Come To Think Of It...MLB Rookie-Of-The-Year Awards Lacking Suspense

There certainly doesn't seem to be much suspense over who is going to win the Rookie awards in the AL or NL, does there? It has been such a foregone conclusion that Geo Soto of the Cubs will win the NL award, and that the Ray's Evan Longoria will take the award in the AL that it feels like it has already happened. But no, the actual awards will be announced this afternoon, at 2 p.m. ET. In fact, there is much speculation that Soto could be unanimous. And it's not because there are no other worthy candidates. Actually, the NL boasts several strong candidates for Rookie-of-the-Year. Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds had a solid rookie campaign, .297/.368/.504, with the most home runs of any candidate in the league. However, Soto's offensive numbers were almost as strong, and when you combine his stats with the demanding position he plays (catcher), his relative value is much higher. Catching is draining, both physically and mentally. And Soto did a solid job handling the Cubs' pitching ... (link)