Rookie of the Year predictor

[A. Cavatica]

Over here (http://www.whitesoxinteractive.com/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=2314264&postcount=16) I suggested that the number of Google hits for a query of the form "Player Name" "rookie of the year" might be a quick predictor for the RoY race, since it presumably indicates who's getting the most press. (I never claimed it accurately measured the talent, just the opinions of those observing the talent.)

At the time Brad Bergesen was leading with 9880 hits, followed by Rick Porcello with 7650. Gordon Beckham was in eighth place with 4320 hits.

Here are some updated numbers:

Brad Bergesen 11300
Rick Porcello 8230
Elvis Andrus 6370
Gordon Beckham 6190
Nolan Reimold 6150
Ricky Romero 6080
Jeff Niemann 5210
Brett Gardner 3930
Brett Anderson 3610

Beckham is clearly the fastest climber in the group, which he should be, given his late start and the tear he's been on lately.

I frankly don't get the love for Bergesen and Porcello and Niemann -- why are their numbers climbing? They've looked pretty ordinary. Maybe there have been a lot of articles of the form "Gordon Beckham has moved past preseason favorite Rick Porcello in the rookie of the year competition"?

The rest of the guys are basically static, or dropping.

[WhiteSox1989]

I think Beckham will get ROY.

For the NL, I haven't followed too much, but Wells and Happ have been solid.

[Ron Karkovice]

I'm somewhat nervous that Beckham won't be awarded RoY because he started so late. Even though he is most deserving imo.

[DumpJerry]

This reminds me of Phil Rogers' method of evaluating trades by counting the number of bodies each team got and declaring the team who received the most bodies the "winner" in the trade regardless of the talent swapped.

Derek Jeter said Beckham deserves to be RoY. It has been spoken. It shall be done. For those of you who forgot, Jeter plays for the Yankees of New York, therefore ESPN will pick up his cue and run with it.