ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, November 5, 1996 TAG: 9611050084
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW YORK
SOURCE: Associated Press
Derek Jeter, who began the season as the second-most publicized shortstop in New York and blossomed into one of baseball's best young players, unanimously won the AL Rookie of the Year award Monday.
Jeter batted .314 with 10 home runs and 78 RBI, then helped the Yankees win the World Series just four months after his 22nd birthday.
``Winning a world championship is the best, even more than winning this award,'' Jeter said at Yankee Stadium.
Jeter was the eighth Yankees player to win the award - including shortstops Tony Kubek and Tom Tresh - and the first since Dave Righetti in 1981. He received all 28 first-place votes and 140 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers Association of America.
Chicago White Sox pitcher James Baldwin, who went 11-6, got 19 second-place votes and 64 points. Detroit first baseman Tony Clark, who hit 27 home runs, was third with six second-place votes and 64 points.
Jeter was the fifth unanimous choice for the award and the first since California outfielder Tim Salmon in 1993.
Voting was completed at the end of the regular season. That was before Jeter hit that startling home run caught by a 12-year-old boy in the AL playoffs and before his RBI single against Greg Maddux keyed New York's win over Atlanta in the clinching Game 6 of the World Series.
Jeter, the sixth player picked in the 1992 draft, played briefly for the Yankees in 1995. He earned the starting job this spring, although fancy-fielding Mets shortstop Rey Ordonez attracted more attention at the start of the year.
Jeter credited manager Joe Torre with giving him boosts of confidence.
``I had rough periods all season. In spring training, I thought they were going to send me out when the season started,'' Jeter said. ``He told me I was the shortstop and he was behind me every time I had a problem or didn't play well.''
Jeter helped steady a position that had been in flux for the Yankees for several seasons. He became their sixth different opening-day shortstop in six years - following Tony Fernandez, Mike Gallego, Spike Owen, Randy Velarde and Alvaro Espinoza - and quickly established himself.
On opening day in Cleveland, in just his 16th major-league game, he showed his many talents. He hit a home run off Dennis Martinez - the first Yankees rookie to homer on opening day since Jerry Kenney in 1969 - and also made a running, over-the-shoulder catch in the outfield, a play that became his trademark in the field.
By the end of the season, he had played 157 games, the most by a Yankees shortstop since Bucky Dent in 1977. He also became the first No. 1 pick of the Yankees to make an impact with the team since Thurman Munson, chosen in the 1968 draft.
Jeter's 78 RBI were the most by a Yankees shortstop since Frank Crosetti had 78 in 1936, and he became the first full-time shortstop for the Yankees to hit over .300 since Gil McDougald batted .311 in 1956. Jeter's RBI total was the highest by a rookie shortstop in the majors since Julio Franco had 80 in 1980.
Jeter made 22 errors and stole 14 bases. He also struck out 102 times while batting in several spots, including leadoff and ninth.
Jeter, whose salary was $120,000 this year, had a $10,000 bonus clause in his contract for winning the rookie award. He'll likely get about $220,000 as his share for winning the World Series.
``He has a sense of humor and he enjoys himself and that, coupled with the ability, makes him what he is,'' Torre said. ``I hope down the road when he's making a big amount of money, I hope he continues to have fun.''
The NL Rookie of the Year will be announced Wednesday. Los Angeles outfielder Todd Hollandsworth and Pittsburgh catcher Jason Kendall are considered the leading candidates.
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter turns aby CNBdouble play as Andruw Jones of the Atlanta Braves tries to break it
up during Game 2 of the World Series in New York. KEYWORDS: BASEBALL