Today's BBLVPA awards are the Rookie Hype of the Year awards, intended to go to the rookie in each league whose performance is the most disappointing compared to his pre-season or in-season hype.
About the Batter's Box 2003 Least Valuable Player Awards
2003 BBLVPAs : Mismanagers of the Year
2003 BBLVPAs : The Batter's Box Schadenfreude Awards
2003 BBLVPAs : Allan Travers Awards
We are please to announce that the 2003 Batter's Box Rookie Hype of the Year Award winners are Brandon Phillips in the American League, and Hee Seop Choi in the National League. Phillips was a runaway winner in the AL, taking six of nine first-place votes and a comfortable win over the Yankees' Jose Contreras. Choi won the NL race in a close finish over Brandon Larson of the Cincinnati Reds. Yours truly picked Larson, a painful pick since Larson was my own pre-season pick for 2003 NL Rookie of the Year, a pick that could not have failed more spectacularly.
Brandon Phillips - Cleveland Indians
.208 AVG, .242 OBP, .311 SLG, 388 PA, .186 EqA, -21.2 VORP
Brandon Phillips had the worst VORP in the major leagues, at 21.2 runs below a replacement player.
"Phillips is a premier athlete who projects as an all-star at either middle-infield position. As a shortstop, Phillips has drawn comparisons to a young Barry Larkin or Derek Jeter. Hitting out of a Jeff Bagwell-style crouch, Phillips has the bat speed and athletic skill to be a top-of-the-order hitter. Few middle infielders offer his combination of hitting for average and power. He has average range and plus arm strength at shortstop, and those tools play even better at second base. Phillips also has a charisma about him that stamps him as a special player. His confidence and flair sometimes annoy opponents. But he also enjoys playing the game and doesn’t hide it." -Jim Ingraham, Baseball America, December 2002
2B Brandon Phillips moves over from shortstop and should do an excellent Roberto Alomar impression." -The Prospect Report
"the future of the Indians" -Terry Pluto
"the most talented young player traded this summer [2002]" -Baseball America
"Phillips is so confident he wrote 'The Franchise' on a pair of workout shoes this spring." -CNNSI.com
"Every time I get moved up, I always do good. The last two years -- I played high A and went to Double-A, I did good. I went to Double-A again last year, I tore that league up, then I went to Triple-A. If I go to Triple-A again I'm gonna tear that league up and then come back to the big leagues. I don't want to be there again." -Brandon Phillips
(After being demoted to AAA, Phillips hit .175/.247/.279 in 43 games for Buffalo.)
Hee Seop Choi - Chicago Cubs
.218 AVG, .350 OBP, .421 SLG, 245 PA, .270 EqA, 3.7 VORP
Hee Seop Choi lost his starting job twice in the same season. To Eric Karros.
"First baseman Hee Seop Choi finally may get his chance to start and show off his big bat." -Sports Illustrated
"NL Rookie of the Year prediction: Hee Seop Choi" -John Sickels, ESPN.com
"The Korean first baseman has shown an amazing batting eye for a 24-year-old" -Jacob Luft, SI.com
"Choi entered the 2003 as the favorite to win the NL Rookie of the Year Award and he's still the frontrunner. He's on pace to hit 25-30 homers with 80 RBI. Choi is proving that he'll be a high on-base percentage and 30+ homer man for years to come." -Fantasy Info Central
"Choi has shown the power and patience that marked his entire minor-league career, and after sitting twice in the first week, has played in all but one Cubs game since. If that holds, it will mean my criticism of Dusty Baker's choices that first week was premature and that Choi will battle Kurt Ainsworth for NL Rookie of the Year." -Joe Sheehan, Baseball Prospectus
"I think Choi will be excellent. I think he is legitimate Rookie of the Year material. He strikes out. . .so what? Alex Rodriguez is leading the American League in strikeouts, or was the last I looked. You can live with it if he hits the ball hard." -Bill James
"He's doing well. He's doing very well... I hope he gets the same honor at the end of the year. Rookie of the Year, that's what I'm pulling for him to get. I'm happy for him. He's playing well." -Dusty Baker (May 3, 2003)
Rookie Hype of the Year Voting
Only the top 5 in each league are shown here. Nine votes were received; each voter was asked to rank three choices, points were awarded on a 5-3-1 basis.
American 1 2 3 Total
Brandon Phillips 6 1 0 33
Jose Contreras 2 1 0 13
Travis Hafner 0 2 0 6
Drew Henson 1 0 0 5
Dewon Brazelton 0 1 1 4
National 1 2 3 Total
Hee Seop Choi 2 3 0 19
Brandon Larson 2 1 0 13
Aaron Heilman 1 2 0 11
Joe Thurston 2 0 0 10
Jesse Foppert 1 1 0 8
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20031028084856999