Happ loses out on Rookie of Year bid

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J.A. Happ was a prime-time pitcher for the Phillies this season, posting a 12-4 record with a 2.93 ERA.

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PHILADELPHIA — J.A. Happ ran a strong race for Major League Baseball’s triple crown for Rookie of the Year awards.

The former St. Bede Bruin was named as the Sporting News National League Rookie of the Year Oct. 20 and shortly after by the MLB Player’s Choice as he helped pitch the Philadelphia Phillies to a return trip to the World Series.

With those awards in hand, Happ seemed favored to complete the hat trick when the MLB’s Rookie awards were announced Monday. Instead, he had to settle for second place.

Florida Marlin outfielder Chris Coghlan claimed the 2009 Baseball Writer’s of America N.L. Rookie of the Year honors, beating out Happ by a vote tally of 105-94. It was the third closest voting this decade for N.L. Rookie honors.

Coghlan received 17 of the 32 first-place votes divvied out. Happ, the only pitcher to appear on every ballot, received 10 first-place votes and received more second and third-place votes (11/11) than Coghlan (6/2). Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson (37) and Andrew McCutchan (25) finished third and fourth.

Andrew Bailey of the Oakland A’s was named as the A.L. Rookie of the Year.

Happ, the 2001 Bureau County Republican Athlete of the Year, cracked the Phillies’ rotation in May 23 at Yankee Stadium after pitching out of the bullpen and became the best starter on the league’s best team.

He went 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA, the lowest for a Phillies’ rookie since Ben Ticcup’s 2.61 in 1914. He had 119 strikeouts in 166 innings pitched.

He pitched into the sixth inning in all but two of his 23 starts and allowed three or fewer earned runs 19 times. He tossed two shutouts — blanking the Blue Jays 10-0 June 27 in Toronto and silencing the Rockies Aug. 5 in Colorado 7-0.

The 27-year-old lefty hit a snag in September when he was sidelined by a rib cage injury, and posted a 4.84 in his final five starts.

Shifted back to relief duty for the playoffs, Happ appeared in seven postseason games. He made two World Series appearances, striking out four Yankee batters in 2.2 innings with a 3.38 ERA.

Despite the stellar season, the Phillies’ rookie pitcher had a roller-coaster ride. He lost out on a battle in spring training for the Phillies’ fifth-starter role to veteran free agent Chan Ho Park. His name was mentioned prominently in the Phillies’ trade discussion for the Blue Jays’ Roy Halladay.

And now even with all of his recent awards, Happ’s name is being bantered around again in as the Phillies have shown renewed interest in Halladay.

He could not be reached for comment Monday.

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