2004 rookies: prospects looking to make an impact include Mets shortstop Kazuo Matsui, Twins catcher Joe Mauer and Dodgers pitcher Edwin Jackson

Baseball Digest, April, 2004 by George Vass

As for left-handers, the Brewers' Luis Martinez, 23, looks like almost a sure bet for a depleted Milwaukee pitching staff. He was a combined 12-5 with a 2.12 ERA at Class AA Huntsville and AAA Indianapolis last season, before finishing the year at Milwaukee, where he was 0-3. His 162 strikeouts ranked high among all minor leaguers.

Another lefty, Jon Connolly, 20, may be a "sleeper." He started out last season with a 12-0 mark at low Class A West Michigan, amazingly keeping his ERA below 1.00 almost into July. As it was, he finished the campaign 16-3 with a 1.41 ERA. He doesn't throw hard, but then neither does Jamie Moyer, who won 21 games for the Seattle Mariners last season.

Among other position players, Pirates outfielder Jason Bay and Devil Rays catcher Pete LaForest may be worth keeping an eye on, especially in Canada, their native land.

The Pirates obtained Bay, 25, a right-handed hitter, in the trade that sent star Brian Giles to the San Diego Padres last August. Bay responded by batting .291 in 79 at-bats for Pittsburgh. He spent most of 2003 at Class A Portland, where he hit .303 with 20 homers and 59 RBI in 91 games, despite suffering a broken wrist early in the season.

"Jason is an interesting guy because he can hit, get on base, and also drive in runs," said Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield. "He has a chance to be a high-end kind of guy in the major leagues."

A scout called Bay "a grinder," which amounts to high praise in sports lingo. Much the same has been said of Giles.

"I couldn't think of a higher compliment than being called a grinder," said Bay. "That's the way I have to be. I wasn't a big star coming out of college. I didn't even get drafted until my senior year, and I was a low pick."

Nobody will remember that if he succeeds. (Bay was a 22nd round pick in 2000, but then Mike Piazza wasn't taken until round 62 in 1990, which goes to show.)

The other Canadian rookie, LaForest, 25, is reportedly better with bat than glove, but that may not matter much in the A.L. where he can serve as a designated hitter as well as play first base and catch. He batted .264 overall in 2003, splitting the season between Class AA Orlando and Class AAA Durham, with 17 homers and 53 RBI in 273 at-bats though he missed the first six weeks of the campaign.

What he may do best is hustle, a commodity sometimes in short supply.

"He is going to give you everything he has got out on the field every night," said Devil Rays general manager Chuck LaMar.

"We'll see how he swings the bat," said manager Lou Piniella.

LaMar and Piniella sort of summed it up when it comes to gauging rookies. Effort and performance are among the attributes necessary to succeed in the big leagues.

Some of the youngsters mentioned here undoubtedly will prove to have all that it takes, inherited talent or not.

Rookie of the Year
Award Winners

AMERICAN LEAGUE

YEAR    PLAYER, TEAM (POS.)

2003    Angel Berroa, KC (ss)
2002    Eric Hinske, Tor. (3b)
2001    Ichiro Suzuki, Sea. (of)
2000    Kazuhiro Sasaki, Sea. (p)
1999    Carlos Beltran, KC (of)
1998    Ben Grieve, Oak. (of)
1997#   N. Garciaparra Bos. (ss)#
1996#   Derek Jeter, NY (ss)#
1985    Marty Cordova, Min. (of)
1994    Bob Hamelin, KC (1b)
1993#   Tim Salmon, Cal. (of)#
1992    Pat Listach, Mil. (ss)
1991    Chuck Knoblauch, Min. (2b)
1990#   Sandy Alomar Jr., Cle. (c)#
1989    Gregg Olson, Bal. (p)
1988    Walt Weiss, Oak. (ss)
1987#   Mark McGwire, Oak. (1b)#
1986    Jose Canseco, Oak. (of)
1985    Ozzie Guillen, Chi. (ss)
1984    Alvin Davis, Sea. (1b)
1983    Ron Kittle, Chi. (of)
1982    Cal Ripken, Bal. (ss)
1981    Dave Righetti, NY (p)
1980    Joe Charboneau, Cle. (of)
1979    John Castino, Min. (3b)
        Alfredo Griffin, Tar (ss)
1978    Lou Whitaker, Det. (2b)
1977    Eddie Murray, Bal. (dh)
1976    Mark Fidrych, Det. (p)
1975    Fred Lynn, Bos. (of)
1974    Mike Hargrove, Tex. (1b)
1973    Al Bumbry, Bal. (of)
1972    Carlton Fisk, Bos. (c)
1971    Chris Chambliss, Cle. (1b)
1970    Thurman Munson, NY (c)
1969    Lou Piniella, KC (of)
1968    Stan Bahnsen, NY (p)
1967    Rod Carew, Min. (2b)
1966    Tommie Agee, Chi. (of)
1965    Curt Blefary, Bal. (of)
1964    Tony Oliva, Min. (of)
1963    Gary Peters, Chi. (p)
1962    Tom Tresh, NY (ss)
1961    Don Schwall, Bos. (p)
1960    Ron Hansen, Bal. (ss)
1959    Bob Allison, Wash. (of)
1958    Albie Pearson, Wash. (of)
1957    Tony Kubek, NY (ss)
1956    Luis Aparicio, Chi. (ss)
1955    Herb Score, Cle. (p)
1954    Bob Grim, NY (p)
1953    Harvey Kuenn, Det. (ss)
1952    Harry Byrd, Phi. (p)
1951    Gil McDougald, NY (3b)
1950    Walt Dropo, Bos. (1b)
1949    Roy Sievers, St.L. (of)

One major league award was
given in 1947 and 1948

NATIONAL LEAGUE

YEAR    PLAYER, TEAM (POS.)

2003    Dontrelle Willis, Fla. (p)
2002    Jason Jennings, Col. (p)
2001#   Albert Pujols, St.L. (of)#
2000    Rafael Furcal, Atl. (ss)
1999    Scott Williamson, Cin. (p)
1998    Kerry Wood, Chi. (p)
1997#   Scott Rolen, Phi. (3b)#
1996    Todd Hollandsworth, LA (of)
1995    Hideo Nomo, LA (p)
1994#   Raul Mondesi, LA (of)#
1993#   Mike Piazza, LA (c)#
1992    Eric Karros, LA (1b)
1991    Jeff Bagwell, Hou. (1b)
1990    David Justice, Atl. (of)
1989    Jerome Walton, Chi. (of)
1988    Chris Sabo, Cin. (3b)
1987#   Benito Santiago, SD (c)
1986    Todd Worrell, St.L. (p)
1985    Vince Coleman, St.L. (of)
1984    Dwight Gooden, NY (p)
1983    Darryl Strawberry, NY (of)
1982    Steve Sax, LA (2b)
1981    Fernando Valezuela, LA (p)
1980    Steve Howe, LA (p)
1979    Rick Sutcliffe, LA (p)
1978    Bob Horner, Atl. (3b)
1977    Andre Dawson, Mon. (of)
1976    Butch Metzger, SD (p)
        Pat Zachry, Cin. (p)
1975    John Montefusco, SF (p)
1974    Bake McBride, St.L. (of)
1973    Gary Matthews, SF (of)
1972    Jon Matlack, NY (p)
1971    Earl Williams, Atl. (c)
1970    Carl Morton, Man. (p)
1969    Ted Sizemore, LA (2b)
1968    Johnny Bench, Cin. (c)
1967    Tom Seaver, NY (p)
1966    Tommy Helms, Cin. (2b)
1965    Jim Lefebvre, LA (2b)
1964    Richie Allen, Phi. (3b)
1963    Pete Rose, Cin. (2b)
1962    Ken Hubbs, Chi. (2b)
1961    Billy Williams, Chi. (of)
1960    Frank Howard, LA (of)
1959#   Willie McCovey, SF (1b)#
1958#   Orlando Cepeda, SF (1b)#
1957    Jack Sanford, Phi. (p)
1956#   Frank Robinson, Reds (of)#
1955    Bill Virdon, St.L. (of)
1954    Wally Moon, St. L. (of)
1953    Jim Gilliam, Bkn. (2b)
1952    Joe Black, Bkn. (p)
1951    Willie Mays, NY (of)
1950    Sam Jethroe, Bos. (of)
1949    Don Newcombe, Bkn (p)
1948    Alvin Dark, Bos. (ss)
1947    Jackie Robinson, Bkn. (1b)

Bold lace: Unanimous choice

NOTE: Unanimous choice is indicated with #.