JL ROTY Race

[agrudez]

Up front note: I never can remember what the stipulations for rookie status are for pitchers and position players, so I just made a blanket decision to make the cut-off for this article 1 year, 50 days or less of ML service time as of 9/16 in-game. Also, I went through rosters manually, so if I missed someone obvious I apologize.

The "What might have been" bunch
All of these guys had tremendous half-seasons - many of which if you extrapolate over a full season end up better than some of the candidates in the lists below - but just didn't log the ABs/IP to compete with the serious contenders. Some due to being platooned and some due to being held back until later in the season.

MON RF Jody Crawford - He had the highest AVG at .329 of any rookie that will appear on this list, but despite pretty decent splits looks like he was platooned. He's definitely a very solid bat (.362 OBP, .859 OPS), but probably should find a home at DH in the future (even though miraculously his 3 OF range and '1' RF rating only netted him a -1.6 ZR in RF across 43 games... I wouldn't tempt fate).

RCK 2B Felix Delvalle - If you were hoping the stream of talented rookies would be starting to dry up for Rockville, I'm sorry to disappoint. In a heavy platoon this season (7.13 ABs vs. RHP : 1 AB vs LHP - with a 225 point delta in OPS between the hands) he put in an .889 OPS and passable (not negative ZR) defense at 2B this season for the Pikemen.

NO 3B Mario Barrera - Barrera is a curious case because his .934 OPS was across the lowest number of ABs on this list (212) and was actually higher than what he managed to do in AAA (.828 OPS) in more ABs (308). That probably portends that he won't keep *this* pace up, but he still looks like a player to me.

JAC RF Brett White - White came up in mid-May and has put on a hitting clinic ever since in a heavy platoon role (6.14 ABs vs. RHP : 1 AB vs. LHP - with a staggering 402 point delta in OPS between hands). He's been curiously sub-par (-1.9 ZR in 89 games in ML RF) despite having okay ratings (6 range, 8 arm), but 25 HRs in 307 ABs don't care about that.

HSV LF Fernando Reyes - From mid-May (when he was first brought up) through the end of August, there likely wasn't a hotter batter in the league. His .620 OPS through 54 ABs in September has cooled his stats considerably, but he still sports a gaudy .928 OPS and 35 HRs in 409 ABs in a pretty regular role (despite his poor ratings vs. LHP, he has managed a .749 OPS against them in 119 ABs - 29% of the ABs he has taken). If he had been brought up sooner or platooned more heavily he probably would have a better chance at competing with some of the other full-season candidates; however, that isn't the case.

The "Shout out for a solid full season, but not real contenders" bunch
PHX 2B Arturo Barron - Without looking, I'd imagine his +13.5 ZR at 2B this season puts Barron as the favorite to snag a JL gold glove; however, his mediocrity with the bat (.207/.279/.454 splits) won't give him much of a chance in the ROTY race, I'd wager. Still, an elite glove that can flirt with 30 HRs is something almost every team would love to have.

PHX CF Weaver Ripley - Seemingly as a case study in "range > all", Ripley's 9 range, 10 error and 12 arm have translated to a -0.1 ZR in 145 games this season and -2 ZR in 24 games last season at CF in the majors. His offense, though, has been very solid for a traditionally weak offensive position - raking in a .235/.307/.485 slash line with 38 HRs and 33 SBs. As an aside, I wonder what his overall value might be as a RF putting in double digit +ZR with that bat?

The "True contenders"
WIC SS Alex Ramirez - Ramirez posted a .944 OPS this year, the best of anyone on this list thus far. And, unlike his closest OPS competitors from up-list, he did it across a full season and without a platoon and from a prime defensive position. Sure, he posted a -3.6 ZR in 144 games there, but still - having that level of offense from your SS fundamentally changes how you can shape your roster and is invaluable.

JAC 1B Manuel Martinez - The only candidate that one-ups Ramirez in OPS is Martinez - though only by 3 points (.947). This LH'd 1B put in 45 HRs this year thus far - good for 5th overall in the JL as a rookie. I'd say that's... pretty good.

SA SP Yrrigs Carpenter - Going through this exercise, I was getting concerned it would end up 100% hitters. And then, Yriggs "The Mad" Carpenter appeared before me with great stats and an even greater name. In 27 games started, Carpenter managed a 3.76 ERA, 3.5 FIP and 1.08 K/9. And he's not even fully developed yet. I'm sure this isn't the last we've heard from The Insane Plumber... I mean... The Genocidal Janitor... er... you get the point.

[bschr682]

I'm sure this isn't the last we've heard from The Insane Plumber... I mean... The Genocidal Janitor... er... you get the point.

I would sign someone with the nickname Genocidal Janitor without even looking at them. That's awesome.