I think it's gonna be close

Zach Duke (PIT)
5 - 0 record in 8 games
2.13 ERA in 52 IP
37 SO to 15 BB

or

Jeff Francoeur (ATL)
.382 average in 28 games
10 doubles, 9 home runs, 26 RBI (26 RBI in 28 GAMES!)
8 outfield assists

Who else deserves mention?

8/15/2005 2:37:18 PM

really clint barnes does still

he's played more than those 2 even though he's out for the year

8/15/2005 2:44:04 PM

Francoeur is having a great run, but if he plays in all the remaining games, that would only put him @ 72. Prolly not enough to time accumulate the numbers that voters notice.

8/15/2005 2:45:05 PM

If Francoeur bats near .400 with 20 home runs, he'll get it.

8/15/2005 2:45:39 PM

I doubt either Francoeur or Duke will play enough. Barmes or Halsey (ARI SP) would stand better chances IMO.

I'd say Halsey.. 22GS, 8-8, 3.96 ERA & he's pitched very well the last month

[Edited on August 15, 2005 at 2:49 PM. Reason : ]

8/15/2005 2:47:23 PM

I hope Francouer gets it, I really like watchin him

8/15/2005 2:49:29 PM

i think it will be duke if he finishes with about 9 wins.... he has nasty stuff... and dont forget hes winning for the pirates, not an easy task

8/15/2005 2:51:37 PM

dont count out Willy Taveras of Houston....he's been their catalyst all year

8/15/2005 2:53:50 PM

Willy Taveras HOU

~.300 ba and ~40 SB.. leadoff hitter

he played the whole year too

[Edited on August 15, 2005 at 2:54 PM. Reason : ^ beat me]

8/15/2005 2:54:06 PM

francoeur already has 8 outfield assists, which is 2 less than the league leader. that should help him out some

8/15/2005 3:43:12 PM

they say the sign of a weak outfield arm is the # of assists you have. the weaker the arm the more the opposition runs on you..

of course for a rook this might not be the case.

8/15/2005 3:44:26 PM

i think its rather apparent he has one of the strongest arms in baseball

8/15/2005 3:45:30 PM

He nabbed Gonzales twice, and he is not a slow runner

8/15/2005 3:49:56 PM

he's just an untested rookie, so people are going to try and run on him.

8/15/2005 3:58:58 PM

^No, they were legitimate shots at the plate. They werent' running just to run on the rookie. Especially after 8 assists, in 26 games, they're not gonna run just because he's a rookie.

He threw a no-hopper from right field last night to get Gonzalez out. I'm excited about this guy. He's the next Mr. Baseball for atlanta... given, sooner or later, they're going to learn how to pitch against him. But he's a rookie and he already knows how to hit against them and these veteran hurlers can't seem to get his average down to rookie status.

[Edited on August 15, 2005 at 4:03 PM. Reason : .]

8/15/2005 4:02:58 PM

Yes, they were good shots at the place...but the fact that he's a rookie is the reason they do it. You better believe that if it was Vlad Guerrero out there, they wouldn't be running unless they feel that his accuracy is suspect.

By now, he has a reputation for having a strong arm. Before that game, he should've had a reputation for having a strong arm. Some of the best outfielders in the game don't have a lot of assists, but in a sense, lack of assists is a sign of respect.

If a baserunner respects his arm, more often than not, the baserunner will stay at third (scenarios are a different story)

8/15/2005 4:11:13 PM

Jeff Francoeur and Zach Duke have been the best this year, but they haven't played that much. I would go with Willy Tarveras for being consistant all year, even though if Francoeur or Duke one it, it wouldn't be surprising. No other rookies have really stood out this year.

8/15/2005 4:25:10 PM

Some historical OF assist notes (not comprehensive):

Fewest in a season (min. 150 games:
Joey Belle-1
Harmon Killebrew-1
Barry Bonds- 2 (won GG that year, '98)
Lenny Dykstra-2

Fewest in a season by the leader
Barry Bonds-14 (NL)

Most in a career
Tris Speaker (450)

Most in a game
4 (multiple, most recent: 1928)

Most in a season
Hardy Richardson-45 (in 1881)

Most seasons leading the league
AL- Yaz (7)
NL- Clemente (5)

8/15/2005 4:36:33 PM

You have to throw out those Bonds stats though, he was juiced.

8/15/2005 9:00:56 PM

Mike Jacobs, 1B NYM

AB 13
HR 4 (first person in ML history to have 4 HRs in first 4 MLB games)
RBI 9
AVG .538
OBP .625
SLG 1.538
OPS 2.163
BB 3

now obviously I'm joking but GOD DAMN what a start.

8/25/2005 8:51:01 AM

haha, a 1.5 slugging percentage... who is this kid???

8/25/2005 8:52:49 AM

Actualy Clint Barnes is going to be back in about a week....if he can have a strong sept he should win it based on stats....if not him....Duke pitching the way he has with a weak pitt team !!

8/25/2005 10:17:41 AM

It's got to be Willy Taveras hands down, who also has a very good arm. This is coming from a Card's fan that he should be it even though he's on a rival team.

8/25/2005 9:21:14 PM

francouer will be hitting under .300 by september

8/25/2005 9:48:52 PM

^^ a good arm? He has one of the weakest CF arms I've ever seen. On top of that he gets HORRIBLE jumps and plays WAY too shallow for someone who gets such shitty jumps..

I think Johnny Damon with horrible CF instincts and a weak bat (over half his hits have been IF hits it seems) when I see Taveras

[Edited on August 25, 2005 at 9:50 PM. Reason : f]

8/25/2005 9:50:06 PM

i say he's otis nixon minus the range

8/25/2005 10:14:12 PM

Hey i didnt say great arm, just good, he threw out David Eckstein at home earlier this year. His speed makes him get to balls Francoeur cant get to.

8/25/2005 10:21:34 PM

speed doesnt make you a good fielder

vince coleman proved that

he was prolly the fastest player to play baseball, but sucked in the field

8/25/2005 10:26:32 PM

Roger Cedeno.

I don't care how bad Beltran's year is so far this year.. I am just glad I don't have to see the Roger Cedeno tornado in CF ever again in a Mets uniform. The customary fly ball and Roger running around in circles before it falls in.

8/25/2005 10:29:53 PM

1. clint barmes

2.

Quote :

"Yes, they were good shots at the place...but the fact that he's a rookie is the reason they do it. You better believe that if it was Vlad Guerrero out there, they wouldn't be running unless they feel that his accuracy is suspect."

you can't use Vlad in your argument. you just went from what you consider an unproven rookie to a vet with a howitzer.

8/26/2005 1:26:45 AM

Ryan Howard.

9/21/2005 10:33:37 PM

Quote :

"Ryan Howard."

9/21/2005 10:39:00 PM

ryan howard. he's my current hero. PHIGHTIN' PHILS!!!

9/21/2005 10:42:58 PM

hopefully tonights homer will be a catalyst for his being able to hit lefties

9/21/2005 11:03:30 PM

francouer will be hitting under .300 by september = false

9/22/2005 12:38:37 AM

super dude what the fuck are you talking about????? I am in the outfield and it doesn't matter a damn about the # of assists. To say that Jeff is being tested because he is a rookie thats the dumbest shit I have ever heard. You think that while I am running from 2nd to home I am thinking "oh he's a rookie, looks like I can go." HELL NO you aren't thinking of that at the point in time of impact moron.

9/22/2005 12:51:24 AM

^^^hopefully, for next year's sake anyway. i pretty much gave up hope on this season when we got swept at home by Houston a few weeks ago...playoff teams don't lose games like that in September

9/22/2005 5:53:31 AM

announcement is this evening

11/7/2005 1:39:43 PM

1. Ryan Howard 2. Willy Taveras 3. Jeff Francoeur

11/7/2005 2:15:41 PM

shoulda been tavaras

11/7/2005 4:10:26 PM

announcement is tomorrow, not this evening. Houston Street won it in the AL today

11/7/2005 4:16:52 PM

I agree. Shoulda been taveras.

11/7/2005 5:17:24 PM

Howard deserved it, that kid was fucking awesome

11/7/2005 5:20:36 PM

^^^ nope, it was definitely today


http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/awards/y2005/index.jsp

Street and Howard

11/7/2005 6:26:48 PM