all of this is true and webb does deserve the rookie of the year in
my opinion if its not scott podsednik but the all star game is about
popularity and the people wanted to see dontrelle and if im not
mistaken he had better numbers at the time anyway. i watched both
pitch and webb is very talented and i think he has a long future in
the big leagues as a starter. unfortunately for me and the marlins
dontrelle doesnt have the same talent level. he fools people with
his delivery but doesnt have an over powering fastball or a breaking
ball that can get people out on a consistent basis. his location is
often off as well. i see him as a future setup man or closer but his
time as a starter will not go very far into his career. at least hes
helping us win a wild card berth though.

--- In marlins@yahoogroups.com, "stiffpeter2000"
<stiffpeter2000@y...> wrote:
> Clearly, Webb worthy of top rookie consideration, too
>
> 08/03/2003
>
>
>
>
> Go ahead and mail it in. Everyone else has, especially ESPN.
> Give the National League Rookie of the Year award to Florida
pitcher
> Dontrelle Willis. It's simple, right?
>
> Well, it shouldn't be.
>
> Guess which pitcher has put up even more impressive stats? You
don't
> have to look far to find him.
>
> Down the hill at Bank One Ballpark, Brandon Webb has put up
numbers
> as solid as anyone in the National League -- including Willis.
>
> Yet nobody was crying when Webb was left off the National League
All-
> Star team, which is exactly what happened when Willis was
initially
> snubbed by Cubs manager Dusty Baker. (Let's remember, though, that
> Willis was "snubbed" in favor of Atlanta pitcher Russ Ortiz, who
at
> the time led the National League in victories.)
>
> Of course, Webb doesn't have the full-time publicity machine
revving
> in his favor.
>
> Willis has a number of nicknames, thanks to the unsavory ESPN
crew,
> everything from D-Train to D-Licious. Ugh.
>
> Webb? Well, Bob Brenly has taken to calling him Webby.
>
>
> But that's not very exciting, is it?
>
> Willis has a high leg kick, an unorthodox delivery and plays the
game
> with a high level of enthusiasm.
>
> Webb just gets the job done. In 16 starts, Webb has allowed more
than
> three earned runs just once. And that was against San Francisco at
> home, when he allowed four Giants runs in the first inning and
shut
> them down for the next five.
>
> Here are the two pitchers' pertinent stats, through Wednesday:
>
> * Webb: 7-4, 2.48 ERA; 18 G, 17 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 116 IP, 92 H, 32
ER,
> 31 BB, 102 Ks.
>
> * Willis: 10-2, 2.50 ERA; 16 G, 16 GS, 2 CG, 2 SHO, 97.1 IP, 85 H,
27
> ER, 32 BB, 93 Ks.
>
> OK. You make the choice? Webb or Willis for ROY?
>
> Hmmm. Not easy, is it?
>
> Now, I ask you, how is this award just being mailed to Willis?
>
> This is not a clear-cut choice.
>
> Willis is a hard-thrower who deceives people with his unorthodox
> delivery. Webb is not a strikeout pitcher. He's a sinkerballer who
> tries to induce batters into ground balls. Still, Webb has been
just
> as filthy as Willis at times. On July 24, against San Francisco,
Webb
> struck out five consecutive Giants -- including Barry Bonds -- in
the
> seventh and eighth innings.
>
> If the fans had the vote in this matter, then Webb wouldn't have a
> shot at the award. It would turn into a popularity contest, and
> Willis would win that for sure.
>
> But the fans don't vote for rookie of the year. Select members of
the
> Baseball Writers Association of America do, and trust me, these
> voters take much more than popularity into consideration. I voted
for
> this award in 1998, and I took the responsibility very seriously.
>
> So who would I vote for? I couldn't tell you right now. Let's
allow
> August to play out and see who keeps his team in the NL wild-card
> race.
>
> But one thing is for certain: Willis should not be the only
candidate
> for ROY honors.
>
>
> Readers can reach Chris at 556-2259 or by e-mail at
> clang@a...