Shohei Ohtani was rewarded for a Ruthian season at the plat

NEW YORK (AP) — e — and on the mound.Baseball’s best two-way player since the Babe at the dawn of the live-ball era a century ago Drew Robinson Jersey , Ohtani was an overwhelming pick for American League Rookie of the Year on Monday despite an elbow injury that stymied his switch from Japan to the major leagues and likely will prevent him from pitching next year.“I was just kind of disappointed I wasn’t able to play a full season,” he said through a translator. “I feel like every player should be able to play a full year and help out the team. So that’s something I need to work on, and that’s going to be one of my goals, to stay healthy for a long full season and be able to the team win from day one.”Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. was a runaway choice for the NL honor over Washington outfielder Juan Soto in a contest between 20-year-olds.A singular sensation who earned a chorus of praise for his dual success, Ohtani became the first player since Ruth in 1919 with 10 homers and four pitching wins in the same season.He didn’t play between June 4 and July 3 because of a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, an injury the Angels were aware of when they signed him for a $2,315,000 bonus last winter. The 24-year-old right-hander made just one more mound appearance, on Sept. 2 http://www.rangersfanproshop.com/authentic-alex-claudio-jersey , and three days later the team said a scan revealed additional damage and surgery was recommended.Ohtani appeared in 22 more games as a hitter, had Tommy John surgery on Oct. 1 and hopes to be able to help the Angels at the plate next season. He probably won’t take the mound again until 2020.“Everything’s going well,” he said. “We’re right on schedule, maybe even a little ahead.”Ohtani, who left the Nippon Ham Fighters to play in the major leagues, received 25 first-place votes and four seconds for 137 points from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. New York Yankees third baseman Miguel Andujar was second with five firsts and 89 points, and Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres was next with 25 points.Ohtani was 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA and 63 strikeouts over 51 2/3 innings in 10 starts. As a designated hitter, he batted .285 with 22 homers and 61 RBIs and a .925 OPS in 367 plate appearances.“Of course, getting hurt is never a good thing Robinson Chirinos Jersey ,” he said. “I was able to fight through it.”He is the first Japanese player to win a rookie honor since Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki in 2001 and the fourth overall, joining the Dodgers’ Hideo Nomo in 1995 and Seattle’s Kazuhiro Sasaki in 2000. Ohtani became the first player with 15 homers as a batter and 50 strikeouts as a pitcher in the same season.Acuna received 27 first-place votes and three seconds for 144 points. Soto got two firsts and 89 points, and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler was next with one first and 28 points.Acuna, in Japan with a major league All-Star team, declined to participate in a morning conference call about the vote, BBWAA secretary-treasurer Jack O’Connell said.Acuna started the season at Triple-A and made his debut on April 25, the youngest player in the majors then at 20 years, 128 days. The Venezuelan hit .293 with 26 homers, 64 RBIs and 16 steals with a .917 OPS. He set a Braves record with eight leadoff homers this season and tied a franchise mark by homering in five straight games from Aug. 11-14.Soto debuted on May 20 at 19 years Curtis Granderson Jersey , 207 days, although in a quirk the Dominican is credited with a home run from five days before his debut — he went deep on June 18 against the New York Yankees in the completion of the May 15 suspended game. Soto hit .292 with 22 homers, 70 RBIs and a .923 OPS. He was two shy of Tony Conigliaro’s big league record for home runs by a teenager.The AL and NL Manager of the Year will be announced Tuesday. Boston’s Alex Cora, Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash and Oakland’s Bob Melvin are the finalists for the AL honor and Atlanta’s Brian Snitker, Milwaukee’s Craig Counsell and Colorado’s Bud Black are the finalists for the NL award. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Former Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi is the new president of baseball operations for the San Francisco Giants.The Giants announced the hiring Tuesday night and planned a formal introduction at AT&T Park on Wednesday, a day before they hold a public celebration of life for late Hall of Famer Willie McCovey.Baseball executives are meeting this week for the GM meetings in Carlsbad, California, and Giants CEO Larry Baer knew it might take this long to find the right person to push the department in a fresh direction.Zaidi just completed his fourth year as GM for Los Angeles. His Dodgers won a sixth straight NL West title and lost in the World Series each of the past two seasons.“We set out to find one of the best minds in baseball and Farhan’s many accomplishments and expertise exceeded our expectations,” Baer said. “Farhan is widely viewed as one of the top executives in our industry and we are thrilled to have him lead the next chapter of Giants baseball.”In November 2014 http://www.bluejaysfanproshop.com/authentic-jaime-garcia-jersey , the Canadian-born Zaidi departed his job as assistant GM of the Oakland Athletics to lead the Dodgers under Andrew Friedman. Zaidi earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1998 and a PhD in economics from the University of California at Berkeley in 2011.So, Zaidi brings more of an analytical emphasis and strength. The Giants sought to upgrade their baseball operations department and take a “fresh approach,” as Baer put it.“I am delighted to return to the Bay Area and to join one of the most storied franchises in the game,” said Zaidi, who turns 42 this coming Sunday. “I have watched the Giants from afar and I have great respect for the organization’s culture and many accomplishments. I am excited about this new opportunity and I’m looking forward to getting right to work.”Zaidi is expected to have the flexibility to hire someone as GM under him. He spent 10 seasons with Oakland and received plenty of responsibility on Billy Beane’s staff, such as playing a key role in the acquisition of Cuban slugger Yoenis Cespedes before the 2012 season.The Giants dismissed GM Bobby Evans in September. San Francisco — which won World Series championships in 2010, ’12 and ’14 — went 73-89 in 2018 and went a majors-worst 5-21 in September to miss the playoffs for a second straight year and third in four seasons.With the A’s, Zaidi’s areas of expertise included providing statistical analysis for evaluating and targeting players in the amateur draft, free agent and trade markets. He also worked on arbitration cases Yangervis Solarte Jersey , minor league contracts and worked closely with coaches to analyze data from advance scouting reports.Zaidi previously served as business development associate for Small World Media, the fantasy sports division of The Sporting News, and also worked as a management consultant for the Boston Consulting Group.The San Francisco Chronicle first reported the hiring Tuesday night.