October 12, 2009  

Let's take a look at this year's Pat Listach Rookie of the Year Award candidates. Last year's race was an odd one, with Hillsborough's Shin-Soo Choo receiving just 22 percent of the first-place votes -- but claiming enough second- and third-place votes to handily beat Newark's Joey Devine, who appeared on more first-place ballots but four voters left him off entirely. Who will the voters prefer this year?

The Batters

Hillsborough's Ben Zobrist hit .299/.404/.485 while playing second and shortstop. The 29-year-old switch-hitter, taken #2 in this year's draft, led all rookies in OBP (.404), runs scored (123), walks (106), runs created (121.8) and runs created per 27 outs (7.5); he was 3rd among rookies in OPS (.889), tied for 3rd in RBIs, 4th in batting average, 5th in SLG and doubles (32). Among all batters, not just rookies, Zobrist was 2nd in walks, 3rd in OBP and runs scored, and 5th in RC/27. Defensively, Zobrist was good at sescond, ranking 3rd among all players in total chances per game and 6th in fielding percentage; at short, he showed good range (5th in total chances per game) but ranked near the bottom in fielding percentage (.959).

Kendry Morales, the #3 pick in this year's draft by Blue Ridge, was traded at mid-season to the Sugar Bears after it was announced he would sit out next season to study the Torah. Overall, the 27-year-old first baseman hit .303/.335/.563 and led all rookies in HRs (42) and RBIs (157), missing the "Rookie Triple Crown" by 11 points in batting average. He also led all rookies in SLG, total bases (370) and extra base hits (86), tied for the rookie lead in hits (199) and doubles (43); he was second, behind Zobrist, in rookie OPS (.898), runs created (112.6), and was 3rd among rookies in batting average, and 4th in RC/27 (6.1), and 5th in runs scored (95). Among all batters, Morales was 2nd in RBIs, just 3 behind Albert Pujols, and 2nd in total bases and extra base hits; he also was tied for 4th in HRs, tied for 5th in hits, was 6th in SLG and OPS, and tied for 7th in doubles. Morales wasn't bad with a glove either, ranking 7th in fielding percentage and 4th in total chances per game at first base.

Arkansas OF Chris Coghlan (.314/.369/.429, 30 2B, 7 HR, 69 RBI) led all rookies in batting average and was tied for 4th among all batters; he also had the third-highest OBP for a rookie this year.

1B/OF Garrett Jones (.298/.375/.526, 31 2B, 25 HR, 75 RBI) had a solid season for the Iron Fist, leading the freshman class in OPS (.901) and among rookies ranked 2nd in OBP and RC/27 (7.1), 3rd in SLG and walks (59), tied for 4th in HRs, and 5th in batting average and runs created (91.0). Jones's .901 OPS was good for 5th among all batters in the DMBL this year.

Newark CF Will Venable (.277/.345/.537, 25 2B, 27 HR, 81 RBI) was 2nd among rookies in SLG, 3rd in HRs and RC/27 (6.3), tied for 3rd in RBIs, and was 4th in OPS (.881), and 5th in OBP. New Jersey OF Seth Smith (.272/.330/.510, 43 2B, 33 HR, 81 RBIs) tied for the rookie lead in doubles and was 2nd among rookies in HRs, total bases (342) and extra base hits (85), 3rd in runs scored (104) and runs created (112.1), tied for 3rd in RBIs, 4th in SLG, and 5th in OPS (.841) and RC/27 (6.0). (He also led all rookies with 175 Ks.)

Casey McGehee (.311/.347/.473, 36 2B, 22 HR, 102 RBI) was taken #10 overall by Vancouver, but traded to Hillsborough before the season started. He proved to be a key addition to the Hitmen, able to play second or third. He was just as useful at the plate, tying for the rookie lead in hits (199) and was 2nd among rookies in batting average and RBIs (102), 3rd in total bases (303), and 4th in OBP, runs scored (97), runs created (101.7), and doubles.

Blue Ridge's Pablo Sandoval (.272/.328/.445, 42 2B, 17 HR, 77 R, 73 RBI) played first, third and even a few games at catcher -- though he will be better known for his bat than his glove, whatever his position. Kung Fu Panda's overall numbers weren't as good as some hoped, though his 42 doubles were good for third-best among rookies.

Blue Ridge CF Andrew McCutchen (.265/.331/.427, 21 2B, 19 HR, 78 RBI) led all batters, not just rookies, in triples (14); he led rookies in outfield assists (14) and was second in runs scored (114) and walks (63), and tied for 3rd in SBs (17). Speaking of speed, Sardine City CF Nyjer Morgan led all batters in SBs (32), followed by fellow rookie CF Rajai Davis (30) of Amityville. McCutchen and Vancouver's Elvis Andrus tied for the rookie lead in SB% (.739), each going 17-for-23.

The Starters

No rookie starting pitcher has won the Listach since Francisco Liriano in 2007, but that could change this year. Will one of these candidates become the fifth rookie starter to win the ROY?

Tommy Hunter started the season with Blue Ridge, but was released in spring training; he was signed by Amityville and got off to a great start, going 2-2 with a 4.59 ERA and 10.8 R/9 in five starts and one relief appearance, but nevertheless was released in April. The Cutters scooped him up and he became their ace, leading all Hoboken starters in ERA, H/9, R/9, HR/9 and QS%. Overall, the 23-year-old righthander went 10-8 with a 3.76 ERA, 11.5 R/9 and .652 QS% (15 QS in 23 starts). Hunter led all rookie starters in ERA, QS% and OPS (.688), and was second in R/9 -- not bad for a 15th Round pick (#199 overall).

Former uber-prospect Homer Bailey had a rookie year much like Hunter's -- Hoboken took him late in the draft (12th Round, #159 overall) and released him in May despite a promising beginning (4 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 6 K in one start and two relief appearances); the Endzone Animals picked him up 10 days later and he finally lived up to the hype, becoming his new team's best starter (even better than C.C. Sabathia and Roy Halladay!). Overall, Bailey went 11-4 with a 3.88 ERA, 12.8 R/9 and 108 K in 130.0 IP; he led rookie starters in W% (.733) and was 2nd in ERA, 5th in K/9 (7.5) and 6th in wins.

This year's oldest rookie starter, Newark's Koji Uehara (12-10, 4.15 ERA, 11.0 R/9) led all rookie SP in R/9, HR/9 (0.7), K:BB (3.9) and starts (33), was 2nd in innings (208.0), tied for 3rd in wins, tied for 3rd in quality starts (17), and was 5th in ERA, QS% (.515) and Ks (141).

Teammate Brad Bergesen (15-10, 3.92 ERA, 12.6 R/9) led all rookies in quality starts (20), innings (218.1), complete games (5) and double plays induced (30); he also tied for the rookie lead in wins (15), was 2nd in QS% (.625), was 4th in rookie starter ERA (3.92), tied for 4th in W% (.600), and was 6th in R/9 (12.6).

Newark's third rookie in the rotation, Marc Rzepczynski, got off to a slow start with the Sugar Bears (4-6, 4.69 ERA, 13.7 R/9) and was released at mid-season; the Mallers picked him up, but he didn't show much improvement (5-5, 4.88, 15.7). Overall, the lefty was 9-11 with a 4.77 ERA and 14.5 R/9; the only highlight were his 146 Ks in 154.2 IP, good enough for a second-best 8.5 K/9 among rookie starters.

The first overall pick in this year's draft, 23-year-old lefty Brett Anderson, had a mediocre debut season (10-11, 4.51 ERA, 13.4 R/9, .387 QS%) but he did finish 2nd among rookies in strikeouts (163) and 4th in K/9 (8.0). Meanwhile, J.A. Happ, the #8 overall pick, was traded in July by Blue Ridge to Philly; overall, he was 15-8 with a 4.47 ERA and 12.7 R/9, tying for the rookie lead in wins (15) and second in W% (.652). The other rookie starter taken in the first round, Jeff Niemann (#11, Hoboken), had a considerably rougher first season (9-15, 6.17, 15.7).

Tommy Hanson, taken as an ineligible prospect last year, made his long-awaited debut for Bridgewater this season and went 12-9 with a 4.32 ERA and 12.2 R/9, leading all rookies with 181 Ks. In addition, his R/9 and K/9 (8.1) were good for 3rd-best among rookie starters, and his 12 wins and 17 quality starts each tied for 3rd-most. He also was 4th in QS% (.531) and tied for 6th in W% (.571) by a rookie starter. Other prospects protected this off-season who made their debuts this year: New Jersey's Rick Porcello (10-13, 4.46, 13.8); Las Vegas's David Price (5-8, 5.60, 15.7); Philly/Carolina's Trevor Cahill (2-13, 6.57, 15.0); and Hillsborough's Max Scherzer (6 ER, 8 H, 1 BB, 1 K in 2.0 IP).

Other rookie starters of note: Vancouver's Randy Wells (12-9, 3.91, 13.2); New Jersey's Josh Outman (7-13, 4.89, 12.3); and Sardine City's Jordan Zimmermann (7-13, 4.86, 12.4), who led rookie starters in K/9 (9.4).

The Relievers

In the 11-year history of the ROY Award, it's been won by a reliever just once -- setup man John Rocker, who split his rookie season in 1999 between Hawaii and Arkansas. Could it happen again this year?

This year's most obvious candidate among rookie relievers is Bridgewater's Andrew Bailey (3.68 ERA, 10.2 R/9). The No. 4 pick led the freshmen in saves (32), relief points (61), R/9 and IR% (.111); he also struck out 112 batters in just 85.2 IP.

The only other rookies with double-digit saves were Vancouver's tandem of righty Ronald Belisario (2.09 ERA, 11.4 R/9, 22 SV, 15 holds) and lefty Joe Thatcher (4.07, 11.7, 16 SV, 11 holds), so for other rookie candidates we'll have to look at the setup men: New Jersey's Tyler Clippard (2.68, 11.2, 4-1, 3 SV, 4 holds) and Hoboken lefty Fu-Te Ni (3.36, 10.3, 4-3, 3 SV, 14 holds) were the best of the group, followed by Arkansas's Sergio Romo (4.14, 11.7, 3-4, 1 SV, 3 holds) and Sardine City's Luke Gregerson (4.38, 11.9, 3-2, 0 SV, 11 holds) and New Jersey's David Robertson (4.23, 13.1, 4-6, 0 SV, 11 holds).

It was a great year for mopup men who could eat innings. Leading the way was Carolina's Burke Badenhop, who pitched an incredible 180.2 innings, all in relief. Badenhop, who pitched in 82 games for the Mudcats, didn't fade under the strain, posting a 3.14 ERA, 11.9 R/9 and .296 IR%. He was one of six rookie relievers to top 100 innings in relief; Vancouver's Blake Hawksworth (2.52 ERA, 11.2 R/9, .298 IR%) and Blue Ridge's Leo Rosales (3.85, 11.9, .200) were the only other workhorses to post ERAs under 4 and R/9s under 12.

Phil Plantier, one of the top prospects of the last decade, was picked by baseball guru Bill James in 1991 as the player most likely to lead the majors in HRs during the 1990s. In 1994, at age 24, he hit 47 round-trippers with 118 RBIs for the Charleston Chiefs, his first and last DMBL season. He's currently an analyst for Fox Sports Net. Click Here for past articles.