Jay Caruso has his end of the season picks up for Baseball Awards, but he fails to note the Rookie of the Year award.
As a small market fan, I am absolutely convinced the Pirates will get screwed yet again, and Jason Bay, whose numbers indicate he should win rookie of the year, will once again get passed over for some prick in a bigger market.
When teams like the Yankees can buy contention every year, why should I be surprised that awards based on merit would be similarly out of reach for small market teams?
Ricky
Bay had a phenomenal season, but I think most “experts” will give the nod to Khalil Greene because of his good stats (although not as good as Bay’s) and slick fielding from the shortstop position.
Which begs the question, if defense is so important (and it is) that Bay’s numbers are lessened, why in the world would Barry Bonds’ gargantuan numbers outweigh Scott Rolen’s MVP numbers and gold-glove defense, since Bonds is the worst outfielder since Jose Canseco (I needn’t remind you of Sid Bream)?
Jeff G
Bay had a great season, but Green is likely to win the award. Personally, I think Aaron Miles should win. Excellent defensively, most hits of any rookie, and a real spark plug at the top of a lineup that could surprise people next year.