Prediction: Rookies Of The Year

Prediction week continues today with the National League and American League Rookie of the Year.

The Rookie of the Year Award or Jackie Robinson Award as it became known in 1987, was originated in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWA). The Rookie of the Year Award, is given to the individual player from each League who has the best rookie season; pitching, hitting or fielding, during his first year of eligibility.

Originally it was a single award for the major leagues. The BBWA took over the award in 1947, and since 1949, there has been a Rookie of the Year Award for each league. Voters were allowed to decide which players should be considered rookies until 1957, when the BBWA established definite criteria. Since 1980 the members of the Baseball Writers Association of America have named three rookies on their ballots.

A first place place vote equals 5 points, second place equals 3 points, and third place gets 1 point. Those points are totaled and the winner is announced at the completion of the season.

Additional eligibility requirements were set forth in 1971 with a rookie formally defined as a player with less than 130 at-bats, a pitcher with less than 50 innings pitched, or anyone with less than 45 days on any Major League roster.

Here are the candidates and my prediction for the ROY in each league:

National League

Candidates: Jason Heyward, Pedro Alvarez, Stephen Strasburg, Gaby Sanchez, David Freese, Alcides Escobar, Ian Desmond

Strasburg will win the NL ROY in 2010

Winner: Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals

Reason Why: The NL is stacked with rookies in 2010. When it’s all said and done, this NL rookie class might go down as one of the best in recent memory.

Out of the above group, I am going to drink the Kool Aid and say Strasburg will win the award. He will be called up in May and live up to the hype.

He might not get the wins, but his peripherals will be there.

American League

Candidates: Wade Davis, Austin Jackson, Michael Brantley, Brett Wallace, Brian Matusz

Winner: Brian Matusz, Baltimore Orioles

Matusz is wise behind his years. The Orioles’ first-round pick in the 2008 draft is having a great spring and I believe he carries it over to the regular season.

While he might experience some growing pains pitching in the rugged AL East, in the end I believe his year will surpass any other rookie campaign.

Tomorrow I will do my best to try to predict the AL & NL Cy Young award winners.

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