The NL All-Rookie Team

[love_that_reefer]

With these season showcasing so many talented rookies, the NL is going to have one hell of a Rookie of the Year race. I am glad I don;t have a vote because it could honestly go a lot of different ways. Here's my All-Rookie team and it should be yours too.

C- Buster Posey- SF
1b- Gaby Sanchez- FLA
2b- Neil Walker- PIT
SS- Starlin Castro- CHI
3b- Chris Johnson- HOU
OF-Jayson Heyward- ATL
OF- Tyler Colvin- CHI
OF- Mike Stanton- FLA

SP- Jaime Garcia- STL
SP- Jonathan Niese- NYM
SP- Madison Bumgardner- SF
SP- Dan Hudson- ARI
SP- Jhoulys Chacin- COL

RP- Jonny Venters- ATL
RP- Wilton Lopez- HOU
RP- Ryan Webb- SD
RP- Drew Storen- WSH
RP- Dan Runzler- SF

CL- John Axford- MIL

Pretty damn impressive!!

[Kingdom]

How many innings pitched is the limit, to lose "rookie" status? Or At bats?

[love_that_reefer]

For my list or in general?

[Kingdom]

In general

[Kingdom]

This elevates his awesome level a notch:

In 2007, Axford was signed as a non-drafted minor league free agent by the New York Yankees and played in their farm system that season. He topped out with their Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. In 2009, he was signed to a minor league contract with the Brewers.

Suck it, Empire.

[love_that_reefer]

Currently a player is considered to be a rookie, and thus eligible for the award, if the player has accumulated in prior major league seasons:

* Fewer than 130 at bats or
* Fewer than 50 innings pitched
* Fewer than 45 days on the active roster, excluding time on the disabled list, in military service, or time when the rosters are expanded (currently after September 1)

[realmofotalk]

The limit is 50 innings or 25 relief appearances for pitchers and 130 at-bats for hitters. So unfortunately, Kyle Blanks didn't qualify.

[realmofotalk]

This elevates his awesome level a notch:



Suck it, Empire.

Yeah, but can he be the focus of a 10 minute segment on ESPN or a 6-page feature story on Sports Illustrated like Joba Chamberlain? I think not!

[love_that_reefer]

He should. Axford will be in the running for ROY. Not everyday you replace a future HOFer as a rookie.

[Kingdom]

The great thing about the list is, we have the guys you knew would break out onto the scene.. Heyward, Posey, Stanton, Hudson, etc. but then there's guys coming out of nowhere like Axford, Neil effin' Walker, and I have no idea who Wilton Lopez is but there. Poof. It's a pretty good list.

I would make some mention of Jose Tabata, just because I figured with everything going on with him off the field, it would be a miracle for him to amount to something. And bam, he's doing decent. Ian Desmond has had his moments, and his errors, but he's clearly the future at SS for Washington. Ike Davis has been solid for the lifeless Mets. Jon Jay in St. Louis. Mike Leake... he hits better than 90% of the Seattle Mariners, and he's a pitcher. Travis Wood has filled in for Mike Leake nicely. Good times had by all. The NL could field a team of rookies, and it would probably be a good team.

[love_that_reefer]

I had those guys you mentioned on my bench but decided to just go with starters and deleted the bench.

[Kingdom]

By comparison, the best rookie in the AL is.. what.. Neftali Perez? Austin Jackson? Hey, two, that's a start.

[HollywoodLeo]

The limit is 50 innings or 25 relief appearances for pitchers and 130 at-bats for hitters. So unfortunately, Kyle Blanks didn't qualify.

Mat Latos doesn't qualify because Bud Black pitched him 2/3rds of an inning too much last year and you chose to take the pot shot on Blanks?

You're losing your touch.

[love_that_reefer]

By comparison, the best rookie in the AL is.. what.. Neftali Perez? Austin Jackson? Hey, two, that's a start.

Yeah I really don't want to rack my brain trying to come up with an AL rookie team. The NL is showing they have the best young talent coming up and we are starting to see a changing of the guard when it comes to this whole NL-AL argument.

[realmofotalk]

Mat Latos doesn't qualify because Bud Black pitched him 2/3rds of an inning too much last year and you chose to take the pot shot on Blanks?

You're losing your touch.

Well, aren't you protective of your Kyle Blanks. Please. I bet if I took the shot at Latos, you'd be *****ing about how foolish it is to hold something so trivial against a Cy Young candidate.