If there was any debate prior to this weekend over who the American League Rookie of the Year would be, the dust has cleared and Evan Longoria is a no-brainer for the award. Even almighty is hitting .275 with 15 homers and 50 RBI’s, he is on pace for a terrific season and has charged the Rays offense to a 52-32 record, good for first place in the A.L. East. Longoria has cut down on the strikeouts and seems to have figured out big league pitching. Over the last 30 days, he has batted .330, driven in 22 runs, and jacked 8 homers. Even if he shits the bed in the second half (which I can’t see happening) his numbers will probably be around .250/20/85, which is not all that bad for a rookie. I think a more reasonable prediction will be along the lines of .270/33/105, and some hardware at the end of the season.
If not for Longoria then the Red Sox would no doubt have back-to-back Rookie of the Year recipients. Jacoby Ellsbury was my lock for this season’s award. Unfortunately, homeruns, RBI’s and slugging percentage are much more appealing then stolen bases. Ellsbury has 35 stolen bases and is on pace for 65-70 depending on his health and second half consistency. He is batting .267 with 5 homers and 24 RBI’s this season.
-Brian B
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