Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 28, 1993 TAG: 9310280040
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES LENGTH: Medium
Piazza, who won the Dodgers catching job in spring training, hit .318 with 35 home runs and 112 RBI. His average was the highest of any NL Rookie of the Year since the award began in 1947, and he was the first winner to drive in 100 runs.
His home-run total is the second-most for an NL rookie winner, trailing only Frank Robinson's 38 for Cincinnati in 1956. The only other NL rookie with more homers was Wally Berger of the 1930 Boston Braves.
Piazza, the 1,389th player taken in the 1988 amateur draft, became the sixth unanimous NL rookie winner, joining Robinson, Orlando Cepeda (1958), Willie McCovey (1959), Vince Coleman (1985) and Benito Santiago (1987).
Atlanta Braves pitcher Greg McMichael was second with 40 points, receiving 12 second-place votes and four thirds from the Baseball Writers Association of America. Jeff Conine of Florida was third with 31 points and Chuck Carr of the Marlins was fourth with 18 points.
Piazza was seventh in the league in hitting, sixth in homers and fourth in RBI. He tied for third on the NL rookie RBI list with Ray Jablonski of the 1953 St. Louis Cardinals. Berger holds the NL rookie record with 119 RBI, and Jimmy Williams drove in 116 runs for the 1899 Pittsburgh Pirates.
Piazza, 25, became the 13th Dodger to win the award, the most of any club, and the second straight, following Eric Karros last year. Piazza became just the sixth player in the 103-year history of the Dodgers to hit .300 and surpass the 30-homer and 100-RBI marks in the same season, joining Roy Campanella (1951, 1953, 1955), Duke Snider (1950, 1953, 1954, 1955), Gil Hodges (1953, 1954), Babe Herman (1930) and Pedro Guerrero (1982).
Piazza threw out 35 percent of opposing runners attempting to steal, the third best percentage in the NL.
Keywords:
BASEBALL
by CNB