Iguchi finishes 4th in AL ROY voting

[Frank the Tank 35]

Huston Street wins it by a wide margin over Robinson Cano, Jonny Gomes, and Gooch. Tadahito did get 5 first place votes (out of 28) but only got one second place vote and two third place votes.

 

I can't really say I'm surprised.

Edited November 7, 2005 by Frank the Tank 35

[NorthSideSox72]

Huston Street wins it by a wide margin over Robinson Cano, Jonny Gomes, and Gooch.  Tadahito did get 5 first place votes (out of 23) but only got one second place vote and two third place votes.

 

I can't really say I'm surprised.

 

I think those unusually-weighted vote numbers are telling. Of those who thought he should even be considered, they voted mostly for first place. If not, no vote at all.

 

It's kind of a tough call: he's a rookie by status, but he is a veteran professional baseball player. I'm honestly not sure how I'd vote.

[Frank the Tank 35]

It's out of 28 votes! Apparently I can't add correctly anymore!

 

Since Gooch wasn't overwhelmingly better than his competition (like Ichiro was), I think it was easier for the voters to use his Japanese league experience against him, if they were so inclined, especially if you didn't follow the team all year. I can't say any of that with certainty of course.

[AnthraxFan93]

Huston Street wins it by a wide margin over Robinson Cano, Jonny Gomes, and Gooch.  Tadahito did get 5 first place votes (out of 28) but only got one second place vote and two third place votes.

 

I can't really say I'm surprised.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I would have voted Cano over Street.. Street was injured and never really did a whole lot to make that big of a difference to make RoY

[southsider2k5]

He should not have been eligible. Anyone with professional major league expereince, should not be considered a rookie. maybe the MLB could use the NHLs age rule to circumvent the problems?

[NorthSideSox72]

He should not have been eligible.  Anyone with professional major league expereince, should not be considered a rookie.  maybe the MLB could use the NHLs age rule to circumvent the problems?

 

I tend to agree that he probably shouldn't be eligible, but the age thing is tricky. You could have a 30 year old rookie who spent 10 years out of baseball, or you could have a 22 year old who spent 4 years playing in Japan. I'd say it might be better to have MLB decide a player's rookie-eligible status based on whether or not they played in a recognized professional league previously (and do so WELL BEFORE the end of the season, preferably as soon as opening day rosters are announced).

 

Although, even that gets fuzzy. If Japanese major leagues count as professional play, why not some of he Latin leagues? Which ones? Someone would have to make those tough calls.

[Pierzynski 12]

Who cares at least the Gooch has a WS Title!!

[qwerty]

I would have voted Cano over Street.. Street was injured and never really did a whole lot to make that big of a difference to make RoY

 

78.1 innings with a 1.72 era and whip of 1.01 while saving 23 games ( he did blow four) in his very first season in the majors? I think he is more than deserving.

[Punch and Judy Garland]

I think Japanese players are unfairly discriminated against during the ROY voting because of maverick voters. That said, Iguchi was very good but wasn't really better than the other guys so I have no problem with Cano, Gomes, and Street ahead of him. I do have a gripe with Chacin. There is an extremely unfair bias against starting pitchers, even more so than Japanese players. For some reason, and it makes no sense, hitters aren't judged by MVP standards as rookies but pitchers are judged on CY standards. What I mean by that is that 280-15-80 numbers are s***ty for an MVP, but pretty solid for a ROY candidate. However, when a pitcher wins 13-14 games as a rookie with an era around 4, he was terrific but gets very little credit for having done so as a rookie. I think Chacin didn't get enough credit from the voters or the analysts this season

[Whitewashed in '05]

I think those unusually-weighted vote numbers are telling.  Of those who thought he should even be considered, they voted mostly for first place.  If not, no vote at all.

 

It's kind of a tough call: he's a rookie by status, but he is a veteran professional baseball player.  I'm honestly not sure how I'd vote.

I don't mind Iguchi not getting the ROY as long as anyone else who comes in from Japan doesn't get it. If they want to make an unwritten rule about rookies then as long as they follow it I am ok with it.

[qwerty]

I think Japanese players are unfairly discriminated against during the ROY voting because of maverick voters. That said, Iguchi was very good but wasn't really better than the other guys so I have no problem with Cano, Gomes, and Street ahead of him. I do have a gripe with Chacin. There is an extremely unfair bias against starting pitchers, even more so than Japanese players. For some reason, and it makes no sense, hitters aren't judged by MVP standards as rookies but pitchers are judged on CY standards. What I mean by that is that 280-15-80 numbers are s***ty for an MVP, but pretty solid for a ROY candidate. However, when a pitcher wins 13-14 games as a rookie with an era around 4, he was terrific but gets very little credit for having done so as a rookie. I think Chacin didn't get enough credit from the voters or the analysts this season

 

Maybe it is because of the 1.39 whip and nearly .800 ops right handers had against him? Those are far from great numbers... not even good.

[Punch and Judy Garland]

A 1.39 whip is not that terrible. Not great, but not downright terrible. You have to understand that a guy who throws that many innings is very valuable.

 

Edit-In the last 25 years, the only guy to win the ROY that threw 200 innings was Dwight Gooden. Most guys who won, and there have only been a few-most of which are NL guys-threw 30-50 innings less than Chacin.

Edited November 7, 2005 by Punch and Judy Garland

[KWs OK for Me]

A 1.39 whip is not that terrible. Not great, but not downright terrible. You have to understand that a guy who throws that many innings is very valuable.

 

Edit-In the last 25 years, the only guy to win the ROY that threw 200 innings was Dwight Gooden. Most guys who won, and there have only been a few-most of which are NL guys-threw 30-50 innings less than Chacin.

Will Felix Hernandez still be ROY eligible next year? If so he's gotta be a lock for that.

[AnthraxFan93]

78.1 innings with a 1.72 era and whip of 1.01 while saving 23 games ( he did blow four) in his very first season in the majors? I think he is more than deserving.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I didn't say he had a great season, but Cano helped his team IMO better than Street.

[GoodAsGould]

I didn't say he had a great season, but Cano helped his team IMO better than Street.

 

This isnt the MVP its RoY who was the best rookie... and Street was clearly better than Cano.

[Felix]

I didn't say he had a great season, but Cano helped his team IMO better than Street.

And Iguchi helped his team more than Cano helped his team. Whats your point?

[qwerty]

And Iguchi helped his team more than Cano helped his team.  Whats your point?

 

This is debatable. Iguchi was an average two hole hitter this year and that is including everyone's favorite stat... productive outs!1!1!1!1!

[WilliamTell]

I would've rather seen Cano win it, but not surprised about the outcome.

[CWSGuy406]

A 1.39 whip is not that terrible. Not great, but not downright terrible. You have to understand that a guy who throws that many innings is very valuable.

 

Edit-In the last 25 years, the only guy to win the ROY that threw 200 innings was Dwight Gooden. Most guys who won, and there have only been a few-most of which are NL guys-threw 30-50 innings less than Chacin.

 

I generally agree with this.

 

Chacin had a 119 ERA+, while Scott Kazmir quietly had a good season for himself -- 114 ERA+. Blanton, too -- 127 ERA+!

 

This year's was a real tough call. I think the best hitter was Jonny Gomes, as to who the best pitcher is, that's debatable -- I'd say one of the two A's, Blanton or Street.

 

It's a tough call, and not something I really care a whole lot about -- we all know Iguchi's contributions to the 2005 ChiSox, same goes for Uribe and Crede and Rowand w/r/t the Gold Glove (or lack thereof).

[wsox08]

I think Iguchi got shafted on this one... Screw the media and everyone else like always

[kevin57]

I would suspect that even though Gooch was eligible for ROY, many voters excluded him because of his play in Japan. Call it "Writer Nullification."