A's CROSBY RUNAWAY WINNER AS AL's TOP ROOKIE
For release Monday, Nov. 8; do not move on wires before 2 p.m., EST
For the second consecutive year, a shortstop was the American League winner of the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award as Bobby Crosby of the Oakland Athletics was a near unanimous choice in balloting announced by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.Crosby, 24, tabbed to succeed former AL Most Valuable Player Miguel Tejada at the position, batted only .239, the lowest average for any winner, but had 22 home runs and 64 RBI and placed first on 27 ballots and second on the remaining one of those cast by two writers in each league city to score 138 points, based on the 5-3-1 tabulation system.
The other first-place vote went to Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Shingo Takatsu (6-4, 19 SV, 2.31 ERA), who was also listed second on 11 ballots and third on six to score 44 points. The third-place finisher was Baltimore Orioles pitcher Daniel Cabrera (12-8, 5.00 ERA). In all, 10 players gained mention.
Crosby was the sixth Athletics player honored and the second shortstop, joining 1988 winner Walt Weiss. Other A's winners were Philadelphia's Harry Byrd and Oakland's Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire and Ben Grieve.
The vote:
| Player | Club | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Points |
| BOBBY CROSBY | Oakland Athletics | 27 | 1 | 138 | |
| SHINGO TAKATSU | Chicago White Sox | 1 | 11 | 6 | 44 |
| DANIEL CABRERA | Baltimore Orioles | 7 | 8 | 29 | |
| ZACK GREINKE | Kansas City Royals | 4 | 4 | 16 | |
| ALEXIS RIOS | Toronto Blue Jays | 3 | 3 | 12 | |
| DAVID DeJESUS | Kansas City Royals | 1 | 3 | 6 | |
| ROSS GLOAD | Chicago White Sox | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| JOHN BUCK | Kansas City Royals | 1 | 1 | ||
| DAVID BUSH | Toronto Blue Jays | 1 | 1 | ||
| NATE ROBERTSON | Detroit Tigers | 1 | 1 |
Previous winners (*—Unanimous):
2003 ANGEL BERROA, Kansas City Royals;
2002 ERIC HINSKE, Toronto Blue Jays;
2001 ICHIRO SUZUKI, Seattle Mariners;
2000 KAZU SASAKI, Seattle Mariners;
1999 CARLOS BELTRAN, Kansas City Royals;
1998 BEN GRIEVE, Oakland Athletics;
1997 *NOMAR GARCIAPARRA, Boston Red Sox;
1996 *DEREK JETER, New York Yankees;
1995 MARTY CORDOVA, Minnesota Twins;
1994 BOB HAMELIN, Kanas City Royals;
1993 *TIM SALMON, California Angels;
1992 PAT LISTACH, Milwaukee Brewers;
1991 CHUCK KNOBLAUCH, Minnesota Twins;
1990 *SANDY ALOMAR, Jr., Cleveland Indians;
1989 GREGG OLSON, Baltimore Orioles;
1988 WALT WEISS, Oakland Athletics;
1987 *MARK McGWIRE, Oakland Athletics;
1986 JOSE CANSECO, Oakland Athletics;
1985 OZZIE GUILLEN, Chicago White Sox;
1984 ALVIN DAVIS, Seattle Mariners;
1983 RON KITTLE, Chicago White Sox;
1982 CAL RIPKEN Jr., Baltimore Orioles;
1981 DAVE RIGHETTI, New York Yankees;
1980 JOE CHARBONEAU, Cleveland Indians;
1979 (Tie) JOHN CASTINO, Minnesota Twins, and ALFREDO GRIFFIN, Toronto Blue Jays;
1978 LOU WHITAKER, Detroit Tigers;
1977 EDDIE MURRAY, Baltimore Orioles;
1976 MARK FIDRYCH, Detroit Tigers;
1975 FRED LYNN, Boston Red Sox;
1974 MIKE HARGROVE, Texas Rangers;
1973 AL BUMBRY, Baltimore Orioles;
1972 *CARLTON FISK, Boston Red Sox;
1971 CHRIS CHAMBLISS, Cleveland Indians;
1970 THURMAN MUNSON, New York Yankees;
1969 LOU PINIELLA, Kansas City Royals;
1968 STAN BAHNSEN, New York Yankees;
1967 ROD CAREW, Minnesota Twins;
1966 TOMMIE AGEE, Chicago White Sox;
1965 CURT BLEFARY, Baltimore Orioles;
1964 TONY OLIVA, Minnesota Twins;
1963 GARY PETERS, Chicago White Sox;
1962 TOM TRESH, New York Yankees;
1961 DON SCHWALL, Boston Red Sox;
1960 RON HANSEN, Baltimore Orioles;
1959 BOB ALLISON, Washington Senators;
1958 ALBIE PEARSON, Washington Senators;
1957 TONY KUBEK, New York Yankees;
1956 LUIS APARICIO, Chicago White Sox;
1955 HERB SCORE, Cleveland Indians;
1954 BOB GRIM, New York Yankees;
1953 HARVEY KUENN, Detroit Tigers;
1952 HARRY BYRD, Philadelphia Athletics;
1951 GIL McDOUGALD, New York Yankees;
1950 WALT DROPO, Boston Red Sox;
1949 ROY SIEVERS, St. Louis Browns.