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NEW YORK -- Kansas City shortstop Angel Berroa beat New York Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui in the closest AL Rookie of the Year vote in 24 years. Florida pitcher Dontrelle Willis won the NL award.

 

Berroa received 12 first-place votes, seven seconds and seven thirds for 88 points in balloting released Monday by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Matsui got 10 firsts, nine seconds and seven thirds for 84 points.

 

 

It was the closest vote since the BBWAA adopted the current format in 1980, a year after Minnesota's John Castino and Toronto's Alfredo Griffin tied with seven votes each. Berroa and Matsui each were picked on 26 of 28 ballots.

 

 

In the NL, Willis received 17 first-place votes and 118 points, easily defeating Milwaukee outfielder Scott Podsednik, who got eight firsts and 81 points.

 

Berroa hit .287 with 17 homers, 73 RBI, 21 steals and 92 runs. Matsui batted .287 with 16 homers, 106 RBI, two steals and 82 runs.

 

 

Matsui was a three-time MVP of Japan's Central League before signing with the Yankees after the 2002 season. While some have argued Japanese players shouldn't be eligible, the BBWAA has always allowed voters to pick them.

 

 

Pitcher Hideo Nomo won the NL award for Los Angeles in 1995. Seattle reliever Kazuhiro Sasaki won the AL award in 2001, and teammate Ichiro Suzuki took it home the following year.

 

 

Willis went 14-6 with a 3.30 ERA as Florida won the NL wild card, slumping in the second half of the season. The high-kicking left-hander was 9-1 with a 2.08 ERA before the All-Star break, then went 5-5 with 4.60 ERA. He was dropped from the Marlins' rotation during their World Series win against the Yankees.

 

 

Podsednik hit .315 for the Brewers with nine homers, 58 RBI, 43 steals and 100 runs. Arizona's Brandon Webb was third in the NL voting with 73 points.

 

 

Tampa Bay outfielder Rocco Baldelli finished third in the AL voting with 51 points, followed by Cleveland outfielder Jody Gerut (20).

 

 

Berroa is the fourth Kansas City player to win the award, following Lou Piniella (1969), Bob Hamelin (1994) and Carlos Beltran (1999). Willis is the first Florida player to win the NL honor.

Congrats Willis and Berroa

congrats to both

Go D-Train!!

wow, nowhere near as close as I expected in the NL.

 

Sweeeeeeeet.

How about Cabs making it on the list??

 

 

Thanks Dontrelle, you just won me $20

I am so happy to see Dontrelle get this award. Can't wait to see him pitch in 2004.

I don't know if i'm happier that Willis won or that Matsui lost. Either way, congrats to both Berroa and Willis.

Congrats Dontrelle :thumbup

Definite congrats to Dontrelle. He deserved it. Congrats to Berroa, too.

Congrats to Willis for winning NL ROY! I'm surprised Matsui didn't win AL ROY (critics usually pick the Japanese players to win ROY like Ichiro did in 2001), but congrats to Berroa for winning AL ROY too. :thumbup

this is so great. Willis deserved this, congratulations to him and Berroa

A hardy congrats to the D-train! He was so instrumental in making this team what it is / was.

:jump

So the writers got it right - congrats Dontrelle. Oh, congrats Berroa too. I am surprised Matsui lost, but Berroa does have better stats.

 

Let me also take the time to point out that Japanese players SHOULD be allowed in the running for ROY. After all, it is the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year award...

Never thought he would win it when I first saw him pitch vs the Spos at the Big Owe in Late May...man was he great after that.

 

 

Congrats D Train

WTG D-TRAIN!!!

As i already said Congrats to DTRain

 

Now if only Brandon Webb had a offense...?

for someone who asked about cabs, here is the NL breakdown:

 

NL Rookie of the Year Voting

Player 1st 2nd 3rd Total

Willis, Fla. 17 9 6 118

Podsednik, Mil. 8 10 11 81

Webb, Ari. 7 10 8 73

Byrd, Phi. 1 3 6

Cabrera, Fla.. 1 3

Lidge, Hou. 1 3

Robertson, Hou.. 2 2

Reyes, N.Y.. 1 1

Wigginton, N.Y. 1 1

 

 

so i guess you could say he technically tied for 5th place

 

 

and here is the AL breakdown in case you were wondering:

AL Rookie of the Year Voting

Player 1st 2nd 3rd Total

Berroa, K.C.. 12 7 7 88

Matsui, N.Y. 10 9 7 84

Baldelli, T.B.. 5 5 11 51

Gerut, Cle.. 6 2 20

Teixeira, Tex.. 1 1 1 9

As i already said Congrats to DTRain

 

Now if only Brandon Webb had a offense...?

That, and if only he could produce offense himself. The guy is the equivilant of Mark Redman with the bat. D-Train has a great bat. I'm sure that was taken into account.

 

BTW: Willis and Berroa: Who called it? :shifty

As i already said Congrats to DTRain

 

Now if only Brandon Webb had a offense...?

That, and if only he could produce offense himself. The guy is the equivilant of Mark Redman with the bat. well i wouldnt go that far

Great to see the D-TRAIN win the award. I think this will be a good confidence booster for 2004.

 

Now, question. Is Cabs elegible to get the award for 2004? Or he is out of the 2004 race?

he wont qualify for 2004

He is out of the 04 race because he had over 50 atbats or 150 atbats (one of the to make you enillegible)

i wantted him to win, and im glad he did win, but we all know ROY doesnt mean shi^ most the guys who win this award do nothing afterwards, i hope thats not the case with D.Train...

 

but i must say i was shocked when i read Podsednik's stats, he had 41 steals and 100 runs scored on a bad offensive team.....

 

that kid is a stud, shocked that webb didnt get as much respect as he should have desrved all year...

 

and as for the AL ROY I wantted Berroa but didnt think he would cuz of Godzilla...

 

so ha-- f*** ESPN Predictions.....

hopefuly willis doesnt become like hollandworth. holly was a ROY