Half of the calendar is gone and you can start thinking about Rookie of the Year candidates. More than 190 players are included in the National Series for the first time, but before that, championship regulators should clarify the requirements for contenders for this award.
Looking through Benigno Daquint’s statistics files, one can find everything. From some awarded for participating in previous series to others that were denied for the same reason.
Even two criteria are processed. One that only rookies qualify for, and another that also includes players who have previously made little at-bat or innings appearances. This last option is applied in the major leagues with the addition of a certain time to the team’s payroll.
No one was awarded in 1999, as those responsible for the nomination considered that none of the candidates had merit. The most prominent was the Las Tunas catcher Norlys Concepción, but he was rejected because he had spent two moves to bat in the previous series.
However, some of those who have received this recognition have been successful in previous campaigns.
To give a few examples: Michel Gorguet got it in Series 48, despite having played in 13 games in Series 46, had 14 at-bats and was even champion with Santiago de Cuba.
Capital’s René Espin was a rookie of the West in 1992, after two innings in 1989, and the same happened to Pinar del Rio’s Renier Capote in 1994, after playing 11 matches two years earlier.
The most striking case is Larry Rodriguez of Havana, winner of the 1995 award and throwing 33 innings in the previous campaign.
It’s old data, because in 1975 Eduardo Terry (citrus growers) was stimulated as the “youngest” in the series, and in the previous one he was in six games, while working 5.1 innings.
In MLB, players who scored less than 130 games or 50 innings in the previous season, but with the addition of having been in the official lineup for less than 45 days, are eligible for the award.
It’s time to order this section and set the rules for our championships for a prize that can only be received once in a lifetime.
In this editor’s opinion, a minimum of previous work could be accepted, as our series tends to have frequent payroll changes, either due to contract signings or national pre-selection calls. And with it in and out, some hardly have a chance to play.
Who are the rookies with the best numbers in the current series? We will write about them soon.
Source: Juventud Rebelde