting like this, he will be.

Scott Podsednik (OF, Milwaukee) - Pods took Alex Sanchez’ place and the Brewers have reaped the benefits. This guy already has 17 stolen bases and he’s hitting .328/3/24, giving Milwaukee a much-needed spark. The NL finally has a legit offensive ROY contender in Pods, who is its version of Rocco Baldelli.

Horatio Ramirez (SP, Atlanta) - Very quietly, Ramirez has put together a 7-2 record for the Braves, with a 3.97 era. Those are solid numbers, and he has a sweet lineup behind him. He’s not the prospect that Foppert is, but he could contend if he stays healthy and finishes with 15 wins.

Dontrelle Willis (SP, Florida) - And now to the man of the hour. Everybody knows who this guy is by now, and one of the gentlemen on ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight” recently compared him to Vida Blue. I’m not sold on him completely (it’ll be interesting to see what happens when teams start getting second and third looks at him), but at 8-1 with a 2.26 era, he’s today’s top choice for ROY honors.

If the Award Goes Out Today, I Give It To: Dontrelle Willis

 
Don’t Count Me Out

AL

Carl Crawford (OF, Tampa Bay) - Crawford’s hitting pretty well lately and could still be a contender. Won’t it be fun to watch him and Baldelli through July and August?

Angel Berroa (SS, Kansas City) - This guy’s been hot off and on, and has decent numbers. I doubt he’ll be able to contend with Baldelli and Matsui, but watch him.

Eric Munson (3B, Detroit) - Yes, believe it or not, the Tigers have a player who might actually deserve a little attention. Munson has steadily improved since his call-up, and he’s been on fire lately. If things keep getting better, he’s a legitimate contender.

NL

Hee Seop Choi (1B, Chicago) - Eric Karros is hitting well, and Choi has been shaken by an injury, but he could make a comeback in the second half.

Jesse Foppert (SP, San Francisco) - He’s had a couple of bad outings, but he’s the best pitching prospect in the majors, in my book. Watch him closely.

Miguel Cabrera (OF, Florida) - Cabrera was just called up from the minors, where he tore it up as a thirdbaseman. He’ll play LF for the Marlins, for now, but if he hits well he could stick, even now that Mike Lowell looks to be staying. A big show in the Big Show could put Cabrera at the forefront in the NL.

 
I’m Out

The two guys that I have to put in this category are names I keep overhearing in ROY talk amongst friends and colleagues, and I’m sure a few readers out there are wondering why they’re not on the above lists. The names are Eric Byrnes and Luis Matos. Both of these guys are good players, and could turn out to be great players. (Matos was once an uber-prospect, and has perhaps returned to that status, and Byrnes has been an answer to prayers in Oakland.) Unfortunately, neither of them qualifies as a rookie. So no matter how well they perform, they’re out of the running. Kindly pass the word along.

 
J.P. Steed is a Cubs fan in the NL and a Red Sox fan in the AL, which is to say that he has a very high threshhold for pain. (When his wife claims that he’ll never know the agony of giving birth, he counters with, “True, but I did watch Bill Buckner in 1986.”) He is the father of three and the husband of one, as well as the English professor of many in Salem, Oregon.