Duffy second in NL Rookie of the Year voting
Third baseman already working on adjustments for '16
SAN FRANCISCO -- If Giants third baseman Matt Duffy had a National League Rookie of the Year Award ballot, he would have supported Kris Bryant, too.
Duffy finished second in the voting for the Baseball Writers' Association of America's top NL rookie honor in results announced Monday. Bryant, the Cubs' third baseman, received all 30 first-place votes. Duffy was named second on 22 ballots and third on four ballots.
"Bryant had an unbelievable year," Duffy said. "Any argument you could make for me, he was even better."
Video: Matt Duffy places second in 2015 BBWAA NL ROY vote
In fact, Bryant finished ahead of Duffy in 10 of 14 conventional offensive categories, including home runs (26-12) and RBIs (99-77).
NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR VOTING
| Player, Club | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kris Bryant, CHC | 30 | 150 | ||
| Matt Duffy, SF | 22 | 4 | 70 | |
| Jung Ho Kang, PIT | 4 | 16 | 28 | |
| Noah Syndergaard, NYM | 3 | 7 | 16 | |
| Justin Bour, MIA | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| Joc Pederson, LAD | 1 | 1 | ||
| Stephen Piscotty, STL | 1 | 1 |
Duffy, who finished third among NL rookies with a .295 batting average, said that he's already anticipating the adjustments he must make as a hitter to counter the fresh pitching patterns that opponents have in store for him. Maintaining more consistency, he said, "will lead to more consistent results."
Having completed his first full year at third base, Duffy added that he's already "excited" about the improvement he can make defensively, though he was a finalist in the voting at his position for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award.
Duffy, 24, said that he began his offseason workout program two weeks ago and intends to get "incrementally" stronger while maintaining his agility. He prompted fascination among onlookers last season with his slender 6-foot-2 frame, though he insisted that he was heavier than his listed season-opening weight of 170 pounds.