American League Rookie of the Year

Submitted by:  Dan

The postseason baseball awards will be announced after the conclusion of the World Series, but the selections have, for the most part, already been made.  LeRoy in the Afternoon will begin announcing its picks today and continue until the conclusion of the MLB Postseason.  All picks have been discussed, although not all are unanimous among the LeRoy Crew.  Readers should feel free to voice their opinions, anger, and frustration regarding the picks.  We will continue in the American League.

Today's Pick:  American League Rookie of the Year

There wasn't much variety in the AL Rookie of the Year race this season.  Basically, it comes down to the age-old question.  Hitting or pitching?  More specifically hitting or relief pitching?  It is not an easy choice to make.  In most situations, this is an organizational decision.  A team built on pitching and defense would prefer the closer (ideally), and the team built on offense would prefer the hitter.  Still, every juggernaut offensive team needs a closer (see Mariano Rivera with the New York Yankees) and every team built on pitching needs enough offense to score some runs (see the 2010 New York Mets, or better yet, don't).

But this decision is not as easily reached when considering Rookie of the Year candidates, unless of course both the pitcher and the hitter are on the same team.  In that situation, a voter could weigh organizational philosophy in his or her vote.  In most situations, though, a voter must rely on a different kind of philosophy.  His or her own regarding Rookie of the Year voting.  My personal philosophy is that, when considering Rookie of the Year candidates, position players and hitters have the edge, if only because they're pretty much guaranteed to play everyday. 

So let's talk about this year's AL Rookie of the Year.  But first, let's take a look at some other worthy candidates.

1.  RHP Neftali Feliz, Texas Rangers:  Texas was so desperate to find some degree of stability at the closer’s position that they opted for a closer by committee scenario – including RHP Frank Francisco and LHP C. J. Wilson – hoping to find a reliable ninth-inning man.  However, a consistent and reliable back end of the bullpen proved to be a hot commodity for Texas as no one in the Dallas Metroplex could seem to record a save.  It looked like saves could be even more elusive for Texas after Wilson was moved to the rotation.  That all changed when RHP Neftali Feliz, groomed in the minors as a starter, stepped up and slammed the door for 40 saves.

2.  LF Brennan Boesch, Detroit Tigers:  Brennan Boesch also had an impressive rookie year, leading all AL Rookies in home runs and RBI, but his overall season was well below the standards set by his teammate Austin Jackson.

I may have given away my choice for AL Rookie of the Year by talking about Boesch, but with further adieu, onto the AL Rookie of the Year:

CF Austin Jackson, Detroit Tigers:  Austin Jackson led AL Rookies in most categories, including hits, batting average, and an impressive 27 stolen bases all while playing superb defense at Comerica Park for Detroit.  Perhaps most impressive, though, is the 113 runs that Jackson scored in his rookie campaign.

Coming Tomorrow:  American League Delivery Man of the Year

Labels:  MLB Awards