Some baseball writers have criticized the voting in recent years because several players who played in Nippon Professional Baseball ( NPB ) have won the award . These winners include Hideo Nomo in 1995 , Kazuhiro Sasaki in 2000 , and Ichiro Suzuki in 2001 . The award has drawn criticism in recent years because several players with experience in Nippon Professional Baseball ( NPB ) have won the award , such as Hideo Nomo in 1995 , Kazuhiro Sasaki in 2000 , and Ichiro Suzuki in 2001 .