Worrell Rookie of Year for NL

NEW YORK — Reliever Todd Worrell of the St. Louis Cardinals today was named National League Rookie of the Year.

Worrell, who led the NL with 36 saves and became the stopper in the Cardinals bullpen, was nearly a unanimous choice in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America, gathering 23 of 24 first-place votes. Rob Thompson of the San Francisco Giants was second and outfielder Kevin Mitchell of the New York Mets finished third, claiming the other first-place vote. Worrell posted a 9-10 record and a 2.08 earned run average.