Buster Posey and the 30 Best MLB Rookie Seasons of the Past 10 Years

It's yet another awards season. The latest awards given were the Rookies of the Year. Obviously, there is controversy with awards given, especially the rookie ones.

It's hard to objectively judge, especially with rookies, as some play in substantially fewer games. It's one of those awards where any position can win.

Without further ado, here are the 30 best rookie seasons in the past decade.

Players Who Just Missed The Cut

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NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 04: Hideki Matsui #55 of the New York Yankees rounds firts base on his 2-run double in the bottom of the fifht inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game Six of the 2009 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium on November 4, 2009 in

Here are the players who missed the cut. They could easily be interchanged with the bottom third of the top 30.

Austin Kearns, 2002 (Cincinnati Reds)
.315 avg, 13 HR, 56 RBI, 6 SB, .907 OPS in 107 games
Two first-place votes.

Hideki Matsui, 2003 (New York Yankees)
.287 avg, 16 HR, 106 RBI, 2 SB, .788 OPS in 162 games
Ten first-place votes.

Zach Duke, 2005 (Pittsburgh Pirates)
8-2, 1.81 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 58 Ks in 14 games
Five first-place votes.

Jered Weaver, 2006 (Los Angeles Angels)
11-2, 2.56 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 105 Ks in 19 games
No first-place votes.

Nick Markakis, 2006 (Baltimore Orioles)
.291 avg, 16 HR, 62 RBI, 2 SB, .799 OPS in 147 games
One first-place vote.

Delmon Young, 2007 (Tampa Bay Devil Rays)
.288 avg, 13 HR, 93 RBI, 10 SB, .723 OPS in 162 games
Three first-place votes.

Tommy Hanson, 2009 (Atlanta Braves)
11-4, 2.89 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 116 Ks in 21 games
Two first-place votes. 

Gaby Sanchez, 2010 (Florida Marlins)
.273 avg, 19 HR, 85 RBI, 5 SB, .788 OPS in 151 games
Two first-place votes. 

Rookie Of The Year Winners Who Missed The Cut

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DENVER - APRIL 03: Pitcher Jason Jennings #32 of the Colorado Rockies winds back to pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Opening Day at Coors Field on April 3, 2006 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 in 11 innings.

Sometimes voters have to choose the least-worst rookie just because the award has to be given to somebody.

Jason Jennings, 2002 (Colorado Rockies)
16-8, 4.52 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 127 Ks in 32 games
Jennings won the award with 27 first-place votes and 94 percent of the voting share.

Bobby Crosby, 2004 (Oakland Athletics)
.239 avg, 22 HR, 64 RBI, 7 SB, .744 OPS in 151 games
Crosby won the award with 27 first-place votes and 99 percent of the voting share.

Angel Berroa, 2003 (Kansas City Royals)
.287 avg, 17 HR, 73 RBI, 21 SB, .789 OPS in 158 games
Berroa won the award with 12 first-place votes and 63 percent of the voting share.

Eric Hinske, 2002 (Toronto Blue Jays)
.279 avg, 24 HR, 84 RBI, 13 SB, .845 OPS in 151 games
Hinske won the award with 19 first-place votes and 87 percent of the voting share.

The next two I expect to get flack for, but I don't see how they had better rookie seasons than the 30 people above them. However, they were Nos. 31 and 32 on the list.

Ryan Howard, 2005 (Philadelphia Phillies)
.288 avg, 22 HR, 63 RBI, .924 OPS in 88 games.
Howard won the award with 19 first-place votes and 68 percent of the voting share.

Dustin Pedroia, 2007 (Boston Red Sox)
.317 avg, 8 HR, 50 RBI, 7 SB, .823 OPS in 139 games
Pedroia won the award with 24 first-place votes and 94 percent of the voting share. 

30. Hunter Pence, 2007 (Houston Astros)

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HOUSTON - AUGUST 19: Left fielder Hunter Pence #9 of the Houston Astros makes a sliding save on a short fly ball hit by Jeff Francoeur of the New York Mets at Minute Maid Park on August 19, 2010 in Houston, Texas. Houston won 3-2. (Photo by Bob Levey/Ge

Hunter Pence finished third in Rookie of the Year voting in 2007 with no first-place votes and nine percent of the voting share.

.322 avg, 17 HR, 69 RBI, 11 SB, .899 OPS in 108 games

What he was able to do in 108 games was impressive. He continues to be one of the more underrated players in baseball.

29. Neftali Feliz, 2010 (Texas Rangers)

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ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 01: Neftali Feliz #30 of the Texas Rangers pitches against the San Francisco Giants in Game Five of the 2010 MLB World Series at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on November 1, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. The Giants won 3-1. (Photo by

Neftali Feliz won the Rookie of the Year award in 2010 with 20 first-place votes and 87 percent of the voting share.

4-3, 2.73 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 71 Ks, 40/43 saves

While saves are an overrated statistic, it's still impressive that Feliz was able to set the rookie record for saves. He helped the Rangers win the American League pennant.

28. Chris Coghlan, 2009 (Florida Marlins)

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NEW YORK - APRIL 05: Chris Coghlan #8 of the Florida Marlins at bat against the New York Mets during their Opening Day Game at Citi Field on April 5, 2010 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Im

Chris Coghlan won the Rookie of the Year award in 2009 with 17 first-place votes and 66 percent of the voting share.

.321 avg, 9 HR, 47 RBI, 8 SB, .850 OPS in 128 games

While Coghlan started off the 2009 season slowly, he became one of the hottest hitters in baseball toward the end of the season.

He batted .348 with a .418 OBP in the second half of the season, and he provided the Marlins a reliable leadoff man.

27. Scott Podsednik, 2003 (Milwaukee Brewers)

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MILWAUKEE - JUNE 17: Scott Podsednik #20 of the Milwaukee Brewers bunts during the game against the Seattle Mariners on June 17, 2004 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Mariners won 6-3. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Scott Podsednik finished second in Rookie of the Year voting with eight first-place votes and 51 percent of the voting share.

.314 avg, 9 HR, 58 RBI, 43 SB, .822 OPS in 154 games

Podsednik was a stolen-base machine. He also had surprising pop and had career highs for doubles and triples during his rookie campaign.

26. Jason Heyward, 2010 (Atlanta Braves)

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ATLANTA - OCTOBER 3: Right fielder Jason Heyward #22 of the Atlanta Braves slides into home plate to score in the sixth inning during the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Turner Field on October 3, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves beat the

Jason Heyward finished second in Rookie of the Year voting with nine first-place votes and 67 percent of the voting share.

.277 avg, 18 HR, 72 RBI, 11 SB, .849 OPS in 142 games

Welcome to the Show! We all remember his first at-bat. Heyward had a special year, helping the Braves reach the playoffs.

He had a high OBP for a rookie and strong plate discipline. 

25. Buster Posey, 2010 (San Francisco Giants)

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ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 31: Buster Posey #28 of the San Francisco Giants runs towards home plate to score on his solo home run in the eighthinning against Darren O'Day #56 of the Texas Rangers in Game Four of the 2010 MLB World Series at Rangers Ballpark

Buster Posey won the Rookie of the Year award with 20 first-place votes and 81 percent of the voting share.

.305 avg, 18 HR, 67 RBI, .862 OPS in 108 games

Posey had a great rookie year despite being called up late. He helped the Giants win the World Series and he was great on offense and defense.

24. Jason Bay, 2004 (Pittsburgh Pirates)

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PITTSBURGH - MAY 10: Jason Bay #38 of the Pittsburgh Pirates watches the flight of his fourth inning home run against Chuck James #36 of the Atlanta Braves on May 10, 2008 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Jason Bay won the Rookie of the Year award with 25 first-place votes and 91 percent of the voting share.

.282 avg, 26 HR, 82 RBI, 4 SB, .907 OPS in 120 games

Bay was yet another young Pirates star who was eventually traded away. He had surprisingly good power and he knew how to hit as a rookie.

23. Evan Longoria, 2008 (Tampa Bay Rays)

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ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 10: Evan Longoria #3 of the Tampa Bay Rays runs after hitting a two run homerun against the Texas Rangers in the 5th inning during game 4 of the ALDS at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on October 10, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Phot

Evan Longoria won the Rookie of the Year award unanimously. 

.272 avg, 27 HR, 85 RBI, 7 SB, .874 OPS in 122 games

Longoria was vital in helping the Rays reach their first-ever World Series. Although it wasn't a great rookie class, Longoria shined with power, speed and great fielding.

22. Rodrigo Lopez, 2002 (Baltimore Orioles)

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BALTIMORE - MAY 15: Starting pitcher Rodrigo Lopez #13 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches during the second inning against the Boston Red Sox May 15, 2006 at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Rodrigo Lopez finished second in Rookie of the Year voting with nine first-place votes and 69 percent of the voting share.

15-9, 3.57 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 136 Ks in 33 games

Lopez finished behind Eric Hinske despite his impressive season. After a horrible stint in San Diego, Lopez shined in his rookie year, with a low WHIP. He won six consecutive games and his offense screwed him out of four wins.

21. Justin Verlander, 2006 (Detroit Tigers)

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ST. PETERSBURG - JULY 27: Pitcher Justin Verlander #35 of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays during the game at Tropicana Field on July 27, 2010 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images)

Justin Verlander won the Rookie of the Year award with 26 first-place votes and 95 percent of the voting share.

17-9, 3.63 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 124 Ks in 30 games

Verlander was instrumental in helping the Tigers get to the World Series in 2006. He kept the Tigers in almost every game he pitched during 2006.

20. Josh Johnson, 2006 (Florida Marlins)

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ATLANTA - JULY 02: Pitcher Josh Johnson #55 of the Florida Marlins against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field on July 2, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Josh Johnson finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting with two first-place votes and seven percent of the voting share.

12-7, 3.10 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 133 Ks in 31 games

The 2006 rookie class was extremely talented and Johnson finished behind two of his own teammates.

Johnson, like many rookies, had to rotate and adjust to a starter's role from being a reliever.

19. Jaime Garcia, 2010 (St. Louis Cardinals)

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ST. LOUIS - AUGUST 22: Starter Jaime Garcia #54 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the San Francisco Giants at Busch Stadium on August 22, 2010 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

Jaime Garcia finished third in Rookie of the Year voting with one first-place vote and 15 percent of the voting share.

13-8, 2.70 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 132 Ks in 28 games

Just because he's above Posey doesn't mean he should have won the award. He had an impressive season for a rookie pitcher.

He didn't get the attention he deserved, but he was a workhorse and a great addition to the Cardinals' rotation.

18. J.A. Happ, 2009 (Philadelphia Phillies)

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PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 31: J.A. Happ #43 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches against the New York Yankees in Game Three of the 2009 MLB World Series at Citizens Bank Park on October 31, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Ima

J.A. Happ finished second in Rookie of the Year voting with 10 first-place votes and 59 percent of the voting share.

12-4, 2.93 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 119 Ks in 35 games

Happ helped the Phillies return to the World Series. He adapted to a starter's role, also having to go back-and-forth from reliever, and he came up clutch in important situations.

17. Huston Street, 2005 (Oakland Athletics)

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TOKYO - MARCH 22: Pitcher Huston Street #20 of Oakland Athletics pitches during preseason friendly game between Oakland Athletics and Yomiuri Giants at Tokyo Dome on March 22, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images)

Huston Street won the Rookie of the Year award with 15 first-place votes and 69 percent of the voting share.

5-1, 1.72 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 72 Ks, 23/27 saves

Street was one of many good rookie closers throughout the past decade. He was reliable, converting most saves and keeping the hits and runs allowed down while helping the A's remain competitive. 

16. Dan Uggla, 2005 (Florida Marlins)

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SAN FRANCISCO - JULY 29: Dan Uggla #6 of the Florida Marlins bats against the San Francisco Giants during an MLB game at AT&T Park on July 29, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

Dan Uggla finished third in Rookie of the Year voting with six first-place votes and 34 percent of the voting share.

.282 avg, 27 HR, 90 RBI, 6 SB, .818 OPS in 154 games

Uggla showcased his remarkable power in his rookie season and he even received an All-Star bid. Although he did strike out a lot, it was offset by a decent average and great power.

15. Ryan Zimmerman, 2006 (Washington Nationals)

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NEW YORK - MAY 11: Ryan Zimmerman #11 of the Washington Nationals throws to first against the New York Mets at Citi Field on May 11, 2010 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Ryan Zimmerman finished second in Rookie of the Year voting with ten first-place votes and 63 percent of the voting share.

.287 avg, 20 HR, 110 RBI, 11 SB, .822 OPS in 157 games

Zimmerman burst onto the scene as a run-driving-in machine for a team that wasn't that great. His fielding wasn't great, but he has since improved massively. 

14. Andrew Bailey, 2009 (Oakland Athletics)

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OAKLAND, CA - MAY 23: Andrew Bailey #40 of the Oakland Athletics pitches against the San Francisco Giants at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on May 23, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Andrew Bailey won the Rookie of the Year award with 13 first-place votes and 55 percent of the voting share.

6-3, 1.84 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 91 Ks, 26/30 saves

Bailey followed into Street's footsteps to become a great young closer for the Athletics. His sub-1.00 WHIP was great for a rookie and he earned an All-Star bid.

13. Edinson Volquez, 2008 (Cincinnati Reds)

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PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 06: Edinson Volquez #36 of the Cincinnati Reds delivers in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on October 6, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

Edinson Volquez finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting with no first-place votes and six percent of the voting share.

17-6, 3.21 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 206 Ks in 33 games

Volquez was spectacular during his rookie season, or at least the first half. He earned an All-Star bid and finished second in strikeouts per nine innings in the National League.

12. Joey Votto, 2008 (Cincinnati Reds)

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CINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 28: Joey Votto #19 of the Cincinnati Reds bats against the Houston Astros at Great American Ball Park on September 28, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Reds won 3-2 to clinch the NL Central Division title. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Get

Joey Votto finished second in Rookie of the Year voting with one first-place vote and 48 percent of the voting share.

.297 avg, 24 HR, 84 RBI, 7 SB, .874 OPS in 151 games

Votto has impressed ever since his rookie season and it's a shame that he only finally got recognition this year. Votto is up this high because he was able to put up great numbers despite being surrounded by a mediocre offense. 

11. Dontrelle Willis, 2003 (Florida Marlins)

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NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 30: Dontrelle Willis #35 of the Florida Marlins pitches to the New York Mets during the MLB game at Shea Stadium September 30, 2007 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty I

Dontrelle Willis won the Rookie of the Year award with 17 first-place votes and 74 percent of the voting share.

14-6, 3.30 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 142 Ks in 27 games

Dontrelle Willis had a spectacular rookie season. Oh, what once was. His unique windup mesmerized the baseball world and he earned an All-Star bid. He helped the Marlins win the World Series in 2003.

10. Geovany Soto, 2008 (Chicago Cubs)

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CHICAGO - SEPTEMBER 05: Luis Hernandez #3 of the New York Mets slides into home to score a run past the tag attempt of Geovany Soto #18 of the Chicago Cubs in the 5th inning at Wrigley Field on September 5, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Da

Geovany Soto won the Rookie of the Year award with 31 first-place votes and 99 percent of the voting share.

.285 avg, 23 HR, 86 RBI, .868 OPS in 141 games

Soto was magnificent on offense and defense for the Cubbies. He earned the starting All-Star catching job and helped the Cubs make the playoffs.

9. Jonathan Papelbon, 2006 (Boston Red Sox)

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NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: Jonathan Papelbon #58 of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the New York Yankees in the ninth inning on September 24, 2010 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Red Sox defeated the Yankees 10-8. (Photo by

Jonathan Papelbon finished second in Rookie of the Year voting with no first-place votes and 45 percent of the voting share.

4-2, 0.92 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 75 Ks, 35/41 saves

Papelbon's rookie season was the best for a rookie closer in the past decade. He was reliable and had a sub-1.00 ERA in what was an off season by Boston's standards.

8. Brandon Webb, 2003 (Arizona Diamondbacks)

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PHOENIX - AUGUST 05: Brandon Webb #17 of the Arizona Diamondbacks sits in dugout before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Chase Field on August 5, 2008 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

Brandon Webb finished third in Rookie of the Year voting with seven first-place votes and 46 percent of the voting share.

10-9, 2.84 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 172 Ks in 29 games

While Dontrelle had a great rookie season, it's hard to see how he beat Webb for the Rookie of the Year. His win-loss record didn't indicate how well he pitched.

He pitched 14 quality starts where he either got the loss or a no-decision.

7. Francisco Liriano, 2006 (Minnesota Twins)

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MINNEAPOLIS - OCTOBER 06: Francisco Liriano #47 of the Minnesota Twins delivers a pitch in the second inning against the New York Yankees during game one of the ALDS on October 6, 2010 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Image

Francisco Liriano finished third in Rookie of the Year voting with one first-place vote and 21 percent of the voting share.

12-3, 2.16 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 144 Ks in 28 games

Liriano would probably be the No. 1 rookie pitcher had he pitched more. Regardless, his rookie season was phenomenal.

Both his ERA and WHIP were minimal and he earned an All-Star bid and helped the Twins make the playoffs.

T5. Troy Tulowitzki, 2007 (Colorado Rockies)

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DENVER - SEPTEMBER 25: Troy Tulowitzki #2 of the Colorado Rockies doubles to right field to score Clint Barmes and Dexter Fowler to tie the score 9-9 with the San Francisco Giants in the eighth inning at Coors Field on September 25, 2010 in Denver, Color

Troy Tulowitzki finished second in Rookie of the Year voting with 15 first-place votes and 79 percent of the voting share.

.291 avg, 24 HR, 99 RBI, 7 SB, .838 OPS in 155 games

Tulowitzki's rookie season showed why he's ready to replace Todd Helton as the face of the franchise. He's got extreme power for a shortstop and he is an RBI-machine. He helped the Rockies make their first World Series.

T5. Hanley Ramirez, 2006 (Florida Marlins)

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NEW YORK - AUGUST 25: Hanley Ramirez #2 of the Florida Marlins successfully slides into home off of Gaby Sanchez's #14 (not shown) sacrifice fly in the third inning on August 25, 2010 at Citi Field in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of Ne

Hanley Ramirez won the Rookie of the Year award with 14 first-place votes and 66 percent of the voting share.

.292 avg, 17 HR, 59 RBI, 51 SB, .833 OPS in 158 games

Hanley Ramirez's rookie season showed his combination of power and speed. He knocked in home runs and stole lots of bases. He is the ultimate power-speed combo player.

4. Roy Oswalt, 2001 (Houston Astros)

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NEW YORK - JUNE 11: Roy Oswalt #44 of the Houston Astros looks on prior to a game against the New York Yankees on June 11, 2010 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

Roy Oswalt finished second in Rookie of the Year voting with no first place votes and 51 percent of the voting share.

14-3, 2.73 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 144 Ks in 28 games

If it weren't for the No. 1 player on this list, Oswalt would have run away with the Rookie of the Year award. He was the best rookie pitcher in the past decade. He was the star of the Astros rotation that took them to the playoffs in 2001.

3. Ryan Braun, 2007 (Milwaukee Brewers)

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LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 06: A silhouette of Ryan Braun #8 of the Milwaukee Brewers during batting practice prior to the start of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 6, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Get

Ryan Braun won the Rookie of the Year award with 17 first-place votes and 80 percent of the voting share.

.324 avg, 34 HR, 97 RBI, 15 SB, 1.004 OPS in 113 games

The numbers Braun was able to put up in 113 games were ridiculous. He lead the National League in slugging as a rookie. He had great numbers in all of the Triple Crown categories.

2. Ichiro Suzuki, 2001 (Seattle Mariners)

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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 29: Ichiro Suzuki #51 of the Seattle Mariners at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on September 29, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Ichiro Suzuki won the Rookie of the Year award with 27 first-place votes and 99 percent of the voting share.

.350 avg, 8 HR, 69 RBI, 56 SB, .838 OPS in 157 games

In 2001, Ichiro collected every possible award: MVP, Silver Slugger, and Gold Glove. He also was a starting outfielder for the All-Star team.

He led the league in batting average, hits and stolen bases. Not bad for a rookie.

1. Albert Pujols, 2001 (St. Louis Cardinals)

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PITTSBURGH - SEPTEMBER 23: Albert Pujols #5 of the St Louis Cardinals rounds the bases after hitting his second home run of the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the game on September 23, 2010 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by

Albert Pujols won the Rookie of the Year award unanimously.

.329 avg, 37 HR, 130 RBI, 1 SB, 1.013 OPS in 161 games

Pujols probably should have won the MVP award, but steroid users prevented him from doing so, as he finished fourth. He made the All-Star team and won the Silver Slugger award.

He finished top eight in batting average, RBI, and OPS as a rookie. He was the greatest rookie in the past decade.