Rocco Baldelli (born September 22, 1981 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island) is currently the star center fielder for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Baldelli made his MLB debut on March 31, 2003.
Some have predicted that Baldelli will someday become a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame because of his outstanding talent at such a young age. In 2003, he and Hideki Matsui were in the race for MLB's Rookie of the Year. Baldelli was considered the favorite for the first few months of the season as he put up some great numbers, but his consistency did not last while Matsui continued to be a consistent run producer. Matsui - a Japanese baseball star who spent many years in Japan's professional league - and Baldelli both fell short of winning the award, losing out to Angel Berroa of the Kansas City Royals. Several of the Baseball Writers of America contested Matsui's rookie eligibility and two left him off their ballots, ensuring the win for Berroa.
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