Fansided

MLB: Top 5 candidates for AL Rookie of the Year

By Carlos Nazario

Jul 30, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu (79) waits to bat against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 30, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu (79) waits to bat against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Chicago White Sox rookie Jose Abreu
Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Jose Abreu (.319/.386/.592, 35 HR 104 RBI)

In any other year, Shoemaker would be considered the leading candidate for AL Rookie of the Year. Not this year, however. Not when this year there is another rookie like Jose Abreu.

Abreu was signed by the Chicago White Sox to replace the popular Paul Konerko, who announced that this would be his final season. Boy, Abreu is trying to make people not miss Konerko.

Abreu is having one of the greatest rookie seasons in MLB history. He is leading the AL in slugging percentage, OPS, Adjusted OPS+ and offensive win percentage. He is in the top ten in WAR for position players (tenth), Offensive WAR (fourth), on-base percentage (fifth), batting average (sixth), total bases (second), doubles (eighth), RBI (third), extra base hits (third) and runs created (second).

Whew, I got tired just writing those accomplishments!

If it was not for the silly unwritten rule that baseball writers have that the MVP’s should play on winning teams, Abreu might be the runaway winner of the AL MVP as well.

Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com analyzed Abreu’s season, and came up with an interesting fact.

“Abreu this season has a 172 OPS+, which is a way of saying he’s been 72-percent better than average. In the game’s long history, just one other rookie who qualified for the batting title has posted an OPS+ of 170 or higher, and, no, it wasn’t Mike Trout (168) in 2012. It was Shoeless Joe Jackson (193), way back in 1911.”

With apologies to Anthony, but that OPS+ stat for Abreu is now at 173. This is the best offensive output by a rookie in over a century.

The White Sox look to have an offensive force for years to come. He should enjoy this season, because the pressure will be on for him to repeat it. For the time being, we should all take in Abreu’s accomplishments.

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