Guest Blogger: Tedd Mallasch picks Fowler and Andrus for Rookie of the Year

Each day this week, The Baseball Zealot will be featuring special guest bloggers who will be giving their predictions on the 2009 MLB end-of year-awards and postseason matchups.  Today, we’ll start with the Rookie of the Year Award.

tedd  Today’s guest post isn’t really written by a guest.  You already know Tedd Mallasch as Teddy Ballgame who is my co-blogger on The Baseball Zealot.  Tedd’s been with TBZ pretty much from the start and aside from his usually great analysis, he also does fantastic on-the-spot coverage of spring training and Arizona Fall League action.  If you like his stuff, he does have his own blog called Whatteddsedd.com which isn’t always sports-related but has his usual flair nonetheless.

Here are my choices for the 2009 All Rookie Team.  My choices for Rookie of the Year are in the NL Dexter Fowler and in the AL Elvis Andrus.  Both are everyday players, who have made significant contributions to their teams, as they vie for the postseason.  Stats as of September 2, 2009.

C  MATT WIETERS

This switch hitting 6’4" 225 pound catcher out of the University of Georgia Tech has lived up to the hype when the Orioles drafted him with the 5th pick in the 2007 player draft.  In the minors Matt played only 169 games, about one full season, combining to hit 31 doubles 4 triples, & 32 homers, scoring 114 times, while driving in 121, with 102 walks & 106 strikeouts, getting 198 base hits in 578 at bats for a .343 batting average.  Wieters has held his own since arriving in Baltimore, where he’s batting .263, with 10 doubles, 1 homer, and 5 homers in 68 games.

 
1B GARRETT JONES

Out of Tinley Park, IL, this lefthanded batting slugging firstbaseman took the long road to the majors after being the 444th player chosen in the 1999 player draft by the Atlanta Braves.  This 28 year old seems to have found a job at firstbase with the Pittsburgh Pirates.  He has launched 17 home runs to go along with 14 doubles, batting .295, with nine steals in ten attempts, all of this, in only 54 games.

 

2B CHRIS GETZ

In only 90 big league games with the White Sox, the scrapper out of the University of Michigan (where he batted .364 & .386) has showed some skills, stealing 18 bases, with 17 doubles, 4 triples, & 2 home runs, in 315 big league at bats. 

 
SS ELVIS ANDRUS

Elvis has entered the big leagues (sorry, I couldn’t resist).  He is just a baby, turning 21 the 26th of August.  This kid has got range, a 5.05 range factor.  He’s batting .268, with 12 doubles, 7 triples, & 5 homers, with 24 stolen bases in 27 attempts, playing regularly at SS in Texas. 

 
3B GORDON BECKHAM

Last year he hit more home runs, 28, than any other NCAA Div. I baseball player, while playing SS for the Georgia Bulldogs.  The White Sox used their firstround draft choice to pick him 8th over all.  It’s turned out to be a great selection, as he has looked solid at 3B, while ripping 23 doubles & 9 long balls, in 80 games, batting .272.

 

OF CHRIS COGHLAN

In 2006 the Florida Marlins used their #1 pick to get this kid out of the University of Mississippi.  The lefthanded hitter grew up in Tarpon Springs, FL, right where I vacation, playing for East Lake High.  He’s got the highest batting average among rookies, batting .301, with an OBP of .377, while hitting leadoff for the Fish.  Chris has six steals in seven tries, 19 2Bs, 4 3Bs, & 9 HRs.

 

OF DEXTER FOWLER

The 6’5" switch hitting 23 year old can fly as he’s shown by stealing 26 bases, caught 9 times.  Fowler’s taken over the regular centerfield job for Colorado.  Dexter’s hitting .270, 27 doubles, 9 triples, 4 home runs, after batting .335 last season in AA, once he fills out, look out.

 
OF ANDREW McCUTCHEN

This 22 year old right handed hitter was ready for the bigs, it just took the Buccos a little while to realize it.  Since taking over CF in Pittsburgh, this guy has batted .284, 20 2Bs, 6 3Bs, 10 HRs, 15 SBs, in only 79 games.
LHP J.A. HAPP – I first saw Happ in spring training, his changeup was unreal.  I knew he was the real deal, he started the season in the pen, but has really taken off since moving to the rotation for the Phils.  This year the lefthander out of Northwestern has a 10-4 record with a 2.77 ERA, has struckout exactly twice as many batters as he’s walked 104 to 52, allowing only 125 hits in just under 150 innings pitched.

 
RHP TOMMY HANSON

This 6’6" righthander out of Oklahoma came into his own in the Arizona Fall League.  I had the privilege of seeing him pitch out west first hand, he was lights out, Hanson struckout 49 in 28 2/3 innings, 5-0 record, with a 0.63 ERA.  Since coming up to the Braves, he’s carried on nicely, 9-3 with a 3.15 ERA, 73 K’s in 85 2/3 innings of work.

 
P ANDREW BAILEY

Last year this New Jersey righthander with the live arm was used as a relief pitcher for the first time in the A’s organization, he took to it, like a duck takes to water.  This year’s taken over as Oakland’s closer, allowing only 44 hits in 72 innings, with over a strikeout per inning, a 1.88 ERA, with 21 saves.

– Tedd

Thanks to Tedd for his time in putting this together.  Stay tuned all week for more 2009 prediction posts.   

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