Cub Pitcher Wood Wins Rookie Award

L.A. Times Archives

Nov. 10, 1998 12 AM PT

<i> From Associated Press</i>

Pitcher Kerry Wood was narrowly voted National League rookie of the year Monday, capping a season in which he struck out 20 batters in a game and helped the Chicago Cubs make the playoffs for the first time since 1989.

The 21-year-old right-hander received 16 first-place votes and 16 seconds to finish with 128 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America. First baseman Todd Helton of the Colorado Rockies got 15 firsts, 14 seconds and two thirds for 119 points.

Wood was 13-6 with a 3.40 earned-run average in 26 starts, striking out 233 in 166 2/3 innings. He was even more impressive at Wrigley Field, going 9-1 with a 2.97 ERA in 13 starts during the regular season.

Baseball took notice of Wood on May 6 when he struck out 20 batters--only Roger Clemens had done it in a nine-inning game--while pitching a one-hitter against the Houston Astros.

“It helped me finally realize that I was capable of pitching at that level,” Wood said. “The previous four starts before that were rocky. I had a couple of good ones and a couple of bad ones.”

Wood was the favorite to win the rookie award heading into the final month of the season. But because of a dead arm, his start against the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 31 was his last of the regular season.

Wood returned in Game 3 of the NL playoffs, giving up one unearned run against the Atlanta Braves as the Cubs were eliminated. His elbow will be examined again in about two weeks.

Helton batted .315 with 25 home runs and 97 runs batted in.

Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio, who has been hospitalized for more than four weeks with pneumonia, is seriously ill but doing better, his lawyer and friend said.

Morris Engelberg said the 83-year-old former New York Yankee outfielder was able to sit in a chair on Saturday and Sunday for about 1 1/2 hours each day and that his X-rays showed an improvement over the weekend.

Responding to persistent rumors that DiMaggio has been hovering near death in intensive care at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Fla., Engelberg said DiMaggio had been sedated to help him rest and battle his illness on Nov. 4, but that he was doing better. DiMaggio’s doctor, Earl Barron, said DiMaggio has an “excellent chance” for recovery after his bout with pneumonia and a lung infection.

The New York Mets won’t take long to decide if General Manager Steve Phillips’ temporary leave of absence will become permanent.

One day after Phillips took the leave to deal with the repercussions of a threatened sexual harassment lawsuit from a former employee, team owners Fred Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday said he would either be back in his post or fired by the start of spring training in February.

Acting General Manager Frank Cashen will run the team until a decision is made, but if Phillips does not return, the Mets would find a new permanent general manager.

The Philadelphia Phillies traded pitcher Mark Leiter to the Seattle Mariners for reliever Paul Spoljaric. . . . The San Francisco Giants locked up their ace for the next two years, giving Mark Gardner a new contract worth $5 million. . . . Rick Reed, an American League umpire since 1983, was promoted to crew chief in place of Don Denkinger, who announced his retirement last week.

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1998 Rookie of the Year

Kerry Wood

Chicago Cubs

1998 Statistics

IP: 166 2/3

H: 117

ER: 63

BB: 85

SO: 233

W-L: 13-6

ERA: 3.40