Shortstop Ozzie Guillen of the Chicago White...

Shortstop Ozzie Guillen of the Chicago White Sox was named the American League Rookie of the Year in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America.

“It is the greatest thing to happen to me in a long time,” said Guillen, 21, who was reached by White Sox officials in his native Venezuela. “I tried to do everything on the field to best help the Chicago White Sox win games.

Guillen committed just 12 errors in 150 games, the fewest of any regular American League shortstop, while hitting .273.

Guillen went to the White Sox last Dec. 10 in a seven-player deal that sent right-handed pitcher LaMarr Hoyt, the 1983 Cy Young award winner, to San Diego along with two minor leaguers for pitcher Tim Lollar, infielder Luis Salazar, Guillen and a minor leaguer.

Guillen received 16 of a possible 28 first-place votes--alloted two apiece among BBWAA members in each of the 14 American League cities--for 101 total points. Ted Higuera, a left-handed pitcher from the Milwaukee Brewers, was second with nine first-place votes and 67 points.