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Memorandum
To: Interested Parties
From: Kim Wexler
Date: October 22, 2001
Subject: Tim Whatley — 2001 Eastern Conference Rookie of the Year
Facts matter. Results matter. And in the case of Tim Whatley, the numbers leave little room for debate. Today, he was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Year for the 2001 season — a decision that was not only justified but unanimous.
Let’s go over the record.
Batting average: .498
Games played: 158
Hits: 240
Home runs: 96
RBIs: 212
Runs scored: 199
Every at-bat, every swing, every sprint down the line — Whatley earned this. His performance wasn’t just historic, it was disciplined. Reliable. Consistent. The kind of year that doesn’t need embellishment because the truth speaks for itself.
Let’s look at the vote breakdown:
Player Team First Place Votes Total Points
Tim Whatley Washington Capitals 36 180
Sang-hoon Kim New Jersey Devils 0 65
Roger McCutcheon Florida Panthers 0 61
Rogelio Tinoco Detroit Red Wings 0 14
Ray Chisholm New York Rangers 0 4
Unanimity in an award like this is rare. So is hitting nearly .500 in a full season. This isn’t just a strong case — it’s airtight.
Sang-hoon Kim and Roger McCutcheon both had admirable seasons. That’s not in dispute. But admirable doesn’t win awards. Dominant does. Whatley was dominant.
There will be questions now — can he repeat it? Will pitchers adjust? Will he sustain this pace? Those are fair. But those are for next season. For now, let’s just say what needs to be said:
Tim Whatley earned it. No footnotes. No caveats. He’s the Rookie of the Year.
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