On Monday, Carson Benge and the New York Mets will learn if the former Oklahoma State star won the National League Rookie of the Year award.
It should be a tight vote. Benge's play all season made it that way.
Earlier this week, Major League Baseball announced the finalists, which included Benge, Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart and St. Louis Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt.
All have delivered worthy seasons, which is why the margin for the winner could be razor thin.
First, look at Benge. He slashed .282/.346/.430 with 20 home runs, 65 RBI, 22 doubles, three triples and 22 stolen bases. This was after he batted under .200 in the first month of the season. He also became the first Mets rookie to have a 20-20 season - 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases - in franchise history. There are fewer than 20 rookies in MLB history that have accomplished the feat.
He also became the third Mets player in the last 35 years to have at least 15 home runs, 15 stolen bases and 10 assists in a season. And, among MLB rookies, he was the seventh in history to have at least 160 hits, 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases.
He also turned into a defensive star in right field. He had seven defensive runs saved, 10 outfield assists - which was tied for sixth in the Majors - and a .982 fielding percentage. He finished the season with a 4.3 WAR (wins above replacement).
Stewart played a position where offense is a premium and he did not disappoint the Reds. He slashed .263/.330/.457 with 32 home runs and 111 RBI. He also had 25 doubles. He stole 15 bases and was caught eight other times. He struck out 155 times and drew 63 walks. He also selected to the NL All-Star team. But he only had a 1.8 WAR. He had a .998 fielding percentage at first base with just two errors along with 56 assists. He was minus-2 in DRS.
Wetherholt played his college ball at Big 12 rival West Virginia. He slashed .242/.339/.365 with 17 home runs and 51 RBI. He also had 15 doubles, struck out 104 times against 64 walks and stole 14 bases. He finished the season with a 4.5 WAR. That WAR was boosted by his play at second base, where he had a .996 fielding percentage with just two errors and 367 assists. He also had 13 DRS.
The Baseball Writers Association of America votes on this award, so it boils down to what voters value. If it's offense, Stewart likely carries the votes. If it's a more well-rounded player, then Benge and Wetherholt are more likely to receive more votes. With players this close in production, the first-place votes are likely to be split, and the winner could boil down to which one gets more second-place votes.
Benge played his way into the opportunity. It's a rare year with three worthy winners.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/oklahomastate as Why Mets Star Carson Benge's Race for NL Rookie of Year Should Be Tight .
