Tampa Bay Rays infielder Evan Longoria and Chicago Cubs catcher Geovany Soto have been named Major League Baseball's rookies of the year on Monday.

Longoria, a unanimous American League selection, and Soto, the first Cub in franchise history to be given the honor, both won easily.

Longoria also became the first player in the Rays' 11-year history to win the award.

The all-star received all 28 first-place votes and 140 overall points from the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Soto was rewarded for his big season Monday by being named the National League recipient.

The 23-year-old Longoria became the first third baseman to receive the honor in the AL since current teammate Eric Hinske won the award in 2002 as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Chicago White Sox Alexei Ramirez finished a distant second in the voting, followed by Boston Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury.

"This is where, as a baseball player, I wanted to be," Longoria said. "If I told you two years ago I knew I'd be in this situation, I'd be lying. This is a dream come true and what you always dream of as a kid."

Longoria missed over a month in the second half after breaking his wrist but still managed to finish the season with a .272 average, 27 home runs, 85 RBIs in just 122 games.

He led all AL rookies in homers, slugging percentage (.531), RBI, extra-base hits (60), total bases (238) and runs created (82.3).

However, Longoria had a disappointing playoff, suffering a batting slump as his Rays lost in the World Series to Philadelphia.

Soto was a major reason why the Cubs cruised to the best record in the NL last season.

He won in a landslide, capturing 31 of 32 first-place votes. He also picked up one second-place vote to finish with 158 total points.

"It's kind of surreal. It really hasn't sunk in yet," Soto said.

Soto easily outdistanced Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto, who had 76 points.

(Agencies via China Daily November 12, 2008)