Ripken Wins AL ROY

Cal Ripken, Jr. has been announced as the runaway winner of the American League Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Ripken, who received 24 of 28 possible first place votes, hit .264 with 28 homers and 93 RBI. The voters undoubtedly considered factors other than offensive numbers since Minnesota’s Kent Hrbek (.301, 23 homers, 92 RBI) was equally as impressive with the bat.

This is a point that did not go unnoticed by ornery Twins owner Calvin Griffith who called the result “an out-and-out travesty.”

Griffith said that he thinks Ripken is a good player, but “by no stretch of the imagination is he the all-around baseball player that Hrbek is.”

The voters disagreed. And, really… The stats did as well.

Ripken’s Orioles team was more involved in the pennant race, though they lost the division to the Brewers on the final day. And Ripken is also a shortstop, which is a much more demanding position than first base, which is Hrbek’s position.

What do you think? Did the award go to the right player?

Player – Tm	Pts	1st	AVG	HR	RBI	W	ERA	SV
Cal Ripken, BAL	132	24	.264	28	93
Kent Hrbek, MIN	90	4	.301	23	92
Wade Boggs, BOS	10	0	.349	5	44
Ed Vande Berg, SEA	9	0		0	0	9	2.37	5
Gary Gaetti, MIN	4	0	.230	25	84
D Hostetler, TEX	3	0	.232	22	67
Von Hayes, CLE	2	0	.250	14	82
Jesse Barfield, TOR	1	0	.246	18	58