2008 SB Nation Rookie of the Year Awards

by Freneau on Nov 3, 2008 3:49 PM EST in Kansas City Royals News

Every year the baseball bloggers here at SB Nation get together and vote on the major post-season awards, using the same format and distribution system as the BBWAA. This year, in addition to my vote, site moderator and contributor "NYRoyal" also voted in the American League contests.

First, the unimportant National League results:

National League	1st	2nd	3rd	Points
Geovany Soto	18	1	-	93
Joey Votto	-	10	8	38
Jair Jurrjens	1	6	6	29
Edinson Volquez	-	1	-	3
Jay Bruce	-	1	-	3
Ian Stewart	-	-	2	4
John Bowker	-	-	1	1
Johnny Cueto	-	-	1	1
Blake DeWitt	-	-	1	1

Alright, I don't follow the National League that closely, but I have no idea who John Bowker is. I don't even feel like I should look it up either. Somehow, that's a suitable punishment.

Now for the American League results:

American League	1st	2nd	3rd	Points
Evan Longoria	15	1	-	78
Mike Aviles	1	5	4	24
Alexei Ramirez	1	2	3	14
Armando Galarraga	-	3	3	12
Joba Chamberlain	-	3	1	10
Jacoby Ellsbury	-	1	2	5
Brad Ziegler	-	1	1	4
David Murphy	-	1	-	3
Denard Span	-	-	2	2
Chris Davis	-	-	1	1

I failed Mike Aviles, and my lack of homerism has played a small role in him not winning this coveted internet award. I feel pretty bad about it.

I voted 1) Longoria 2) Aviles 3) Chamberlain who not coincidentally had the three highest VORP totals for American League Rookies. Aviles actually caught and passed Longoria (35.0) to (34.8) due to a much higher per at bat quality. Honestly, somewhat to my surprise, Longoria and Aviles looks like a coin-flip, since there is something to be said for Longoria being around to contribute much longer.

Then again, Aviles ended up being more valuable in less time. In the end, I gave a slight edge to Longoria based on his additional time on the Big League roster and some possibly incorrect evaluation of him as a slightly superior defensive player. If I had to vote again, I'd probably go Aviles. Or Longoria. Or Aviles. Who knows...

It won't happen, but Aviles/Longoria could have turned into one of the most interesting Award debates of all time, and the rare one that wasn't the endless replay of the team success v. individual stats argument either.

I don't really understand the love for some of these down-ballot guys (David Murphy?), and really don't see how you can fill out a three-person vote and include some of them. Chalk it up to Aviles's obscurity and some connfusion as to Joba's status I presume.

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Comments

WARNING: May contain NL content.

I’m kinda surprised Volquez was only 4th in the NL. I don’t follow it much either, but he’s the name that I heard most (after Soto), so I assumed others would vote that way. But it wasn’t even close, even though it looks like he had an excellent year. Not to knock on the other guys, but 204 strikeouts is nothing to sneeze at, not to mention he was an All-Star.

by BrRoyal on Nov 3, 2008 4:49 PM EST reply actions

it seems like pitchers are under-represented as ROYs

I think people still don’t understand how valuable quality innings are

look at Joba this season, his VORP was just a hair below Longoria’s, the consensus favorite

by Freneau on Nov 3, 2008 5:18 PM EST up reply actions

Volquez wasn't a rookie.

He had more than 50 IP prior to this season.

Beyond the Boxscore // Calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy.

by Sky Kalkman on Nov 3, 2008 5:23 PM EST up reply actions

Kudos to you for your objectivity

Playing time matters

I’m sure this will all be forgotten, anyway, after Avilanche has collected his 3 AL MVPs, 1 WS MVP, and, most importantly, 1 All-Star game MVP

OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG

by Matt Klaassen on Nov 3, 2008 5:18 PM EST reply actions

and when longoria is out of baseball in three years

by Freneau on Nov 3, 2008 5:19 PM EST up reply actions

Evan who?

OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG

by Matt Klaassen on Nov 3, 2008 5:24 PM EST up reply actions

I'll second the kudos to your objectivity.

The individual ballots were filled with homerism. I do respect the group for putting Aviles before Alexei, though. I’m not sure the BBWAA will do that.

Beyond the Boxscore // Calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy.

by Sky Kalkman on Nov 3, 2008 5:25 PM EST up reply actions

no, I don't think so either

although Aviles may take third since obviously Joba has no value as a starter, only as a mythical closer

by Freneau on Nov 3, 2008 5:27 PM EST up reply actions

setup guy!

I’m pretty sure Soria is worth 10/200 to the Royals unless they foolishly move him to the rotation

OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG

by Matt Klaassen on Nov 3, 2008 5:29 PM EST up reply actions

don't worry, that isn't happening

by Freneau on Nov 3, 2008 5:31 PM EST up reply actions

He'll Do That

As a National.

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Nov 3, 2008 11:14 PM EST up reply actions

John Bowker is a machine!!!

Ok….not really. Strikeout machine perhaps. He’s on San Francisco….played some 1B and RF. He even played against the Royals during that interleague series. Left-handed bat….ummm that’s really all I can remember without looking up anything. If I remember correctly, he started off with a few hot weeks and then cooled dramatically. He eventually got sent back down to AAA, I think. I just remember dropping him from two of my fantasy teams once he went cold.

by Fernando Vina School of Linguistics on Nov 3, 2008 6:55 PM EST reply actions