So what the hell, with all the chatter of the playoffs I thought we could spend some time looking at the best of the young players breaking into the game this year. Feel free to nominate your own or others and we'll find out which way it breaks when the playoffs are over.
For the Sternwheelers I'd like to forward two young hitters into the discussion. Both exceeded my wildest expectations this year.
Lindsay Walker. This 24-year-old first baseman come up with the major league team from Spring Training this year expecting to share time with Travis Sparrow, the Sternwheelers other young first sacker. But sharing wasn't really in the discussion as Walker earned the majority of the playing time. In 152 games Walker hit at a .344/.402/.564 clip with 49 doubles, six triples and 17 home runs. In his first major league season he drove in an even 100 runs while earning more walks than strikeouts. This young man now has a lot to live up to.
Guillaume Fornier. This Quebecois outfielder played center field for the Sternwheelers this year. Called up unexpected due to the decline of Anton Suarez Fournier (pronounced for-nee-AY, for the American crowd) missed the first three weeks of the season but still put up numbers that would make any established major leaguer proud. In addition to playing near flawlessly in the outfield with one error in 121 games Fournier also proved a potent offensive force. In 509 at bats the Montreal Masher hit to the tune of .291/.324/.436. With 42 extra base hits and 56 stolen bases (against 12 times caught stealing) Fournier has the promise that may make him the next toast of the town. Poutine for all!
How about others? Who from your team would YOU nominate for Rookie of the Year?
I don't think I have anyone who should win the league-wide award, but there were some Monarchs who had great rookie seasons.
ReplyDeleteStarting Pitcher Floyd Crown (who threw 49.1 IP last year), went 16-6 with a 3.50 ERA in 29 starts. He has 200.1 IP and 54 walks against 147 Ks. A great year for a guy who turned 23 during the season.
Infielder Gregorio Reyna came in as a spot starter and bench depth and posted a .315/.355/.516 line over 197 plate appearances. Combined with a .964 OPS before that in AAA, the Nicaraguan Reyna, who was an international scouting find in 2013, appears to have made the leap this season.
Finally, centerfielder Bas Bijkerk had his best offensive season ever and did it as a 21/22 year old rookie in the majors. He hit .281/.322/.494. His power definitely was better than expected. But, the strongest feature of his game remains his defense, as Bijkerk has a 100 rating at all three outfield spots. In 116 games in centerfield, Bijkerk made exactly zero errors (although he did make one in 12 games in LF). This version of OOTP doesn't provide the advanced fielding numbers available in OOTP 11, but I'm pretty confident that Bijkerk's defense was spectacular and adds a win or two to his overall value.
I have a boatload of ROY candidates, the the preëminent one is John Kautz. He was called up in May and went 20-3 in 26 starts, with a 2.41 ERA and 150 Ks in 179 innings. He's also a viable candidate for a Cy Young award and might've had 25 wins if he played the full season.
ReplyDeleteFellow rookie starter John Cooper (a Rule 5 pick) was very good, as well, with an 11-7 record in 39 games (25 starts -- he joined the rotation in May), with a 3.86 ERA and 160 strikeouts in 195.2 innings.
Trading Bill Turek in the preseason opened up 2B for Felipe Mendoza and he put up a .286/.309/.472 with 16 home runs as a 21-year-old rookie.
David Seibel was promoted mid-season and took over 1B, and hit 13 home runs (.274/.363/.459) in just over 300 ABs.
If all four of them continue to develop (I didn't even mention out-of-nowhere minor league signing Ignacio Lopez), I can see a new dynasty forming in Los Angeles.
Oh! How could I forget Joseph Curry, the young flamethrowing closer! 40 saves in 55 games (just four blown saves) and 61 strikeouts in 55.2 innings. Not bad for a rookie, not bad at all.
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