National League Rookie of the Year Rankings Heading Into the Final Stretch
By Ryan Ritchey
Sep 6, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jose Fernandez (16) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
The National League Rookie of the Year race is one of the tightest in all of baseball. There are two players in particular that have everyone watching. Here are my choices from third to first for who should win the National League Rookie of the Year.
3. Shelby Miller- St. Louis Cardinals: The young right-handed pitcher of the St. Louis Cardinals started out the season very hot and he carried that into the All-Star Break. His record hasn’t been that great all season but the Earned Run Average has been great. He had a 2.02 ERA going into the month of June and it now sits at a very solid 3.05. He also sports a 3.63 FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) which takes into effect everything that the pitcher can control. He has cooled off over the second half but he is still a great candidate for the National League Rookie of the Year.
2. Yasiel Puig- Los Angeles Dodgers: Yasiel Puig took over the game of baseball when he came to the big leagues on June 3rd. He was the top candidate for the Rookie of the Year ever since then. Well, he has cooled off and the next man on this list has just gotten better. Puig is still hitting .339, but if he was going to win it he needs to be back around the .350 range since he missed some time at the beginning of the season. Puig is an excellent player that needs to control himself at times, but in the long run we will all be watching how he controls his emotions.
1. Jose Fernandez- Miami Marlins: Jose Fernandez may play for the worst team in baseball but, he has undoubtedly been the best Rookie. In my opinion, he should be in the Top 3 for the National League Cy Young. When you compare Fernandez to Miller, Fernandez is easily the better player. Well lets compare him to Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw has him beat in ERA. FIP is right about the same for the both of them, Fernandez leads in K/9, and Fernandez has a better K/BB ratio. Fernandez is an awesome player and will be a great one for years to come. Let’s remember, he is only 20 years old with a lot of room for growth. He is a scary guy to face and he is my choice for National League Rookie of the Year.