The Baseball Bloggers Alliance announced the winners of the Willie Mays Award today, which goes to the top rookie in each league.
In the American League, Mike Trout was awarded the honors by every voting member of the BBA. Trout, who maintained his rookie status in Major League Baseball for 2012, led the league in runs (129), stolen bases (49) and OPS+ (171). In addition, his slash line of .326/.399/.564 kept him among league leaders. Trout caps an all star season with recognition from the group as the top youngster in the American League.
In the National League, Washington Nationals phenom Bryce Harper claimed two-thirds of the members’ votes to win.
My vote went to Cincinnati Reds infielder Todd Frazier, a New Jersey native who put together an impressive rookie season with much less hype.
I think they got it right. Harper posted a 5.0 WAR as a 19-year old rookie, and just missed 100 runs scored. Frazier is already a 26-year old “rookie,” and posted a 1.9 WAR. Harper also had 44 more total bases.
It’ll be fun to see what Harper can do once he learns how to actually play the game consistently at the MLB level.
I used to pay attention to the new stats like WAR, but lately I’ve placed less value on them. If FanGraphs and Baseball-Reference ever decide to release the formula they use so that we could independently calculate the number, I’ll reconsider.
The total bases discrepancy is negated if you factor in the difference in plate appearances.
Looking at traditional stats:
Harper’s slash line: .270 /.340 /.477
Frazier’s slash line: .273 / .331 / .498
Frazier had a slightly better batting average and a bigger advantage in slugging percentage. Harper had a better on-base percentage.
Harper had 22 home runs and 18 stolen bases, Frazier had 19 home runs and 3 stolen bases.
Harper had more home runs, but also substantially more plate appearances. His baserunning is the one area that he was clearly better than Frazier offensively.
I’m not trying to take away from what Harper did as a teenager still learning the game at the major league level – but I’d rather recognize the 26-year-old rookie’s great year and let Harper take a shot at some MVP awards if he lives up to his potential.
These awards have never been exclusively about on-the-field performance. Nor do I think they should be. Harper clearly did more for the game than Frazier this year. No one outside of Cincinnati is going to the park to see Todd Frazier. No one is anxiously hoping for a Todd Frazier rookie card in their pack of Topps. No, the star factor isn’t the only or most important factor in deciding these awards. But it IS a factor. So long as the stats are relatively close, the award should go to the player with the intangible of generating excitement.