Jason Bay is among the favorites for NL Rookie of the Year which will be announced on Nov. 8.

Nov. 5, 2004

Story by John Schlegel - Major League Baseball Reporter

Bay Named Top NL Rookie By MLB Players

NEW YORK - Unprecedented power and unparalleled poise.

Those are the debate points for the 2004 National League Rookie of the Year Award, with the former representing Pirates left fielder Jason Bay and the latter applying to Padres shortstop Khalil Greene.

Granted, some of the luster of the two-man race might have fizzled down the stretch, with Greene missing the last several weeks of the Padres' playoff run, save pinch-running duties, with a fluke finger fracture.

But it remains an intriguing case study of two extraordinary first-year performances, with a feel-good subplot: Bay and Greene were not only teammates a year ago, they were roommates while both were playing for Triple-A Portland in the Padres' chain.

Bay was dealt to Pittsburgh in August 2003 in the Brian Giles deal, but he and Greene remain close friends -- and friendly rivals for first-year honors in the NL.

Bay's case is simple: The 26-year-old Canadian led all Major League rookies in homers (26) and RBIs (82), and that's despite missing the first month of the season.

Greene's case is a little more esoteric. Though the 24-year-old's numbers stack up well for candidacy in any year, his defensive excellence and general veteran-like poise in the heat of a pennant race set him apart.

Both missed a significant part of the season, but Greene's September injury likely will affect the voting more than Bay's April recovery from shoulder surgery.

Following is a breakdown of the top candidates, in alphabetical order:

Jason Bay, PIRATES, LF
2004 Stats: .282, 26 HR, 82 RBI, .550 SLG
Inside the numbers: Bay's .327 average (34-for-104, 8 HR) with runners in scoring position projects major RBI potential.
Comment: For anyone who has followed the Pirates this year, this is a no-brainer. Bay has set the club rookie record for homers and is two shy of Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner's mark in RBIs -- two things Barry Bonds, for one, didn't accomplish -- and his slugging percentage is in the top five all-time among rookies. It's a powerful argument.

KHALIL GREENE, PADRES, SS
2004 Stats: .273, 15 HR, 65 RBI, 67 R, 31 2B
Inside the numbers: Greene had 50 extra-base hits, beating the franchise mark for shortstops set by Tony Fernandez in 1992.
Comment: Padres followers will tell Pirates followers: You have to have watched Greene day after day to appreciate how great he was this year. His offensive numbers are more than solid, and his defensive play was nothing short of extraordinary. Teammates credited several of San Diego's victories to his remarkably poised play at the most important position on the field, particularly impressive with the Padres in a playoff chase.

MATT HOLLIDAY, ROCKIES, LF
2004 Stats: .290, 14 HR, 57 RBI
Inside the numbers: Only Todd Helton has hit more homers as a Rockies rookie, with 25 in 1998.
Comment: Holliday's blossoming potential and his ability to take on the Major League challenge since his April promotion were big reasons why GM Dan O'Dowd felt he could trade stalwart outfielder Larry Walker. There are worse places for a corner outfielder to show off his offensive skill, and Holliday, predictably, had more pop at home, but he made a solid first impression.

AARON MILES, ROCKIES, 2B
2004 Stats: .293, 6 HR, 47 RBI, 75 R, 153 H
Inside the numbers: Miles is attempting to become the first rookie second baseman to hit .300 since Boston's Marty Barrett in 1984.
Comment: A remarkable showing on April 14 -- when he homered from both sides of the plate and drove in six runs -- put Miles on the radar screen, and he followed through with a season that might not have been as spectacular as that game but definitely solidified his status as a core element of the Rockies' future. Since April 14 he has tallied enough hits and runs to lead all NL rookies.

AKINORI OTSUKA, PADRES, RHP
2004 Stats: 7-2, 1.75 ERA, 73 APP, 1.06 WHIP
Inside the numbers: Otsuka has matched New York's Tom Gordon for the Major League lead with 34 holds.
Comment: A six-year veteran in Japan, Otsuka has been invaluable in contributing to Trevor Hoffman's record sixth 40-save season. With a double-clutching delivery and a combination of velocity and movement reminiscent of Hideo Nomo in his heyday, Otsuka had the best first season of a player from Japan in 2004.

Others up for consideration: Kaz Matsui, Mets; Terrmel Sledge, Expos