Most valuable rookies 2008

[Zagi-CRO]

Who is rookie?
A player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has (a) exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues; or (b) accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a Major League club or clubs during the period of 25-player limit (excluding time in the military service and time on the disabled list).
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Rookies are one of the hardest things to predict. Ryan Braun was drafted behind supposed future phenoms Gordon and Ryan Zimmerman. He couldn’t even jump over Cory Koskie coming out of Spring Training. And once he was called up!!

Here's my list of Top rookies 2008:

1. GEOVANY SOTO, C, Cubs
2. KOSUKE FUKUDOME, OF, Cubs
3. JOBA CHAMBERLAIN, RHP, Yankees
4. JACOBY ELLSBURY, CF, Red Sox
5. HIROKI KURODA, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

[redlegsfan21]

1st-Nick Blackburn
2nd-Kosuke Fukudome
3rd Johnny Cueto
4th-Joey Votto
5th-Geovany Soto

If only Edinson Volquez was a rookie, he would be leading (CURSE YOU TEXAS, YOU BROUGHT HIM UP TOO SOON).

[OleMissCub]

Soto has to be at the top of my list. A team that is wanting to go to a World Series needs to have a catcher who knows what the heck they are doing back there. A rookie catcher on a post=season type team probably doesn't happen very much.

[Rapmaster]

It's really too bad Justin Upton barely surpassed the rookie threshold last year, he would've been an easy choice.

I said Jacoby Ellsbury. Boston's farm system is producing some ridiculously productive position players with decent upside. They come up with seemingly a ridiculously high baseball IQ given their age and as a result, they seem to be having good rookie year success. He had some playing time last year, so he's had some time to learn a few things here and there.

I don't think Fukudome should really be considered a rookie, but I can see both sides of the argument. He's had a Bobby Abreu-type impact on the Cubs team this year (so far). If you remember when the Yankees traded for Abreu a couple years ago, his somewhat overly-patient approach really stabilized that lineup, Fukudome's done the same.

I don't think Soto's gonna have much extending success, to be honest.

[holyroman]

I like Towles over Soto
at this point (by definition)
I gotta say Fukudome

[Zagi-CRO]

Please, have you any site with rookies data for 2008, batters and pitchers?

[stejay]

1. Fukudome
2. Soto
3. Votto
4. Chamberlain
5. Longoria

[redlegsfan21]

Please, have you any site with rookies data for 2008, batters and pitchers?

Rookie Batters: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/stats/...d=a&pos=rookie

Rookie Pitchers: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/stats/...d=a&pos=rookie

[Old Sweater]

Kosuke Fukudome (福留 孝介, Fukudome Kōsuke?, born April 26, 1977, in Osaki, Soo District, Kagoshima, Japan) is a Japanese right fielder for the Chicago Cubs. Prior to arriving in the United States, Fukudome played nine seasons for the Chunichi Dragons of the Japanese Central League. He was also a member of the Japanese national baseball team, winning a silver medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics, a bronze medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics, and placing first in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. He won the Central League MVP award the same year.



Hiroki Kuroda, born February 10, 1975) is a professional baseball player from Osaka, Japan. He is a starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Kuroda was born and lived in Osaka (Osaka-shi, Osaka-fu). He attended Uenomiya High School in Osaka and Senshu University in Tokyo before joining the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in 1996 as a second-round draft pick.

Nothing like 31 and 33 year olds competing against kids. The Japan league is also considered like 3 and a half ball. I hope that Nomo and Ichiro were the last players to win the ROY award that played pro ball in Japan for so long. If they come over at a younger age I have no problem with it but the way the qualifying is for the ROY award by MLB is just not fair to the younger rookies.

[BoofBonser26]

Nothing like 31 and 33 year olds competing against kids. The Japan league is also considered like 3 and a half ball.

Say what?

[SamtheBravesFan]

Say what?

He doesn't like the fact that players from Japan are considered rookies, and he doesn't think Japan is on the level of major league baseball. Technically, he's right on the first thing. Ironically, those statements seem to be a little contradictory.

The precedent has been set for Japanese players to not be considered as rookies (Hideki Matsui lost out to Angel Berroa).

[Old Sweater]

Say what?

They have played in a league for 9 and 11 seasons that is considered a notch above AAA ball without the annual chance to advance to MLB like all the other players.

[Captain Cold Nose]

He doesn't like the fact that players from Japan are considered rookies, and he doesn't think Japan is on the level of major league baseball. Technically, he's right on both counts.

The precedent has been set for Japanese players to not be considered as rookies (Hideki Matsui lost out to Angel Berroa).

Matsui did receive some votes, right?

If Japan is 3 and a half, that's not exactly MLB, though. So wouldn't that make him like a guy who spent a lot of time in the minors? Just like any rookie can?

[BoofBonser26]

He doesn't like the fact that players from Japan are considered rookies, and he doesn't think Japan is on the level of major league baseball. Technically, he's right on the first thing. Ironically, those statements seem to be a little contradictory.

The precedent has been set for Japanese players to not be considered as rookies (Hideki Matsui lost out to Angel Berroa).

And Ichiro Suzuki beat out C.C. Sabathia. I'd say the precedent has been set that it's an issue each year.

[SamtheBravesFan]

Matsui did receive some votes, right?

If Japan is 3 and a half, that's not exactly MLB, though. So wouldn't that make him like a guy who spent a lot of time in the minors? Just like any rookie can?

Yeah... but it's top competition in another country, which is just as good as top competition here as it turns out. Japan IS a notch below Major League Baseball in basic stats, but that doesn't mean that it's inferior.