It’s a crowded field, but you’ve got to like Ryan Zimmerman’s chances to win the National League Rookie of the Year award.
This year’s crop of senior circuit freshmen is impressive. If I have to name a top five, I’m comfortable with the following quintet, in alphabetical order:
» Andre Ethier, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers — He’s the player the Dodgers received from Oakland in exchange for Milton Bradley, who wore out his welcome in L.A. Ethier bats left-handed and spent the first month of the season in the minors. He’s batting over .330 with extra base power and hits lefties better than righties. He’s an above average outfielder with a strong arm. An Arizona State product, he’s 24 years old. If the Dodgers prevail in the West, he may end up the front-runner.
» Prince Fielder, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers — I remember Prince as a youngster, coming through Baltimore with his dad, Cecil. He was as big around then as he was tall, but strong enough to wrestle his father’s teammates in the clubhouse. Prince’s role with the Brewers took on added importance following the Carlos Lee trade, and so far he looks like the real deal: a near .300 average, 20-plus home runs and 60-plus RBI. He’s even stolen five bases, not bad for a guy who spreads 260 pounds over a 6-foot frame.
» Hanley Ramirez, SS, Florida Marlins — The 22-year-old with the slightly askew cap, a la teammate Dontrelle Willis, Ramirez was one of the jewels of the Red Sox farm system, and the key to the Josh Beckett trade last winter. A sometimes-spectacular defender with good offensive pop, he is currently hitting near .270 with 10-plus home runs and 25-plus doubles. He’s struck out more than 100 times, but should finish the year with more than 50 stolen bases.
» Dan Uggla, 2B, Florida Marlins — This guy was one of the game’s best prospects when he came out of the University of Memphis five years ago. He made the jump from Class AA to the majors look easy this spring. Should finish with around 25 home runs and 90-plus RBI and hit close to .300. The Marlins should be solid up the middle for years to come with Uggla and Ramirez.
Which brings us to Zimmerman, whose rookie season thus far has been nothing short of Joe Hardy-esque. The Z-Man has hit for power, has driven in runs — frequently in very dramatic fashion — and has played his position with skills that beg comparison to names like Robinson and Schmidt. He’s displayed the poise of a veteran, and, inasmuch as this is his first full season of professional baseball, has shown no apparent signs of fatigue. He should finish with 20-plus home runs and 100-plus RBI, becoming the first Washington third baseman to hit the century mark in RBI since Harmon Killebrew had 105 in 1959.
D.C.’s last Rookie of the Year winner was the late Bob Allison, also in 1959. Allison had a similar build to Zimmerman, and both were college products, Ryan from Virginia and Bob from Kansas.
I’m willing to take that as a sign.
Phil Wood has covered sports in the Washington-Baltimore market for more than 30 years.
