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Young guns

McEwing, Zimmerman lead rookie class at midseason

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Posted: Thursday July 08, 1999 10:09 AM

St. Louis' J.D. Drew and Oakland's Eric Chavez were the overwhelming favorites for the rookie of the year awards going into this season. But so far, neither player has lived up to his hype. So who are the top rookies?

In the National League, Reds reliever Scott Wiliamson anchors the best bullpen in the majors, and Florida shortstop Alex Gonzalez is providing terrific defense while hitting around .300.

But my top NL rookie is St. Louis second baseman Joe McEwing.

I've talked a lot with Joe this season, and he told me that after seven seasons in the minors he's just trying to prove he belongs at the major league level. He's certainly doing that -- racking up a 25-game hitting streak that's the fifth longest for a rookie in major league history.

Joe has a unique batting stance. Look at how he sits back on his back leg, holds his bat almost like a golf club, and he always has that one finger hanging off. But what really impresses me about Super Joe is how he's not afraid to hit with two strikes. He'll shorten his swing and will take outside pitches to right field. In fact, he's hitting around .250 with two strikes on him. The major league average is just .193.

In the American League, Kansas City's "Dos Carlos," center fielder Carlos Beltran and second baseman Carlos Febles look like building blocks for that franchise. Detroit pitcher Jeff Weaver has been roughed up lately. But after starting 6-3.. he was being called "Roy" by his teammates -- short for Rookie of the Year.

But my pick is Rangers reliever Jeff Zimmerman. He has an ERA around one, opposing batters are hitting barely .100 against him, and Mariners' manager Lou Piniella has said that Zimmerman may have had more impact on the American League West race than any other player.

Zimmerman developed a wicked slider while pitching in France of all places. As his pitching coach Dick Bosman points out, Jeff's slider doesn't go from right to left, it goes from right to straight down. And he can use it against either righties or lefties.

That's why Zimmerman is my midseason pick for rookie of the year.

 

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