Your Picks for ROY

by John Sickels on Mar 30, 2026 4:47 PM EDT Comment 60 comments

I am getting back on the writing saddle, but I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow and may not be fully operational until tomorrow afternoon, so here is another discussion topic for you.

Who will win Rookie of the Year in both leagues? It never seems to be the players expected pre-season, so do you have any non-obvious candidates?

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I expect it to be Jason Heyward in the NL. (Sometimes the expected person wins i.e. Longoria)

My dark horse/ long shot for the NL is Juan Francisco.

The AL is a bit murkier for me this year and I may post later with a name or 2 there.

by Cormican on Mar 30, 2026 5:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

AL: Michael Brantley
NL: Heyward

There you go. Still, I hope I am wrong on Brantley since he should really be in Columbus to start the season. Effing economics.

by Oscar_the_Dog on Mar 30, 2026 5:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

AL- Matsuz, then Feliz, then Santana would be my top 3
NL- Strasburg, Posey/Castro

I hope that Heyward does well, but I am not expecting huge numbers out of him at his age. I think Strasburg when he comes up will be as good as advertised and run away with it.

JD’s like, "you want some fucking pitching? Here’s all the pitching you can stand. Now choke on it, bitches!"- RCCook

by laxtonto on Mar 30, 2026 5:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

ROY 2010

NL
1. Michael Stanton
2. Stephen Strasburg
3. Logan Morrison

AL
1. Desmond Jennings
2. Brian Matusz
3. Brantley/ Santana/ Hodges (Cle.)

(Being a Twins fan I wanted to say Wilson Ramos, as he is tearing it up, but god forbid, Mauer or Thome/ Kubel go down)

Wow Blackburn makes nearly identical money as Baker does now....

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Mar 30, 2026 5:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Is Stanton going to be in the majors this year?

For some reason, I thought he was expected to be in the minors for most, if not all, of the year…

by lakersdodgersyankees4life on Mar 30, 2026 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yea. I was bummed to hear he was starting the season in AA.

by Oscar_the_Dog on Mar 30, 2026 5:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

wow yeah I'm shocked Stanton isn't in at least AAAA

Wow Blackburn makes nearly identical money as Baker does now....

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Mar 31, 2026 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

argh

i meant AAA

Wow Blackburn makes nearly identical money as Baker does now....

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Mar 31, 2026 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jennings may only be up for 1-3 months.

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Mar 30, 2026 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

may not be up at all

baseball rules.

by doublestix on Mar 30, 2026 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah.

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Mar 30, 2026 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah, not with Ruggiano and S-Rod hitting like they are... and with Brignac knocking on the door

not much room for DEEZY til Crawford leaves

by daveh33 on Mar 30, 2026 8:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

S-Rod and Brignac have no spot, too.

Too much damn depth.

Hellboy may only see a few weeks in the Majors, as well.

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Mar 30, 2026 9:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Briggy has a spot next year

unless they trade Bartlett during the season or he sucks/gets injured… I think S-Rod is hitting his way onto the team

by daveh33 on Mar 31, 2026 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They're both on the team; they're just not gonna start, which sucks.

Unless someone goes down.

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Mar 31, 2026 5:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not if they Trade Carl Crawford before the Trade Deadline like the Rays should

IMHO

Plus Jennings is so valuable that if the Rays were smart the’yd play Zobrist at 2nd over Searn Rod and others and My mid-summer play D-Jennings full time in an OF spot. - somewhere

Wow Blackburn makes nearly identical money as Baker does now....

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Mar 31, 2026 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Should the Rays really trade Crawford?

If the Rays are leading, or within reasonable distance of the division/wild card they shouldn’t trade Crawford. Sometimes a team needs to keep its guys and make a run at the championship as those chances, especially in the AL East, are few and far between for teams not named Yankees or Red Sox. If the Rays do fall out of contention then I agree 100% that they need to move Crawford and get Jennings some playing time.

"When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."
-Jonathan Swift

by King Billy Royal on Mar 31, 2026 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know it is just spring training

but Rodriguez is acting like he is playing T-Ball and Jennings has been hurt for the most part, so it makes little since to reward Jennings by giving him the PT. Rodriguez is all but locked into the 2B spot (I’d assume) with Joyce being hurt right now and Zo will be in RF. If come May Rodriguez is struggling than maybe and that doesn’t even factor in Brignac who should also be in line for a ML spot before Jennings.

by Dbullsfan on Apr 1, 2026 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I could see Slama as a darkhorse candidate

I know he’s a reliever, but I suspect he’ll be in the pen quickly…

by diehardtwinsfan on Apr 1, 2026 8:41 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm

Dark horses for AL would be Scott Sizemore or Austin Jackson, and for the NL I’d go with Strasburg (because of the press, not because he deserves it).

"[M]aybe he’s hoping we’re distracting each other while he elopes with pie. I’m on to you Kurt."- madpoopz

President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.

by demondeaconsbaseball on Mar 30, 2026 5:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

+1 about Jackson

Adopted Giant: Mike Krukow.
Grab Some Pine, Meat
Kevin Frandsen: Better than any SS on the Giants roster
Hoping for BowkerMania to hit AT&T; Park in 2010

by Gobroks on Mar 30, 2026 8:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fearless Forecast

AL MVP: Desmond Jennings - I could see someone else swooping in and stealing this one, but no matter who I try to pick, Desmond is going to win, brotha

NL MVP: Jason Heyward - it is going to be very tough for anyone else to steal this award from the “Say Hey-ward Kid” but if anyone does, watch for Todd Frazier to be a darkhorse candidate.

PPPPPPUNTO 4 MVP 2010

by punto4mvp on Mar 30, 2026 5:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Fearless Forecast numero dose!!

AL ROY: Desmond Jennings - Speed/defense alone could win him ROY, add in the fact that he is capable of .280 and 15hrs as well gives you a solid ROY candidate
Sleeper: Michael Brantley, essentially has a good speed/defense package as well.

NL ROY: Jason Heyward- Has too good of a all around game to say anyone else.
Sleeper: Ian Desmond- A solid young SS capable of .270+ 10+ 20+ sb’s makes him a good CANDIDATE!!!

And yes Jonkenstein….I know both of my sleepers belong to my dynast team :)

by srbaseball2003 on Mar 30, 2026 6:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

eh

Yeah I noticed lol… you should have also had Alex Avila and Carlos Carrasco as sleeper ROY candidates ;)

PPPPPPUNTO 4 MVP 2010

by punto4mvp on Mar 31, 2026 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

mine

AL: Alex Avila, with Adam Moore a close second

NL: Ian Desmond, with Heyward next.

by TCapone30 on Mar 30, 2026 6:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The Capone family throwin' down some Al Avila/Ian Desmond love.

Daddy like.

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Mar 30, 2026 6:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1 on Avila

Very underrated, I own him and Wieters in a Dynasty league yet nobody will give me anything for Avila…

PPPPPPUNTO 4 MVP 2010

by punto4mvp on Mar 31, 2026 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bitches don't know 'bout Alex Avila

They just don’t know.

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Mar 31, 2026 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

he's not even going to be starting i don't think

am I wrong? don’t think so.

baseball rules.

by doublestix on Mar 31, 2026 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm pretty sure you're right

I’m not much of an Avila fan.

by jar75 on Mar 31, 2026 6:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

NL: Pedro Alvarez
AL: Brett Wallace

Bonds stands alone.

Neal before Zod!
Official Sponsor of the 1997 San Francisco Giants

by nostocksjustbonds on Mar 30, 2026 6:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Matusz/Heyward have to be the favorites

-I don’t see Jennings getting much MLB time this year, even if he is ready.
-I wouldn’t mind seeing Austin Jackson winning, simply because so many people wanted to completely write him off
-Feliz will stay in the bullpen, taking him out of the picture
-Fernando Martinez could make some noise
-Pedro will have K issues, limiting his chances at winning (although I think he’ll hit quite a few HRs which could sway voters)

by jar75 on Mar 30, 2026 6:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm on the Matusz/Heyward bandwagon

but i’m surprised at the lack of mentions of Wade Davis. He will be on a ~90 win team with a more than decent amount of national media coverage in addition to a 4ish FIP and decent win numbers.

by CubFanRaysaddict on Mar 30, 2026 6:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

by Johnny Tuttle on Mar 31, 2026 8:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My choices

AL- Wade Davis
NL-Stephen Strasburg

"When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."
-Jonathan Swift

by King Billy Royal on Mar 30, 2026 7:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

AL-Austin Jackson-OF-Det
Sleeper- Michael Saunders-OF-Sea

NL-Heyward
Sleeper-Gaby Sanchez-1B-Fla

Adopted Giant: Mike Krukow.
Grab Some Pine, Meat
Kevin Frandsen: Better than any SS on the Giants roster
Hoping for BowkerMania to hit AT&T; Park in 2010

by Gobroks on Mar 30, 2026 8:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

AL - Scott Sizemore
NL - Jason Heyward

by mg050369 on Mar 30, 2026 8:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

+1 mg

"The A's have to be setting some record this year for simultaneously maximizing team quality and player anonymity. I guess that’s sort of their thing though." - Luke in MN

by hero66 on Mar 31, 2026 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

hmmm

NL- Heyward
AL- Feliz

darkhorses:

NL- Desmond
AL- Sizemore

by daveh33 on Mar 30, 2026 8:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

start or close

on Feliz, are you expecting that he will start, or expecting that he will close. Although I guess it is possible, I think it is unlikely that he could win the award based on work as a set up/middle reliever, even if used in a number of high leverage situations.

by Dalman on Mar 31, 2026 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i think they start him out in the pen and an injury forces him into the rotation

where he dominates and gets the award

by daveh33 on Apr 1, 2026 12:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't see it

The Rangers would have to send him down to stretch him out in addition to taking him out of the set up role to get him ready to start. They also have some other AAA options, most notably Derek Holland, that they would go to first. He’s going to start the year in the bullpen and I’d be pretty surprised if he doesn’t end it there as well.

by jar75 on Apr 1, 2026 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Can’t believe all the attention given to Jennings…he’s a future stud but he’s not going to get enough time!

AL - Austin Jackson
NL - Pedro Alvarez

by brewerm on Mar 30, 2026 9:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Austin Jackson

Over/Under OPS: .600?

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Mar 30, 2026 10:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Over

I would be he is around .720 to .750. Yankees scouts reportedly were shocked at how his pitch recognition has improved this spring. If this is correct, the Tigers may have a player who has a tremendous skill set that is beginning to click. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Action Jackson hit .270 with 12-15 HR, and 20 steals.

"When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."
-Jonathan Swift

by King Billy Royal on Mar 30, 2026 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep

I generally ignore spring stats (in fact, it’d probably be best if they didn’t even keep score), but I am encouraged by a 8/9 K/BB for Jackson.

by jar75 on Mar 30, 2026 11:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I should have gone with a .650 over/under.

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Mar 31, 2026 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll throw out...

…Allen Craig’s name as an NL sleeper

by jseiner on Mar 30, 2026 11:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ike Davis?

"My name is Daniel Murphy and I bat 3rd."

by Celtics17 on Mar 30, 2026 11:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

nl roy - jason heyward
al roy - brian matusz

nl darkhorses - juan francisco or ian desmond
al darkhorses - justin smoak or carlos santana

by hrv1978 on Mar 30, 2026 11:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yep

AL - Feliz
Sleeper - Michael Taylor
Darkhorse - Josh Bell

NL - Jason Heyward
Sleeper - David Freese
Darkhorse - Jaime Garcia

Yadi is my hero

by Big Phil on Mar 30, 2026 11:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hmmmm

AL - Brian Matusz, then Wade Davis, then Justin Smoak (He gets called up as Davis disappoints again)

NL - Heyward, followed closely by Strasburg, and at at distant 3rd Alcides Escobar

In football, the object is for the quarterback, otherwise known as the field general, to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the defense by hitting his recievers with deadly accuracy in spite of the blitz, even if he has to use the shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs, he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack that punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy's defensive line.

In baseball the object is to go home! And to be safe! "I hope I'll be safe at home!"
-George Carlin (RIP)

by Taskmaster on Mar 31, 2026 1:05 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Chris "Father Nature" Davis 'till I die.

Davis/Smoak is going to have to get traded.

They’re defensive skills are too good to waste at DH.

Brett Anderson is the Truth. Brett Anderson is divine presence. Brett Anderson is eternal life. Brett Anderson is within you. Brett Anderson is here. Brett Anderson is Now.

by Frederick0220 on Mar 31, 2026 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good point

They really need a pitcher in the worst way. They should have gone after Lackey, but maybe they can trade for Oswalt or something?

In baseball the object is to go home! And to be safe! "I hope I'll be safe at home!"
-George Carlin (RIP)

by Taskmaster on Mar 31, 2026 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Roys, Roys Roys, Roys!

NL Jason Heyward
AL Austin Jackson

by backtocali on Mar 31, 2026 9:54 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Matusz/Strasburg

To be understood is to be a prostitute. ~ Fernando Pessoa

by James F on Mar 31, 2026 11:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

ROY

NL- Heyword- even if he’s league average, it’s phenomenal for a 20 year old, plus all the national hype that will follow will get him there. Strasburg will get some play, but Heyword will have 2 months on him. Escobar would also factor in if he can hit .300
AL- I’ll pick Matusz and call it a day.

"That's not a weird stat. Rickie is a run-scorer," Yost said. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter," Yost told reporters. "See, you guys have no concept. He's a run-scorer. So there's nothing weird about it. That's what he does."

by Hyatt on Mar 31, 2026 1:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

AL : Matusz
NL : Heyward

A lot pick the same - Heyward and Matusz orJennings , Feliz

by Grzesio on Mar 31, 2026 4:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

NL- Heyward, such a trendy pick but the guy has all the tools and is going to be given every chance to succeed.

AL- Reid Brignac, I think that the Rays will find someway to get him into the line-up no later than a month or two into the year (like Longoria 2 years ago). While I don’t think he will have the huge rookie year Longoria did I think he is going to have a really solid season.

by Dbullsfan on Mar 31, 2026 5:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs