MLB.com announced Rookie of the Year Awards on their website, so I figured we would share that with you. Here's the article from MLB.com.
Check out the Geovany Soto and Evan Longoria cards in our store.
Longoria, Soto are Rookies of the Year
Rays third baseman, Cubs catcher take home 2008 honors
Evan Longoria, the third baseman whose powerful bat keyed the Rays' remarkable turnaround season, and Cubs catcher Geovany Soto were named Monday the 2008 winners of their respective leagues' Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award.
Longoria was the unanimous American League selection of the 28 voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America, for the 27 homers and 85 RBIs that followed his delayed addition to the Rays' lineup on April 12.
Longoria, also the only player named on all 28 ballots, and White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez, who drew 18 second-place votes and 59 total points, reigned over a deep influx of first-year players.
An unusually high number of 10 different rookies, half of them pitchers, attracted votes.
But none of them wowed voters like Longoria, the first unanimous AL winner since Nomar Garciaparra in 1997 (Albert Pujols took NL honors unanimously in 2001).
"This is so special. I appreciate every vote, and every writer who thought I was No. 1, " said Longoria, who spoke on a conference call from his California home and quickly set his sights on more.
"I know I had a great year, and if I can keep replicating it, I'll have a productive career," Longoria said. "But I know I have the ability to do a lot more. All I can do is prepare to the best of my ability. You can't control the results, only the preparation."
Soto was nearly as popular a choice in the NL, getting 31 of the 32 first-place votes after minding the critical defensive position for the Central Division champs while putting up 23 homers and 86 RBIs.
He was the only player named on each of the 32 ballots, his 31 firsts and one second resulting in a total of 158 points. Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto finished second with 76 points and was followed by Atlanta pitcher Jair Jurrjens (34).
"I feel very honored," said Soto, speaking from his homeland of Puerto Rico, calling the moment he learned he'd won the award "very emotional. It was a very good moment in my life.
"I worked really, really hard. And now I feel all the work paid off."
The Reds had the distinction of placing three young talents among the top five, with right-hander Edinson Volquez and outfielder Jay Bruce following Jurrjens.
Volquez's presence on that list is definitely unique: No longer a rookie, the pitcher was mistakenly placed on the ballot and received three votes for second, thus there was an obligation to include him in the final results.
2008 NL Rookie of the Year Voting
Player, Club 1st 2nd 3rd Points
Geovany Soto, CHC 31 1 158
Joey Votto, CIN 1 21 8 76
Jair Jurrjens, ATL 6 16 34
Edinson Volquez, CIN* 3 9
Jay Bruce, CIN 7 7
Kosuke Fukudome, CHC 1 1 4
* Volquez received votes despite being ineligible as a rookie.
Longoria, the first Rookie of the Year in Tampa Bay's 11-season history, also became the first third baseman to earn the award in the AL since his current Tampa Bay teammate Eric Hinske -- who played that position for Toronto in earning honors in 2002.
Ironically, Longoria identified Hinske and Cliff Floyd as the two veteran teammates on whose advice he depended while making the challenging transition to the Majors.
"I tried not to show it, but I was in awe most of the time," said Longoria, who cracked the Rays' lineup 22 months after having been the team's No. 1 pick in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft. "I knew staying in the big leagues is a lot harder than getting there, and I constantly talked to Cliff and Hinske about handling certain situations."
Soto is the first Cub honored with the award since pitcher Kerry Wood in 1998, and the first catcher in the NL since the Dodgers' Mike Piazza in 1993.
"I had a huge responsibility with the pitchers," Soto conceded. "Day in and day out, I just prepared the best I could. It was a rollercoaster all season, and everything just happened for the best."
The rookie award caps off a remarkable year for the 25-year-old Puerto Rican native, four months after he'd been elected by fans as the first rookie catcher to start in an All-Star Game.
Soto's power numbers were 47-year highs for Cubs rookies. Billy Williams hit 25 homers and drove in 86 runs while also earning NL Rookie of the Year honors in 1961.
Soto gave heartfelt props to teammate Henry Blanco, thanking the veteran catcher for being "in my corner, like a big brother."
"I owe him a lot of my success," Soto said. "It was huge having him on my side."
2008 AL Rookie of the Year Voting
Player, Club 1st 2nd 3rd Points
Evan Longoria, TB 28 140
Alexei Ramirez, CWS 18 5 59
Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS 7 5 26
Mike Aviles, KC 2 3 9
Armando Galarraga, DET 9 9
Joey Devine, OAK 1 3
Denard Span, MIN 3 3
Nick Blackburn, MIN 1 1
Joba Chamberlain, NYY 1 1
Brad Ziegler, OAK 1 1
There were premature ends to the storybook seasons of the first set of Rookies of the Year to play in the postseason since 2001, when Pujols and Ichiro Suzuki appeared with the Cardinals and Mariners, respectively.
Longoria's Rays dropped the World Series in five games to the Phillies, while Soto's Cubs couldn't survive a Division Series meeting with the Dodgers.
"I want to get a ring. That's why you go to Spring Training, to ultimately win it all," said Soto, not short of further motivation. "I want to work harder, to have a better season and help my team win again, then go deeper into October."
Longoria's aspirations are more basic following his second full professional season during which he played 129 games (including the first seven in Triple-A), but missed 30 others with a fractured right wrist after being hit by a pitch in early August.
"My No. 1 goal is to get myself ready and healthy for 162 games next year," Longoria said. "I want to play every day. If I do that, I know everything else will fall in place."
Showing posts with label Longoria. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Longoria. Show all posts
November 10, 2008
October 22, 2008
Evan Longoria Article from Upper Deck
This article was taken from Upper Deck's website. I thought some readers might like to check this out, especially with the World Series coming up.
Evan Longoria Cements His Place as the Hobby’s Rookie of the Year
Baseball fans rush to add Upper Deck rookie cards of Tampa Bay’s third baseman to their collections
North Las Vegas, NV (October 20, 2008) – The Tampa Bay Rays do not have a long history of baseball success or memorable moments. They do however have a blossoming long-ball hitter who is helping to create certain history and deliver some special moments to the “Sunshine State.” Rookies are not supposed to help lead their team to the World Series, but that’s just what Evan Longoria has done for Tampa Bay.
Tampa Bay has long been a football town, but ever since the Rays dropped the “Devil” from their name and pulled the tarp off the upper deck seats at Tropicana Field to accommodate bigger crowds, it’s clear: Evan Longoria is helping make it a baseball town. He’s the odds-on favorite to win the A.L. Rookie of the Year award, he’s shattering records in the postseason and he’s got the baseball makeup to be a perennial MVP candidate. Upper Deck is proud to deliver a wide array of rookie card offerings of Longoria to satisfy the needs of every level of collector.
“Although we are not at the level yet where people grew up cheering for the Rays, Evan Longoria is the type of player everyone can cheer for,” said Gabriel Garcia, Upper Deck’s Baseball associate brand manager. “The Upper Deck Baseball team has really enjoyed watching him this season so we put together the top ten rookie cards of Longoria for 2008. There are cards for every level of collector, but they are all in high demand because of his on-field performance. Pick them up today while you still can!”
#10 – 2008 Upper Deck X – Card #94 – Currently available in the market
Background – This card shows Longoria doing what he does best, watching one of his balls sail over the fence. This is a great rookie card of Longoria to own at a lower price.
#9 – 2008 Upper Deck Goudey – Card #200 – Currently available in the market
Background – There is actually an uncorrected error on the base version of this card where it indicates “Ken Griffey Jr. says…” instead of “Derek Jeter says…” On the more rare mini-versions of the card, the type is correct. The Goudey set has been very popular so this is a great card to start off your Longoria set with.
#8 – 2008 Upper Deck Masterpiece – Card #7 – Currently available in the market
Background – These cards are all produced on a canvas type paper stock and seem to have an insert card type feel to them. This is a great painted image of the slugger stretching out before an at bat. There are a variety of rare versions with different colored borders including the “Pinot Red” version which is limited to just one copy.
#7 – 2008 Upper Deck Timelines 2004 Timeless Teams Design – Card #303 – Available November 4, 2008
Background – The new Upper Deck Timelines brand is unique in that it features today’s players in some of the most popular designs from the past. This card is sure to be one that collectors will be looking for when it hits the market next month given the popularity of the Timeless Teams set.
#6 – 2008 SPx – Card #148 – Currently available in the market
Background – These cards were offered through the 2008 SPx Mystery Rookie Redemption Program. Evan was card RR3 in the program and collectors who found and registered that card will receive this special autographed rookie card.
#5 – 2008 Upper Deck Timelines 1993 SP Design – Card #311 – Available November 4, 2008
Background – The 1993 SP design is a favorite with collectors so it’s safe to speculate that this card will be on the “Must Have” list for plenty of them.
#4 – 2008 Upper Deck Sweet Spot – Card #121 – Available December 23, 2008
Background – The 2008 Sweet Spot product will be back with a lower price point this holiday season. The "Sweet Beginnings" rookie cards are always popular since they are not only very limited, but also autographed.
#3 – 2008 Upper Deck Ballpark Collection – Card #121 – Currently available in the market
Background – This higher-end rookie card has a classy look and also Evan’s signature. They are tougher to find, but they are certainly worth looking for.
#2 – 2008 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection – Card #101 – Available December 30, 2008
Background – The Ultimate Collection brand is very high-end and this rookie card proves it. This limited-edition card will have a huge jersey swatch that Evan Longoria will actually sign making it the type of card for the collector who has them all.
#1 – 2008 SP Authentic – Card #121 – Available in the market
Background – This is the first year 2008 SP Authentic rookie cards have included a jersey swatch. This limited-edition, autograph jersey card is definitely the Evan Longoria rookie card that every collector is hoping to add to their collection this year. SP Authentic rookie cards tend to be some of the most valuable and sought after cards each year and this one will be no different.
Evan Longoria Cements His Place as the Hobby’s Rookie of the Year
Baseball fans rush to add Upper Deck rookie cards of Tampa Bay’s third baseman to their collections
North Las Vegas, NV (October 20, 2008) – The Tampa Bay Rays do not have a long history of baseball success or memorable moments. They do however have a blossoming long-ball hitter who is helping to create certain history and deliver some special moments to the “Sunshine State.” Rookies are not supposed to help lead their team to the World Series, but that’s just what Evan Longoria has done for Tampa Bay.
Tampa Bay has long been a football town, but ever since the Rays dropped the “Devil” from their name and pulled the tarp off the upper deck seats at Tropicana Field to accommodate bigger crowds, it’s clear: Evan Longoria is helping make it a baseball town. He’s the odds-on favorite to win the A.L. Rookie of the Year award, he’s shattering records in the postseason and he’s got the baseball makeup to be a perennial MVP candidate. Upper Deck is proud to deliver a wide array of rookie card offerings of Longoria to satisfy the needs of every level of collector.
“Although we are not at the level yet where people grew up cheering for the Rays, Evan Longoria is the type of player everyone can cheer for,” said Gabriel Garcia, Upper Deck’s Baseball associate brand manager. “The Upper Deck Baseball team has really enjoyed watching him this season so we put together the top ten rookie cards of Longoria for 2008. There are cards for every level of collector, but they are all in high demand because of his on-field performance. Pick them up today while you still can!”
#10 – 2008 Upper Deck X – Card #94 – Currently available in the market
Background – This card shows Longoria doing what he does best, watching one of his balls sail over the fence. This is a great rookie card of Longoria to own at a lower price.
#9 – 2008 Upper Deck Goudey – Card #200 – Currently available in the market
Background – There is actually an uncorrected error on the base version of this card where it indicates “Ken Griffey Jr. says…” instead of “Derek Jeter says…” On the more rare mini-versions of the card, the type is correct. The Goudey set has been very popular so this is a great card to start off your Longoria set with.
#8 – 2008 Upper Deck Masterpiece – Card #7 – Currently available in the market
Background – These cards are all produced on a canvas type paper stock and seem to have an insert card type feel to them. This is a great painted image of the slugger stretching out before an at bat. There are a variety of rare versions with different colored borders including the “Pinot Red” version which is limited to just one copy.
#7 – 2008 Upper Deck Timelines 2004 Timeless Teams Design – Card #303 – Available November 4, 2008
Background – The new Upper Deck Timelines brand is unique in that it features today’s players in some of the most popular designs from the past. This card is sure to be one that collectors will be looking for when it hits the market next month given the popularity of the Timeless Teams set.
#6 – 2008 SPx – Card #148 – Currently available in the market
Background – These cards were offered through the 2008 SPx Mystery Rookie Redemption Program. Evan was card RR3 in the program and collectors who found and registered that card will receive this special autographed rookie card.
#5 – 2008 Upper Deck Timelines 1993 SP Design – Card #311 – Available November 4, 2008
Background – The 1993 SP design is a favorite with collectors so it’s safe to speculate that this card will be on the “Must Have” list for plenty of them.
#4 – 2008 Upper Deck Sweet Spot – Card #121 – Available December 23, 2008
Background – The 2008 Sweet Spot product will be back with a lower price point this holiday season. The "Sweet Beginnings" rookie cards are always popular since they are not only very limited, but also autographed.
#3 – 2008 Upper Deck Ballpark Collection – Card #121 – Currently available in the market
Background – This higher-end rookie card has a classy look and also Evan’s signature. They are tougher to find, but they are certainly worth looking for.
#2 – 2008 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection – Card #101 – Available December 30, 2008
Background – The Ultimate Collection brand is very high-end and this rookie card proves it. This limited-edition card will have a huge jersey swatch that Evan Longoria will actually sign making it the type of card for the collector who has them all.
#1 – 2008 SP Authentic – Card #121 – Available in the market
Background – This is the first year 2008 SP Authentic rookie cards have included a jersey swatch. This limited-edition, autograph jersey card is definitely the Evan Longoria rookie card that every collector is hoping to add to their collection this year. SP Authentic rookie cards tend to be some of the most valuable and sought after cards each year and this one will be no different.
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