Chicago Cubs catcher Geovany Soto and Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria were named the rookies of the year today in the National and American leagues, respectively. Soto, 25, was voted an All-Star Game starter and finished the season with a .285 batting average, 23 home runs, and 86 RBI, the Tribune reports. He easily beat out Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto.
Longoria, 23, was a unanimous choice for the AL award despite missing 30 games due to a wrist injury, the St. Petersburg Times reports. He was the top rookie in home runs and led the Rays not only to their first winning season but to the World Series, in which they fell to Philadelphia. Chicago White Sox second baseman Alexei Ramirez was second.
(More Evan Longoria stories.)