
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, November 16, 1995                   TAG: 9511160053
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                LENGTH: Medium

NL SEES VALUE OF LARKIN

THE CINCINNATI REDS' SHORTSTOP may not have had the numbers of some of his rivals, but he has the respect of his peers and now he has the MVP award.

Dante Bichette came close to the Triple Crown. Greg Maddux is the best pitcher of his generation.

Barry Larkin, however, was deemed the most valuable, winning the National League award and renewing the debate over what this honor is all about.

The Cincinnati shortstop was the surprise choice Wednesday as voters clearly looked beyond the statistics, instead considering the all-around contributions he made to the Reds, the NL Central Division champions, and making him a convincing choice. (NL MVP voting in Scoreboard. B4)

``If you look at sheer numbers, there are guys who have more homers and RBI,'' said Cincinnati second baseman Bret Boone. ``But it's nice to see people look at `most valuable.' He was really great on our team. He was our leader.''

Larkin, in Mexico for a cruise when the award was announced, starred for the Reds with his bat, glove and clubhouse presence. He became the first shortstop to win the NL award since Maury Wills in 1962.

Larkin hit .319 with 15 home runs, 66 RBI and 51 stolen bases. He is likely to win his second consecutive Gold Glove next week. And, when the Reds needed a kick, he was the one who called meetings.

``There were a lot of candidates with a lot better stats. I'm glad the NL voters were able to notice the intangibles that Barry brings to the game,'' said Jim Bowden, the Reds' general manager.

Larkin received 11 first-place votes and finished with 281 points. Bichette, whose 40 home runs and 128 RBI led the league and helped Colorado claim a wild-card playoff spot, received six first-place votes and had 251 points.

Cy Young winner Maddux, 19-2 with a 1.63 ERA for the World Series champion Atlanta Braves, had seven first-place votes and 249 points.

Dodgers catcher Mike Piazza was fourth, getting three first-place votes and 214 points. The top four finishers were named on every ballot by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Ron Gant, Larkin's teammate, received the only other first-place vote and was 11th.

This marked the first time since the current voting procedure went into effect in 1938 that four NL players had more than 200 points. The 67-point differential among the top four was the slimmest since 1972, when 66 points separated winner Johnny Bench, Billy Williams, Willie Stargell and Joe Morgan.

by CNB