 |
 |
|
| | Friday, October 15 | |||||
Special to ESPN.com | ||||||
| REPORT FILED: OCTOBER 14
I don't get to fill out a real Rookie of the Year Ballot, since I don't know the BBWAA secret handshake. But here are the guys in the American League that I would vote for if I did get to do so.
1. Carlos Beltran, OF, Royals A true "Five-Tool player," Beltran basically does everything except draw lots of walks, which keeps him from being a "Seven Skill" talent at this stage. But he's close, and given the fact that his walk rate was decent in the minors, I don't think patience will be a long-term issue for him. Beltran is an exciting player to watch, and at 22, he should just get better and better. 2. Freddy Garcia, RHP, Mariners I'm surprised by how little attention Garcia has received this year. He was little short of brilliant at times, would have won 20 games for a better team, and will develop into a real horse if his arm doesn't fall off within the next two years. A 4.07 ERA is very impressive these days. 3. Jeff Zimmerman, RHP, Rangers Posted a 0.86 ERA in the first half of the season. Zimmerman got tired in the second half and ended up at 2.36, but he held hitters to a .166 average overall, which is just incredible in the current offensive context. He should have a long career as a reliever if his arm bounces back from the heavy use it received early this season. 4. Tim Hudson, RHP, Athletics A big reason for Oakland's surprising year. Hudson went 11-2 in 21 starts after being promoted from the minors. Not bad for a guy who was very mediocre in Double-A last year. Hudson's strikeout/walk ratio is very good, and I think he will remain an effective pitcher. 5. Billy Koch, RHP, Blue Jays Pushed his way into the closer role, saving 31 games, the second-best mark for a rookie in baseball history. His blazing fastball and aggressive attitude promise a good future, provided he builds on his success and improves his control and command. 6. Brian Daubach, 1B, Red Sox Mo Vaughn: .358 on-base percentage, .508 slugging. Daubach: .360 on-base percentage, .562 slugging. Vaughn: gigantic paycheck. Daubach: minimum wage. And it's no fluke; this guy can hit. 7. Chris Singleton, OF, White Sox Tools outfielder hit .300 with 17 homers and 20 steals. He can field, too. A great, but unexpected, campaign that was out of his career context. Will he keep up this sort of performance? Time will tell. My guess is that it is his peak year, but he will have more good seasons. 8. John Halama, LHP, Mariners Held his own once he moved into the rotation. A clone of Jamie Moyer, he will have many more seasons like this one, and some better. Overall, the Mariners got value in the Randy Johnson trade. 9. Carlos Lee, OF, White Sox Extremely impressive with the bat, hit .293 with 32 doubles and 16 homers. Still in the process of adapting to the outfield, after playing third base in the minor leagues. One of many young, talented bats on an improving White Sox team. 10. Corey Koskie, 3B, Twins Would rank higher on the list if he had played more. Platooned by Tom Kelly, Koskie hit .310 and showed excellent power potential, giving a power-starved team hope for the future. 11. Trot Nixon, OF, Red Sox Overcame a slow start to have a solid season. Hit .296 with a .587 slugging after the All-Star Break. Watch this guy next year. 12. Carlos Febles, 2B, Royals Overshadowed by Beltran and slowed by injuries, Febles still hit 10 homers, stole 20 bases, and flashed the leather. His chance to be a star is still very strong. 13. Jacque Jones, OF, Twins Hit .289 in 95 games after callup, impressing observers with his line-drive power and defense in the outfield. Needs to work the count more often to be a legitimate leadoff hitter. 14. Joe Mays, RHP, Twins Came out of nowhere, a mediocre Double-A pitcher who suddenly gained confidence. Pitched great in June and July, but slumped down the stretch as the league adjusted. Could backtrack next year, or get much better. 15. Gabe Kapler, OF, Tigers Didn't hit for as high an average as expected, but definitely showed his power potential. Another young player to watch closely next year. John Sickels is the author of the STATS 1999 Minor League Scouting Notebook. You can email your questions to him at JASickels@AOL.com. | ALSO SEE Down on the Farm archive
 | |||||