Soriano and some Japanese/Major league Baseball

Alfonso Soriano is the hottest topic in New York baseball
aside from the Uchuujin Shinjo.
He is considered to be one of the frontrunners for the American League Rookie of the Year Award (comment on this later). It's always good to see a player out of Nippon Pro-Yakyu succeed regardless of his nationality.

[Continued...]About the Rookie of the Year Award won by a Japanese ballplayers.
I don't want Ichiro to win because he is a veteran in mind. This reminds me of the time when the Negro Leaguer came up to the Majors in the late 40's and the 50's in National League and dominated the Rookie of the Year Award. That is because they were already proven veteran ballplayers. Negro League baseball was equal or even superior in some aspects than Major Leagues back than. It shows that Nippon Pro-Yakyu has shown that they can play ball!!!

Rookie of the Year Award between 1947 and 1953:

1953 Jim Gilliam - Brooklyn,

1952 Joe Black - Brooklyn,

1951 Willie Mays - New York Giants,

1950 Sam Jethroe - Boston,

1949 Don Newcombe - Brooklyn *,

1948 Alvin Dark - Boston,

1947 Jackie Robinson - Brooklyn.

* By the way, Don Newcombe is one of the rare players to play 3 professional leagues. Negro League (Newark Eagles), Major league (Brooklyn Dodgers) and Japanese League (Chunichi Dragons).

Alfonso Soriano (NYY) 2001 Stats:

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	IBB	K	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	AVE.
19	82	14	24	7	0	2	7	0	0	14	4	2	.289	.451	.293"