The 2006 L&L All-Rookie Team or: The Florida Marlins

I've never really done requests before. I feel like a lounge musician. So, this one's for you, Phantom, you crazy rookie-loving nut.

Catcher - Kenji Johjima, Sea. 17 home runs, Japanese.
First Base - Prince Fielder, Mil. 26 homers, .353 OBP, fat.
Second Base - Dan Uggla, Fla. 26 homers, 89 RBI, 103 runs, great name.
Third Base - Ryan Zimmerman, Was. 18 homers, 99 RBI, 81 runs, North Carolinian.
Shortstop - Hanley Ramirez, Fla. 64 extra base hits, 112 runs, 50 SBs, former Boston prospect.
Left Field - Josh Willingham, Fla. 25 homers, .364 OBP, born in Florence. Florence, Alabama, that is.
Center Field - ugh...
Right Field - Nick Markakis, Bal. 16 homers, .355 OBP, perfect name for a Red Sox (Mahkaykis!!!)

The candidates for center field are awful. Reggie Abercrombie (OPS .609)? Nate McLouth (OPS .678)? Brian Anderson (OPS .671)? Yeesh. Let's just throw first baseman-turned-left fielder Chris Duncan out there and be glad this team won't actually play defense.

And just to be stupid, a batting order:

1. Ramirez
2. Uggla
3. Willingham
4. Fielder
5. Zimmerman
6. Duncan
7. Markakis
8. Johjima

Rotation (no particular order)
1. Jered Weaver, LAA. 2.15 ERA, 96 k's in 108 innings, was a Dirtbag in college.
2. Francisco Liriano, Min. 2.74 ERA, 177 k's in 144 innings, awesome beard.
3. Josh Johnson, Fla. 3.10 ERA, 133 k's in 157 innings, really tall.
4. Justin Verlander, Det. 3.63 ERA, 128 k's in 181 innings, born in the Land of Gooches.
5. Scott Olsen, Fla. 3.87 ERA, 156 k's in 172 innings, from same town as Derek Jeter.

There was a crazy amount of great rookie starters this year. Honorable mentions to Rich Hill, Cole Hamels, Anibal Sanchez, Matt Cain, Chad Hensley, Chuck James and Jake Woods.

Bullpen
Closer: Jonathan Papelbon, Bos. 0.92 ERA, 35 saves, has a submarining younger brother.
Set-Up: Joel Zumaya, Det. 2.00 ERA, frequently tops 100 MPH.
Set-Up: Adam Wainwright, StL. 3.21 ERA, middle name is "Parrish."

I was able to put this team together after scouring the internet info for ten minutes and finding that ESPN can sort stats for rookies: hitters, pitchers.

Overall winners for AL and NL rookies? Liriano and Johnson, for the same reasons. Lots of innings, tons of strikeouts, and a tiny ERA. The rookie hitters this year, while good, were kind of underwhelming. Liriano and Johnson put up Cy Young-type numbers.

And to my three readers: sorry for the endless posts about baseball. I'll try to think of something else eventually.