Putting together a roster of fantastic first-year stars

	Dan Uggla is only one of the many stud rookies on the Marlins, who also boast Josh Johnson and Hanley Ramirez. Bob Rosato/SI
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Dan Uggla was little more than a spare infield body in Arizona's minor leagues when the Marlins rolled the dice and plucked him from the Diamondbacks in last winter's Rule 5 Draft. Andre Ethier was stuck in the crowded A's farm system with so little chance of playing in the majors this year that Oakland made him the less-famous end of a trade for the famously volatile Milton Bradley.

Jered Weaver? He's always been a decent prospect, the 12th pick of the Angels in the 2004 draft. But he was best known as the other pitching Weaver brother.

Now these guys are among the best rookies in one of baseball's best rookie classes in years.

This is the year of the rookie in Major League Baseball. And not just the year for the highly anticipated, can't-miss rookies like Minnesota pitcher Francisco Liriano and Florida shortstop Hanley Ramirez, either.

No, 2006 is the year for scrappers like Uggla, a five-year minor league veteran who became an All-Star with the Marlins.

"I kept playing because I had no clue of what I wanted to do. I didn't want to go back to school or work in the real world," Uggla told USA Today last month. "I guess the Marlins are stuck with me now."

This season has been the coming-out party for outfielder Ethier, too, who would be wasting away in Oakland's minor leagues if not for the Bradley trade. Ethier is the starting left fielder for the division-leading Dodgers and one of the brightest young outfielders in the big leagues.

A lot was expected out of Weaver, though maybe not this quickly. But he has been so good since he came up -- unbeatable, in fact -- that he forced the Angels into dumping his older brother, Jeff, to make room for him in the rotation.

This year there are so many rookies making so many major contributions to their teams -- some to postseason-bound teams -- that it'd be easy to cobble together an All-Rookie team that could challenge for a playoff spot itself.

So we did.

First base: Prince Fielder, Milwaukee
Like a lot of rooks -- like his team -- Fielder is still looking for a little consistency. He's a lumbering 260-pound free swinger with tremendous power (he has 22 home runs, more than any rookie) to all fields, a lefty who can pound sliders and breaking balls as well as fastballs. He's still trying to get comfortable at first base, but at just 22 years old, he'll be a force for a long time to come. Also considered: Conor Jackson, Arizona.

Second base: Dan Uggla, Florida
The Swedish-surnamed second sacker, now 26, has worked himself into one tough out. He has the best OPS among all rookie second basemen (.844, third overall among all rookies) and he's second among all rooks in homers (19) and RBIs (67). He's slowed some since the All-Star break, and he's only an average fielder, but he remains the best of a good group. Also considered: Howie Kendrick, Angels; Josh Barfield, San Diego; Ian Kinsler, Texas.