From the Bleachers

While I was watching the New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves game, the thought hit me, why are Japanese players considered rookies?
I like the fact that Japanese players can come to the states and be successful, but what I do not understand is why Major League Baseball considers them rookies.
Last year, when Ichiro Suzuki won both Rookie of the Year and AL MVP, I was a little confused. Now, the Mets have a Japanese player named Saturo Komiyama, but he is 36 years old. How in the world can he be considered a rookie? The Braves-Mets game was a good one; it lasted 14 innings, but what I do not understand is why the people calling the game say that he had been in seven Japan All-Star games but is a rookie. So, I guess as long as you play baseball outside of the United States and then come here to play, you are considered a rookie.
I disagree.
Baseball needs to change that rule. How is it fair to give Ichiro Rookie of the Year when he had already ready been one of Japan’s best hitters for the past three years?
I strongly dislike this rule. Last year C.C. Sabathia went 17-4 with the Indians and managed to place second in the Rookie of the Year voting. Sabathia never played baseball at any professional level before last year and still managed to win 17 games. How is it fair that Ichiro be named Rookie of the Year? I do feel that Ichiro was the AL MVP, and I think that it is great that someone born outside of the U.S. won the award, but I do not agree with baseball when they proclaim that a Japanese player, or any other player at the professional level, is considered a rookie.
I know that last year was not the first year it has happened, (Hideo Nomo with the Dodgers), but again he was no rookie, and he still took the award.
Could you image being a rookie at the age of 36? In three years, he will probably have to retire. I really think baseball needs to go to the rule and make some changes. If a player only plays a couple of years and then retires because of his age, how can baseball fans consider a 36-year-old a rookie?
I guess this is something I will never understand.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Apr 12 2002. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry