Any other year, Blue Jays righty hander Marcus Stroman would be a top notch candidate for rookie of the year in the American League. Chuck Bednarik Jersey . I still think he will finish a solid third in the voting but for the 2014 season, as there are really only two stand-alone candidates. In a league starved for power hitters and runs these days, Jose Abreu has put up some incredible numbers. The 27-year-old who defected from Cuba signed a six-year, $68-million deal with the Chicago White Sox last winter. Hes making $7 million this season and has been worth every penny, Hes set a White Sox rookie record with 35 homers, has driven in 102 runs and is hitting .322. Few of his home runs are "cheap" and he hits the kind of monster shots that keep fans talking well after the game is over. Should Abreu get the Rookie of the Year award on a silver platter? Many would say yes, that he has no real competition, but Id beg to differ on that. Matt Shoemaker is having an incredible season in his own right with the Angels. Hes 15-4 with a 3.16 ERA, and those 15 victories are a Halos rookie record. Hes struck out 119 and walked only 24. All of this from a right hander who turns 28 on September 27. This might venture more into the MVP category than Rookie of the Year, but Shoemaker has more than picked up the slack since another Angels standout Garrett Richards was injured and lost for the season. The Angels also have the best record in baseball at 93-56 and lead Oakland by 10 full games. At worst, Shoemaker and Abreu should share the award, and yes that has happened before. In 1976 in the National League, Padres reliever Butch Metzger shared the honours with Reds starter Pat Zachry. In 1979 Blue Jays shortstop Alfredo Griffin split the vote right down the middle with Twins 3rd baseman John Castino. There are those who argue Abreu shouldnt even be eligible since he played pro ball in Cuba, but the precedent has already been established: Jackie Robinson , who won the very first Rookie of the Year award back when there was only one for both leagues played in the old Negro Leagues before breaking the colour barrier and signing with the Brooklyn organization in 1946. Does being named the top rookie lead to a great career? Not always. In fact, going back to 1947, only 14 winners have gone on to earn a place in the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown. The Brooklyn/L.A. Dodgers have had the top rookie a record 16 times. The Yankees hold the American League record with eight. The Blue Jays and the Montreal Expos tied with two rookies of the year. The Jays two were both acquired in trades: Alfredo Griffin in 1979 and Eric Hinske in 2002, while Montreal were homegrown in pitcher Carl Morton in 1970 and Andre Dawson in 1977. The only Canadian I know of to win the award was outfielder Jason Bay of the Pirates in 2004, and the only current team never to have had a rookie of the year is Arizona. A very important meeting is coming up in West Palm Beach Florida on September 23. On that date, the Palm Beach Board of County Commissioners will be meeting to try and finalize financing for a new Spring Training baseball facility that would house the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros. Both clubs desperately want upgraded facilities that would also lessen the travel time to their grapefruit league games. Washingtons current lease with Vierra, Florida runs through 2017, while the Astros can leave Kissimmee, Florida after 2016. You might remember, as recently as this past spring, the Blue Jays were involved with Houston in a similar project in Palm Beach Gardens, when local residents balked at having the ball teams in their neighborhood with all the inherent noise and traffic, That deal ultimately fell apart. The Blue Jays current lease with Dunedin expires after 2017. Torrey Smith Jersey . Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Raptors have traded forward Steve Novak along with a second-round pick to the Utah Jazz in exchange for guard Diante Garrett - who will then be waived. Sidney Jones Jersey . That was OK with him. He was just happy his team came away with two points. Letestu redirected Jack Johnsons shot from the point with 2:38 left, lifting the Blue Jackets past the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Monday night. http://www.theeaglesshoponline.com/Youth-Brandon-Brooks-Eagles-Jersey/ . has left the San Jose Sharks to become the Boston Bruins director of player personnel.Captain Sarah Hunter insists England will come back stronger after being pipped to the Women’s Six Nations Championship by France. A 17-12 loss saw England lose out to the France in a winner-takes-all title clash in front of a sell-out crowd of 11,000 spectators in Vannes last Friday.But Hunter points to the emergence of several players as a cause for optimism after England improved upon a disappointing fourth place finish in the Six Nations last year. I think well always be disappointed about that final result but since weve had some time to look back and reflect, I think weve seen how far we have come in this tournament and just how close we were, Hunter told Tuesdays Sportswomen show on Sky Sports News HQ.It wasnt won on games won, it was won on points differential at the end of the day, and that is how France managed to just sneak it. French players celebrate after Six Nations win over England Well look back on a positive tournament for us as a team and obviously well be disappointed at the result but I think that hunger will help us push on and strive to be better and better. Wendell Smallwood Jersey. ast year was about development and this year was about performances and how we transcend between the two. Weve certainly been on a journey and built on peoples experiences from last year.Theyve got that international experience and put that into this years Six Nations campaign and really started to come to the fore. The players have really stepped up. Your Vickii Cornboroughs, the Abbie Scotts and Lotte Clapps of this world have really taken to Test rugby and are really bright stars for the future. Also See: SportsWomen Latest Show News Latest News SportsWomen Video Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '