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2009 National League Rookie Of The Year


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(by MIKE FITZPATRICK | AP Sports Writer)


NEW YORK (AP)—Florida Marlins left fielder Chris Coghlan won the National League Rookie of the Year award in a close vote Monday.

Coghlan edged Philadelphia Phillies pitcher J.A. Happ, receiving 17 first-place votes and 105 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Happ, the only player picked on all 32 ballots, had 10 first-place votes and 94 points.

“It’s very exciting,” Coghlan said. “I couldn’t have written it better.”

Coghlan dug himself out of an early slump and had a superb second half. Emerging as pesky leadoff hitter for the Marlins, he batted .321 with nine homers and 31 doubles in 128 games. He scored 84 runs and drove in 47.

Called up from the minors in May, the 24-year-old Coghlan topped NL rookies in batting average, runs, hits (162), total bases (232) and on-base percentage (.390). He became the third Florida player to win the award, joining shortstop Hanley Ramirez (2006) and pitcher Dontrelle Willis (2003).

“At the end of the year I knew that I put myself in a good position to win,” Coghlan said.

A second baseman in the Minors, Coghlan was with Triple-A New Orleans this year when the Marlins told him they wanted to try him in the outfield.

He played one Minor League game in left—without getting a fly ball—and then was brought up to the Majors. He finished the season with five errors.

“A lot of people think I’m pretty bad out there. But I think it’s an adjustment,” Coghlan said. “I have confidence playing the outfield. It was a situation I embraced to get me to the big leagues the quickest and to help the team win games.”

Happ’s versatility was a huge plus for the Phillies, who won their second consecutive NL pennant before losing to the New York Yankees in the World Series.

The left-hander went 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA in 35 games, including 23 starts. He led NL rookies in innings (166), strikeouts (119) and complete games (three).

Atlanta pitcher Tommy Hanson finished third in a competitive field with two first-place votes and 37 points. Pittsburgh outfielder Andrew McCutchen, who came in fourth, also was chosen first on a pair of ballots. Milwaukee infielder Casey McGehee received the other first-place vote.

“When you get up there’s so many different aspects to the game. … It takes a while to get comfortable in a routine,” Coghlan said. “In the second half, things turned around and it all ended well. In the beginning it wasn’t as easy as it was at the end of the year.”


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