Sutcliffe to Be Feted by Kansas City Writers

Pitcher Rick Sutcliffe, who considered a free-agent offer from the Kansas City Royals before deciding to stay with the Chicago Cubs, will be honored as National League player of the year at the Kansas City Baseball Awards dinner on Jan. 26. Sutcliffe, 28, an Independence native who lives in the Kansas City area, went to Chicago in June in a trade with the Cleveland Indians and helped the Cubs make the NL playoffs. Sutcliffe was 16-1 with a 2.69 earned run average in 20 starts for the Cubs, and for the season he was 20-6. Other award winners at the local dinner are Eddie Murray of the Baltimore Orioles, American League player of the year; the Royals’ Dick Howser, manager of the year; and Kansas City’s Dan Quisenberry and Willie Wilson, Royals’ pitcher and player of the year, respectively.