By Rich Mancuso/ Sports Editor
“Another factor that works against Andujar is a “NY bias.” Yes, it does exist among out of town voters. There are some who will not back Andujar because he played for the Yankees.”
That my friends from my colleague Howie Karpin and published on NYsportsday.com. Karpin is correct about Miguel Andujar losing out to Shohei Ohtani for AL Rookie of the Year. One hopes that Jacob deGrom of the Mets does not have a similar outcome Wednesday evening when the NL Cy Young Award winner is announced.
Simply put that 1.70 ERA speaks for itself for Jacob deGrom.
Again this is strictly opinion but there is that prejudice about the New York Yankees that could have had an impact on why Miguel Andujar was denied honors as 2018 American League Rookie of the Year.
But there is that won-loss record that could work against deGrom. However, if Jacob deGrom is not the first and unanimous choice then this could be a anti New York vote and you hope it has nothing to do with pitching on the other side of town at Citi Field.
And with that, we have a controversy with postseason awards. Miguel Andujar looked like a lock and a Yankee would be AL Rookie of The Year two consecutive years. Perhaps Aaron Judge last year was a certainty. Certainly Miguel Andujar, a catalyst in leading the Yankees to 100 wins, had the numbers but finished second to the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani.
But those who get to vote, among the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, saw it another way. Ohtani was the Majors’ first two-way star in a century and one explanation was a Babe Ruth comparison.
Yeah, a century later. And isn’t there a category known as CY Young Award, deserving for a pitcher? Though, Ohtani, and this is not taking away his accomplishments, did not have Cy Young numbers with a 3.31 ERA, 63 strikeouts with 51 ⅔ innings pitched.
Here is was all about comparisons to Babe Ruth. The 10 pitching outings and 20 home runs for Ohtani are totally unfair to Miguel Andujar. Apparently the 40 doubles with 25 home runs, the first third baseman in Major League history to accomplish that in his rookie campaign were not enough for Miguel Andujar.
The credentials were not enough for Miguel Andujar. No, because this became a vote with the name Babe Ruth as the competition and denied a New York Yankee player a second straight AL Rookie of the Year award.
Forget about those numbers. WAR and analytics, also that apparently played a role in the vote. At NYsportsday, those who covered Andujar, almost on a daily basis, do not get the opportunity to vote without membership to the Baseball Writers’ Association. But there are those national writers that saw this another way.
They saw Babe Ruth comparisons. Again there has to be that factor of the NY Yankees even if that is denied. But not like a political election, there can’t be a recount. The criteria and how members vote is a matter of discretion.
And with an unofficial vote, from those who don’t get that opportunity, Miguel Andujar was the choice.
What matters more is the impact Miguel Andujar had for the Yankees. And what matters more is the future is good with him Give a take the defensive lapses at third base, the youngster will continue to grow and be an eventual All-Star.
And you hope the vote tomorrow night is the right one. It says Jacob deGrom, but you never know because this is New York though not a player for the Yankees.
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