HOOVER, AL - Former Barons shortstop, Gordon Beckham was voted The Sporting News Rookie of the Year late Tuesday night. The award is selected by a panel of 338 Major League players.In 378 at-bats over 103 games, Beckham batted .270 with 28 doubles, 14 home runs and 63 RBI despite not joining the White Sox until June 4. The Georgia product also posted a .347 on-base percentage, with 41 walks and 65 strikeouts. He finished with a .460 slugging percentage.
He led all AL rookies in doubles, RBIs and extra-base hits (43), tied for the AL rookie lead with 28 multi-hit efforts and finished second in slugging percentage, home runs, runs scored (58), hits (102), total bases and on-base percentage. Beckham had 18 more RBIs than Baltimore's Nolan Reimold, who finished second among AL rookies with 45.
Beckham joins Mike Henneman (1987), Bill Virdon (1955) and Willie Mays (1951) as the only former Birmingham players to go on and win the award.
The Baseball Writers of America will announce their Rookie of the Year after the conclusion of the World Series.
The 2008 first-round pick hit .299 with four home runs, 22 RBI, 17 doubles and a .497 slugging percentage in 38 games for the White Sox Double A affiliate. He was promoted to Triple A Charlotte on May 27, immediately following the Rickwood Classic.
The Barons were 31-15 and well on their way to winning the First-Half South Division Championship when Beckham earned his promotion. The Barons finished the season with a 92-47 record, the most wins in modern franchise history. Their .662 winning percentage was the best in the team's history, dating back to 1885.
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