NL ROY Finalists Sal Stewart TJ Rumfield JJ Wetherholt

[ashie62]

Carson Benge was not going to beat Sal Stewart for the award

JJ Wetherholt was in free fall the last six weeks of the season and Rumfield might be a small market dei pick or some stupid thing

Benge does not have initials as a first name and appears to have been punished for that distinction 

LGM

[Edgy MD]

Carson is a pretty cool first name, though.  He also could have borrowed A.J. Ewing's first name, if that would've helped.

This was a pretty broad field, and it may be one of those situations where announcing finalists actually dims interest rather than adding it.

Nolan McLean, of course, had been a candy date as well.

[Frayed Knot]

Rumfield had an OPS 67 points higher than that of Benge. But because one plays his home games at Cape Coors, the OPS+ edge was a mere 3 points [121 to 118] or essentially a statistical tie.

Benge had more HRs [20 to 16] and 4 fewer XBHs overall [49 to 45]. Benge 22 SBs (out of 27) which is 22 more than Rumfield. Both played a full season so GP, PA, ABs were about the same. And then there's defense to be considered.

 

But now we know that one of those two is in consideration for the RoY award and the other doesn't even rate an invite.

[Gwreck]

27 minutes ago, Frayed Knot said:

and the other doesn't even rate an invite.

This is a misconception created by the recent development of announcing “finalists” for awards.  

Announcing “finalists” suggests there is further voting or deciding to occur.  Not so.  This is just an announcement of who came in first, second, and third (without specifying order) in the one and only round of voting.  Benge and McLean no doubt were fourth and fifth in that same vote.

[Frayed Knot]

Yeah, I'm aware of how it works. And the idea of announcing ahead of time who ISN'T in contention to win the award might make sense if such awards were given out at a live ceremony where you want potential winners in attendance, such as the Heisman. But they don't, so I continue to not see the purpose of these pre-elimination proclamations unless it's MLB's goal to tell certain players and the fans of those teams ahead of time not to bother paying attention.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

MLB doesn't really care about "fans of teams" per se --they want to manufacture stars that can attract people who are not yet aligned with a team or baseball more broadly. Making an announcement of finalists is just a way to raise their profiles.

[Gwreck]

Upon further review, the “finalists” announced here are for the Major League Baseball Players Association 2026 Players Choice Outstanding Rookie Award.

They are not the finalists for the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award awarded by MLB and voted on by the writers.

[Edgy MD]

1 hour ago, Gwreck said:

Upon further review, the “finalists” announced here are for the Major League Baseball Players Association 2026 Players Choice Outstanding Rookie Award.

Well, you know, then, never mind.