NL Rookie of the Year Candidates

Doubles – Dexter Fowler 27, Andrew McCutchen 20

Triples – Dexter Fowler 9, Gerardo Parra 8

Home Runs – Garrett Jones 16, Colby Rasmus 14

Runs Batted In – Gerardo Parra 50, Andrew McCutchen 44, Colby Rasmus 44

Stolen Bases – Dexter Fowler 26, Everth Cabrera 20

Batting Average (200 or more at bats) – Chris Coghlan .296, Casey McGehee .292

On Base Percentage – Chris Coghlan .373, Chris Dickerson .373, Dexter Fowler .372

Slugging Percentage – Garrett Jones .602, Andrew McCutchen .497

On Base Plus Slugging – Garrett Jones .962, Andrew McCutchen .852

Extra Base Hits – Dexter Fowler 40, Andrew McCutchen 37

Summary

Dexter Fowler leads in four of the 10 categories listed, while Garrett Jones is leading in three of the categories.

This could be a tough choice for the voters among Fowler, Jones, McCutchen, Coghlan, and Parra.

Jake Fox would be among the leaders if he had more than 168 at bats. If he had the required 200 at bats, he would be fifth in home runs with 10 and fourth in RBI with 39.

He is 11 RBI behind NL rookie leader Parra, despite having 201 fewer at bats. His .530 slugging percentage would be second to the .602 mark of Jones.

It is too close to call today, but I look for Jones or Fowler to win. Rasmus may be a surprise winner, despite his .311 on base percentage because of playing for the NL Central leading Cardinals.

NL Rookie Pitching Leaders

Wins – J.A. Happ 10, Tommy Hanson 9

ERA – Starters (100 innings pitched) – J.A. Happ 2.63, Randy Wells 3.06

ERA – Relievers (50 Innings Pitched) Ronald Belisario 2.18, Danny Herrera 3.00

Strikeouts – Kenshin Kawakami 98, J.A. Happ 97

Saves – Dan Meyer 2, Juan Gutierrez 2, Bobby Parnell (only 3 rookie pitchers with saves in NL while Andrew Bailey had 20 by himself in the AL.

Holds – Luke Gregorson 19, Dan Meyer 17

Lowest Opponent Batting Average Against Starters – J.A. Happ .226, Randy Wells .255

Lowest Opponent Batting Average Against Relievers – Ronald Belisario .201, Luke Gregerson .233

Summary

There is no clear-cut winner among NL rookie pitchers with J.A. Happ (10-3), Tommy Hanson (9-3), and Randy Wells (9-7) leading the field going into September.

My choice right now would be J.A. Happ, since he leads NL rookie starters in wins and ERA. But Hanson and Wells are positioned to make a bid for the NL Rookie of the Year award by the end of the season.

Happ is the choice because he has filled in for the Phillies starting rotation converting from a reliever to a starter. He has three more wins than Cole Hamels in seven fewer starts.