Yasiel Puig could get the Dodgers a trophy -- rookie of the year

The Dodgers are on pace to end a significant drought.

A World Series title, their first since 1988? Hardly. That race appears to have been run.

But rookie of the year, once as much a Chavez Ravine tradition as Dodger Dogs, is certainly a possibility.

Yasiel Puig, the 22-year-old eye-opener from Cuba, is an early front-runner in just six games. He is hitting .464 with four home runs and 10 runs batted in, while demonstrating defensive skills to make Willie Mays blush. His only shortcoming is the inability to provide consistent pitching.

Puig could be the first Dodgers rookie of the year since Todd Hollandsworth in 1996. The 16 seasons is the longest the Dodgers have gone without a rookie of the year.

The Dodgers have more rookie of the year winners (16) than any other team. Jackie Robinson won the first award in 1947, and a steady stream of Dodger Blue has followed.

They have come in bunches at times, 1979-80-81-82 (Rick Sutcliffe, Steve Howe, Fernando Valenzuela, Steve Sax) and 1992-93-94-95-96 (Eric Karros, Mike Piazza, Raul Mondesi, Hideo Nomo, Hollandsworth).

Of course, that begs the question: Five rookie of the year winners in the 1990s and not one World Series championship?