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The franchise with a knack for producing some of the best young talent in the Major Leagues has another gem to add to its resume -- Chris Coghlan.
That fact was evident through the rookie sensation's first season in the big leagues this year, but it was a point that was driven home on Monday afternoon - when the 24-year-old infielder-turned-outfielder took home National League Rookie of the Year honors from the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Reliever Andrew Bailey of the A's won the award for the American League.
Coghlan's victory continues the Marlins' streak of three: three winners in club history, with each coming in three-year spans.
It started with Dontrelle Willis winning the Rookie of the Year Award in 2003, continued with Hanley Ramirez - now among the best shortstops in the Major Leagues - claiming the honor in '06, and now the torch has been passed to Coghlan.
A Palm Harbor, Fla., native, Coghlan beat out loads of promising first-year players in a rookie slate that really had no single favorite this year. On the list of contenders were Braves right-hander Tommy Hanson (11-4 with a 2.89 ERA in 21 starts), Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen (.286 batting average, 54 RBIs and 22 stolen bases), Phillies lefty J.A. Happ (12-4, 2.93 ERA in 35 games), Brewers infielder Casey McGehee (.301 batting average, 16 homers and 66 RBIs) and Cardinals outfielder Colby Rasmus (.251 batting average, 16 homers and 52 RBIs).
Coghlan finished his first pro season batting .321 with Nine homers, 47 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 128 games.
Indirectly because another one of the Marlins' highly touted young players, Cameron Maybin, wasn't producing consistently in the Major Leagues, Coghlan was called up from Triple-A New Orleans on May 8 and never really gave the team a chance to take him out of the lineup.
He was playing a position he's never played before - left field - while hitting out of a lineup spot he wasn't used to - leadoff - but he performed at each like a seasoned pro.
"You don't play this game to win those awards, but that's a reward you get for putting up a good year," Coghlan said after the last game of the '09 regular season. "I think I put up a good year"
You can say that.
Coghlan posted back-to-back 47-hit months - becoming the first NL player with 94 hits in a two-month span since 1978 - finished sixth in the NL in batting average and led senior-circuit rookies in runs (84), hits (162), total bases (232), doubles (31) and on-base percentage (.390).
His batting average was the highest by a Marlins rookie, easily topping the .292 clips Ramirez and Jeff Conine hit at.
From the All-Star Game until the end of the regular season, Coghlan helped keep the low-payroll Marlins in contention with a Major League-leading 113 hits - 11 more than Yankees captain Derek Jeter - and added a .372 batting average - 14 points higher than eventual American League batting champion Joe Mauer.
Coghlan's hits total in the second half matched Juan Pierre in '04 for the franchise record and is the most in the Majors since 1965.
The Marlins were set at the leadoff spot when they had Ramirez hit there the previous three years. But this season, Florida wanted to put its shortstop in a premium run-producing spot in the lineup, and the No. 1 position initially suffered.
That is, until Coghlan took over that spot on an everyday basis on May 30 and solidified it until the end of the season.
"What a way to come to the big leagues and perform like that," Marlins corner infielder Jorge Cantu said towards the end of the season. "When he gets experience up here, he's going to be a demon - on the bases, at bat, everywhere. He's got tremendous, tremendous talent. I hope he puts it on the right track. He's going to be an exceptional hitter."
On the field, Coghlan - a third baseman and second baseman in the Minor Leagues since being taken by Florida 36th overall in the '06 First-Year Player Draft - made five errors and had a zone rating of 13.613 that ranked fourth among NL left fielders who qualified.
The BBWAA awards will continue on Tuesday, with the announcement of the AL Cy Young Award winner, followed by both leagues' Manager of the Year on Wednesday and the NL Cy Young on Thursday.
The AL Most Valuable Player will be named next Monday, followed by the NL MVP - where Ramirez is sure to get some votes - on Tuesday, Nov. 24.
Alden Gonzalez is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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Good choice?Comment -
Congrats Chris Coghlan! Much deserved!
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yeah he woudl've been my pickComment -
My top vote would have gone to Happ, but Coghlan isn't a bad choice at all. Love how his and Bailey's season coincided: On the day that Coghlan made his MLB debut (May 8), Bailey picked up his first major league save.Comment