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NL rookie crop one for the ages

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	• Storylines • Series to See • Heroes & Bums • Fantasy Fare • Short Hops • Yogi-isms • Peanut Gallery

By Lonny Krasnow, CNNSI.com

This is the best group of rookies in years, and not just because of a 27-year-old from Japan. Ichiro has been as good as advertised, and he will set the rookie record for hits even if he doesn't win the AL batting title.

Meanwhile, Indians left-hander C.C. Sabathia has 20-win stuff and Yankees second baseman Alfonso Soriano has 30-30 potential.

But as good as Ichiro, Sabathia and Soriano have been, the NL may have a better trio in Albert Pujols, Jimmy Rollins and Roy Oswalt.

One could make a case that the Cardinals' Pujols is having the best season a rookie hitter ever has had in the major leagues. He's already one of eight rookies to reach the magical .300-30-100 plateau, and he owns the NL rookie RBI record. Pujols is the runaway favorite for NL Rookie of the Year and should receive serious MVP consideration.

Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins was an All-Star and has already become a team leader. Defensively, he's as smooth as they come (only 14 errors). Rollins, 22, has a chance to be the first player since Lou Brock to lead the NL in steals and triples.

Roy Oswalt, who had not pitched above Class AA before this season, has amazed the Astros with his poise and fearlessness. His numbers speak for themselves: 14-2, 2.53 ERA, 143 K, 24 BB. Oswalt, 23, missed his last start with a groin strain, but should be ready to join the rotation Friday.

Approaching the Mark It's looking more like when than if. With 11 games remaining, Barry Bonds has 67 home runs, three shy of Mark McGwire's record. Bonds is also two homers from tying Reggie Jackson for seventh place on the all-time list. Ya gotta believe Amazingly, the New York Mets are 22-6 since Aug. 17, including 5-1 since returning from baseball's week off following the terrorist attacks. They start the week in Montreal with a four-games deficit in the NL East. Farewell tours Tony Gwynn makes his last trips to Colorado and San Francisco, while Cal Ripken takes a final bow at Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium. The Rickey watch Rickey Henderson enters Tuesday's action three runs short of tying Ty Cobb's major league record of 2,245, and seven hits shy of 3,000. Play ball! Several baseball sources maintain that the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks may result in both sides -- owners and the Players Association -- agreeing to a one-year extension of the current collective bargaining agreement. NL tiebreaker scenarios Philadelphia won a coin flip to host Atlanta if a one-game playoff is needed to decide the East. If a tiebreaker is needed to decide the Central, Houston would be at St. Louis. In the West, it would be San Francisco at Arizona.

St. Louis at Houston, Monday-Wednesday The Astros try to push the Cardinals further into one race -- the one for the NL wild card -- as the teams continue a crucial series at Enron Field. San Francisco at Los Angeles, Monday-Wednesday While the spotlight will be on Barry Bonds, the Giants and Dodgers are more interested in gaining ground on the Cardinals and Diamondbacks. Tampa Bay at New York, Tuesday-Thursday Baseball returns to Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night, and Roger Clemens (20-1) will be on the mound with a chance to clinch the AL East. Oakland at Seattle, Friday-Sunday The A's swept the Mariners last weekend, handing Seattle its first three-game losing streak and first losing road series. Now it's payback time.

Hero: Jose Mesa Two wins and two saves for the Phillies' closer last week. Raise your hand if you thought Joe Table would approach the 40-save mark this season. Bum: Andy Pettitte The Yankees' top lefty is 1-2 with a 7.56 ERA in September and 6-6, 5.53 since the All-Star break. Better now than in October, right? Hero: Alex Rodriguez If anybody is worth $252 million, it's A-Rod. Another huge week (.560-4-7) puts his season totals in uncharted territory for shortstops (.322-48-127). Bums: The Brewers Milwaukee struck out 10 times Friday night, breaking the record for most strikeouts in a season. The 1996 Tigers set the previous record of 1,268.

All-Rookie Team The top fantasy rookies for 2001 (stats through Sept. 24): Pos.  Player  Team  Stats  C  A.J. Pierzynski  Minnesota Twins  .291-6-49  1B  Shea Hillenbrand  Boston Red Sox  .269-10-46  2B  Alfonso Soriano  New York Yankees  .275-18-69, 43 SB  SS  Jimmy Rollins  Philadelphia Phillies  .280-13-52, 45 SB  3B  Albert Pujols  St. Louis Cardinals  .333-36-126  OF  Ichiro Suzuki  Seattle Mariners  .348-7-68, 48 SB  OF  Adam Dunn  Cincinnati Reds  .268-16-39  OF  Tsuyoshi Shinjo  New York Mets  .272-10-53  RHP  Roy Oswalt  Houston Astros  14-2, 2.53 ERA  LHP  C.C. Sabathia  Cleveland Indians  15-5, 4.49 ERA     • Check out Fantasy Central for more insight and analysis.

The New York Mets spent 163 days below .500 -- from April 6 to Sept. 16. Only three active big-leaguers played under Billy Martin: Rickey Henderson, Al Leiter and Randy Velarde. The Pittsburgh Pirates must go 6-5 in their final 11 games to avoid losing 100 games for the first time since 1985. Ten players lead their teams in all three Triple Crown categories, including Milwaukee's Richie Sexson, who is hitting .258. If the Oakland A's win eight of their final 12 games, they will become the ninth team since 1901 to win 100 games and finish in second place. Colorado's Todd Helton is the seventh player to post consecutive 50-double seasons. The others: Tris Speaker (1920-21), George Burns (1926-27), Billy Herman (1935-36), Joe Medwick (1936-37), Edgar Martinez (1995-96) and Craig Biggio (1998-99).

Our tribute to the banal banter of baseball "You could actually hear the air conditioner running through the vents. I think Preston Wilson and I could hear each other breathe. Unbelievable."   -- Marlins right fielder Kevin Millar on the sparse crowds at Montreal's Olympic Stadium

CNNSI.com users explain which teams will be affected most by baseball's revised schedule due to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11:

The New York Yankees. The layoff gave them nine days to rest their aching bones, and the new schedule gives them ample time to set their rotation. Chris, New Paltz, N.Y. I think the week off and the tragedy have brought the Phillies closer. They were in a tailspin since the All-Star break. I think they'll win the NL East because of this. Brian Schmutz, Hatfield, Pa. The Cubs. As usual, the downward spiral had started, and with a another week off, it will be worse. Mike Alwine, Des Plaines, Ill. The Mets (for obvious reasons). If they win the first few games this week, they will have momentum coming home. Meanwhile, the Phillies and Braves play each other seven times, allowing the Mets to creep closer. Dan Keefe, Philadelphia Instead of finishing with 10 of their last 13 games at home as originally scheduled, the Dodgers now end the year with a brutal nine-game road trip through Arizona, San Diego and San Francisco. Stan Singleton, Los Angeles Tampa baseball fans lose big time. Now we have to watch the Rays stink it up for an extra week. David Gitlin, Tampa, Fla. We Red Sox fans benefited the most from the missing games. We didn't have to see our team continue to self-destruct. Scott Gaudet, Whitman, Mass. Orioles and Padres fans are the ones who benefit the most. They get to see their Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn finish their Hall of Fame careers at home. Fred Hansley, Baltimore

This week's topic: Is Albert Pujols having the greatest rookie season ever? If not, who holds that distinction? Hal Trosky? Fred Lynn? Mark McGwire?

Your name: Your e-mail address: Your hometown: Your take here (in 25 words or less)

 

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