Kazuhiro Sasaki in 2000, Ichiro Suzuki in 2001 and this year: Daisuke Matsuzaka, SP, Boston Red Sox, Yankees pitcher Kei Igawa and Devil Rays infielder Aki Iwamura will be eligible. Personally I don't think they should be, what'll all think?
2007-02-09 02:01:26 · 14 answers · asked by kjbopp 3 in Sports ➔ Baseball
Under the rules of major league baseball, players who have played professional baseball in other leagues are considered rookies for the purpose of awarding the ROY award. As long as this is the rule, then ROY voters should vote for the best rookie, including those players with international experience, such as Ichiro, Nomo, etc.
The real question is whether MLB should change the rule to exclude players who have had previous experience at the highest level of an international baseball league. Making this change would seem fair, given the fact that many leagues in countries outside of the U.S., particularly the Central and Pacific leagues of Japan, offer a very high level of competition. If players are successful there, it is likely that they could have success in MLB as well. As a result, these players have significant advantages over traditional rookies as far as the ROY award goes.
That being said, the ROY award is a fairly meaningless award, with some winners going on to do very little in the major leagues (see Todd Hollandsworth, Eric Hinske, Ben Grieve, Angel Berroa). While a rule change might be in order to preserve the fact that rookies should be those players with little experience playing at the highest level of baseball available to them, it hardly seems worth it.
Also, until there is a rule change, those voters who don't vote for an established international player out of protest (see H. Matsui in 2003) should be ashamed of themselves.
2007-02-09 06:49:16 · answer #1 · answered by Keith M 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't believe its "foriegners" that is the issue. A 21 pitcher from Japan still probably has roughly the same amount of time for developement as a player from the Dominican Republic, United States, ie. What they should do is have an age cut off though. When players are 30 like Ichiro then it really dumbs down the award. Also, I think that they should limit Rookie of the year to a player that has actually progressed through the minors. Though D-mat (which I assume you are referring to) wasn't technically a free agent, his first contract and year in baseball is going to be as a major leaguer and at a dollar amount far exceding any rookies salary. For that fact I don't believe he should have a chance at ROY (not to say he will or will not have a good season and not as a slight on him) but it really dimishes the value of the award.
2007-02-09 06:18:44 · answer #2 · answered by Big D 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, if it is their first year in the major leagues they should be considered rookie of the year. When comparing baseball in other countries to baseball in the major leagues the closest comparison you get is to triple a. So just b/c a foreign player has 5 yrs or so of experience, it's at an inferior level, so it doesn't mean they shouldn't be considered rookies. Are you going to say Ryan Howard shouldn't have won rookie of the year b/c he was 26 and had five years experience at an inferior level just b/c there are younger people who didn't have there paths blocked like he did? Are you going to say Ryan Shealy shouldn't be considered as a rookie this year b/c he has 5+ years of minor league experience b/c he was blocked by Todd Helton just b/c delmon young is younger and doesn't have as much experience? I don't think so. Nothing comes close to the level of compition at the major league level, so no matter how much you have played, no matter where you have played, you in fact should be considered for the mlb rookie of the year honor if it is your first year in the mlb.
2007-02-09 12:06:46 · answer #3 · answered by champion1337 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why shouldn't they be eligible? the reason why a player like Ichiro won the award is because he proved beyond a reasonable doubt that he knows what to do when he's out on the field, and does his job superbly well!!!! He can hit, he can defend. If he were surrounded by a better supporting cast, there's no question that he and the team would wreak havoc in the A.L. west. Oh!!! And lets not forget the fact that he broke the single season hits record, and has a rocket arm and is extremely accurate. If these guys can prove to be the better rookie throughout the season statistically, and make an inspirational impact on their team to play at a higher level without compromising their integrity?!!!! Hell yes!!!! Give them the award. They deserve it. They played hard for it!!!!!!
2007-02-09 02:36:42 · answer #4 · answered by Sportsnut 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well, the NHL has such a rule. One year a Russian, who had played on the USSR national team for several years, joined a NHL team and ended up winning the rookie award. Mike Modano came in a close second - he was 19 or 20.
They promptly made a rule about who can be considered for the award.
Send the suggestion to the commissioner's office - someone may read it!
2007-02-09 02:11:50 · answer #5 · answered by txkathidy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is the only thing that I like about the NHL. They put an upper age limit on their ROY qualifications, as a response to the influx of European players with professional experience.
I can't wait for MLB to do the same. But,since the current so-called commissioner is pretty much a wimp, it won't happen for a while yet.
BTW, you forgot Hideo Nomo stealling the NL ROY award from Chipper Jones in '95.
2007-02-09 11:41:44 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They're rookies in the sense that they are new to MLB. So, yes, they should be considered, even though they played in pro leagues outside the US.
2007-02-09 02:18:30 · answer #7 · answered by trombass08 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In a sense they are Rookies. Wherever that have played before they have never played in the MLB. You can argue that the Japanese leagues are comparable but in reality they're not.
2007-02-09 02:08:18 · answer #8 · answered by Oz 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, upon their rookie season in Major League Baseball. In my opinion any other pro ball in the world, at best, could only measure up to AAA level of major league quality.
2007-02-09 02:14:29 · answer #9 · answered by kski 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i don't think it's fair..i meant, they're brought to MLB because they are extraordinary and at least had 5+ year of pro experience..i'm pretty sure that Japanese league will be more competitive than AAA..after all,maybe this is the first year that lot of foreign players coming..(Lack of national talent maybe?)
2007-02-09 06:10:04 · answer #10 · answered by ? 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋