May 14, 200422 yr Take your caps off to rising stars By Mark Newman / MLB.com LINK Joshua Patrick Beckett Honors: strikeouts; aced finals with 2003 title-clinching shutout of Yankees "That guy Beckett is a horse," said Rockies manager Clint Hurdle after the Marlins' April 28 victory at Coors Field. That's been heard a lot lately. Beckett earned this degree largely on what he did down the stretch last season, dusting such sluggers as Sammy Sosa and Jason Giambi on the way to the World Series MVP award. Beckett will start at St. Louis on Friday night, and the next day will celebrate his 24th birthday. He has carried over his breakout momentum from the 2003 postseason, ranking sixth on the Majors' strikeout list through Wednesday, with 48, and posting a 3-2 record for a Marlins team that has stayed in control of the National League East. He is hardly the type to grow complacent. "I'm still pretty tough on myself, and I think that will come through time," said Beckett, who was 9-8 with a 3.04 ERA last year. "You learn a lot through failure. I don't think you learn quite as much through complete success. I hope this is my year and that I take it to the next step." Jose Miguel Cabrera Honors: homered in first at-bat vs. Roger Clemens; versatility; power to all fields As a rookie in 2003, Cabrera did it all. He drove in 62 runs in only 87 regular-season games, playing primarily in left field, then spelled the injured Mike Lowell at third base in September. Cabrera then moved to right field, a position he was playing for the first time, and was one of the stars in the Marlins' run to the World Series championship. This season, Cabrera is all of 21, and worth the price of admission. Through Wednesday he had a Major League-leading 11 homers (he had 12 total in 2003), 26 RBIs and a .960 OPS that reflects his strike-zone savvy and a sudden uptick in base on balls. Now the Marlins' regular right fielder, the 6-foot-2 Venezuelan is increasingly showing a proclivity to go deep anywhere -- bringing to mind that opposite-field shot off Clemens in the pivotal Game 4 against the Yankees last October. "He's learning to turn on some balls," said Bill Robinson, Florida's hitting coach. "He never did pull a whole lot. ... He has such tremendous bat speed for a young man."
May 14, 200422 yr Nice to see the recognition of Beckett and Cabs. I'm surprised D-Train didn't make the list.
May 14, 200422 yr Take your caps off to rising stars By Mark Newman / MLB.com LINK Joshua Patrick Beckett Honors: strikeouts; aced finals with 2003 title-clinching shutout of Yankees Jose Miguel Cabrera Honors: homered in first at-bat vs. Roger Clemens; versatility; power to all fields ." Bout time someone strted to give us some props.
May 14, 200422 yr yeah....im happy to see that we are getting some props. although we deserve more I'm still happy
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