The Wisconsin Wire 2.5 - Rookie(s) of the Year

[elligator]

This year and next the Wolves are going to have many rookie of the year candidates. This season there were first year players starting at multiple positions. So rather than just talking about one rookie of the year, we are going to give the top three.

1) 1B Jarvis Murphy, .291/.356/.382 - He doesn't boast any home run power and for a first baseman, that's a problem. But the man can flat out hit right-handed pitchers like he was born to do it. His future is likely as a platoon first baseman or even as a very poor defensive second baseman whose bat gets him in the lineup. With a good eye, solid gap power, and a phenomenal ability to get hits, Murphy was a solid bat in the lineup on a daily basis for the Wolves this season. With some really amazing up-and-comers in the Madison minor leagues, Murphy's days are numbered as a starter on this team, but if he becomes a reserve, there will be few more valuable bats off the bench than this guy.

2) Or perhaps even 1A, RF John Catron (.256/.307.441) surprised the heck out of everyone. We won't detail his amazing climb up the Wolves organizational ladder, but John has firmly established himself as the right fielder of the Madison Wolves heading into 1997. He has great power and has learned to hit the breaking ball well enough to find an everyday place in the lineup and even perhaps make it into the heart of the order. Defensively, he is about average. He has a solid glove, but a weak arm out in the field, not something you want from your right fielder. The Wolves are hoping to get 30 homers from him next season and a batting average over .270.

3) Lastly, he only pitched about half the season, but pitcher Justin "Fat Cat" Marco (5-6, 3 SV, 3.21 ERA, 81.1 IP) came on the scene with much fanfare. The fifth overall draft pick in the 1995 fall draft, Marco flew through the minors because of his fantastic stuff. Fat Cat - so named due to his extraordinarily wealthy parents in Los Angeles - brings the heat at 95-97 mph, and boasts perhaps the best curveball in the game. He offsets his devastating curve with a nasty cut fastball. His lack of a third pitch and his only average stamina may eventually force him to the bullpen as a closer full time. But in June and July, Remy Gauthreaux put Marco into the rotation, and he did not disappoint posting sub-three ERAs for both months. The wheels fell off the bus in August though, and the team decided to cut his innings the rest of the way and sent him to the bullpen to finish the year, where he was lights-out, not allowing a run in 10 appearances. A bright, bright star on this team, he projects as the closer of the future, if he can't make a go of it in the rotation.

[aaronweiner]

Gotta love a guy named Fat Cat. Best nickname I've ever heard, honestly, is still Kung Fu Panda.

[elligator]

Gotta love a guy named Fat Cat. Best nickname I've ever heard, honestly, is still Kung Fu Panda.

I too love the Kung Fu Panda, and the guy really fits the name well. On the other hand, it's a little sad that it wasn't original.