USA TODAY International Edition
Fernandez, Myers top rookies in NL, AL
Fernandez won 12 games for Marlins; Rays have 3 Rookies of the Year on active roster
If there’s any wonder why the Tampa Bay Rays are a perennial contender in the American League, we’re regularly reminded this time of year.
Rays outfielder Wil Myers was this year’s winner of the Jackie Robinson Award as AL rookie of the year, selected by the Baseball Writers Association of America, Tampa Bay’s third winner in six years.
The Miami Marlins have a good start on copying the Rays’ road to success with pitcher Jose Fernandez winning the National League rookie of the year award.
Fernandez won 12 games for the last- place Marlins, finished second in the NL with a 2.19 ERA and led the league with 5.8 hits allowed per nine innings — the lowest figure in the NL since 1985 and best in the majors since 2000.
That was enough for Fernandez to get 26 of the 30 first- place votes and beat out Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig, who got the other first- place votes and finished second.
Myers’ selection makes the Rays the only team with three rookies of the year on its active roster — all won with Tampa Bay — pitcher Jeremy Hellickson ( 2011) and third baseman Evan Longoria ( 2008).
And just to add to the franchise résumé, Rays pitcher Chris Archer finished third this year.
Myers and Archer came to the Rays in oft- repeated situations, when the financially restricted club traded pitchers for prospects.
Myers didn’t get to the majors until June 18, just over six months after the seven- player deal that sent pitcher James Shields to the Kansas City Royals, but he hit .293 with 13 homers in 88 games. His 53 RBI were tops among AL rookies, the first time since 1948 a player was the rookie leader in RBI while playing fewer than 90 games.
“When I was called up, it didn’t even cross my mind,” Myers said of winning the award. As it turned out, his 88 games were the fewest for a position player rookie of the year.
Archer came to the Rays in a Janu- ary 2011 trade with the Chicago Cubs with pitcher Matt Garza the key figure going the other way.
There’s even a Tampa- area connection for Fernandez, who was so dominant after making the Marlins roster out of spring training as a 20year- old that he’s also a finalist for the NL Cy Young Award that will be announced Wednesday.
Fernandez was born in Cuba, escaped with his family after ninth grade on their fourth attempt by boat — even rescuing his mother after she fell into the ocean during the trip — and finished his schooling at Tampa’s Braulio Alonso High School.
He saw his grandmother for the first time since leaving Cuba on Sunday when he was stunned by her showing up in Miami.
Fernandez said he didn’t fully understand details of how his grandmother’s visit was arranged, but he said she would be able to travel from Cuba to watch him play.
He won the rookie of the year with a steadier season- long performance than countryman Puig.
Whether Fernandez is the cornerstone of the Marlins building toward what the Rays have accomplished in recent years depends on Miami’s willingness and ability to keep together its young talent, because the franchise has more talented players, especially hitters, ready to emerge.