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Soto Is NL's Top Rookie

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 11, 2008

Geovany Soto ran away with the National League Rookie of the Year award on Monday.

Soto, the steady catcher who helped the Cubs win the NL Central title, got 31 of 32 first-place votes. The other went to Cincinnati's Joey Votto.

"It was really emotional," Soto said. "I feel very honored."

Soto hit .285 with 23 homers, 35 doubles and 86 RBIs. He became the first catcher to win Rookie of the Year in either league since Mike Piazza of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1993.

The previous winner from the Cubs was pitcher Kerry Wood in 1998.

"I just didn't want to put extra pressure on myself. I just wanted to do my job as the team required," Soto said. "I'm really excited about the year I had."

The 25-year-old Soto had a disappointing October after his team compiled the best regular-season record in the National League. He went 2-for-11 (.182) without an RBI as Chicago was swept in the first round by the Dodgers, leaving the Cubs still searching for their first pennant since 1945 and first World Series championship since 1908.

Voting for BBWAA awards is conducted without regard to postseason performance. Votto came in second with 21 second-place votes and 76 points to Soto's 158.

PREACHER ROE DIES: Elwin Charles "Preacher" Roe, who began pitching in the Ozarks and became a four-time All-Star as a revered member of "The Boys of Summer" in Brooklyn, died Sunday in West Plains, Mo. His own Web site listed his age as 92 - other reference materials differed by a year or two.

Roe went 127-84 in a 12-year career with the Dodgers, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. But it was in Brooklyn, where he played alongside the likes of Pee Wee Reese, Jackie Robinson, Gil Hodges, Ralph Branca and others at Ebbets Field, where he enjoyed his greatest success and acclaim.

A'S-ROCKIES TRADE: Star outfielder Matt Holliday appears headed to the Oakland Athletics.

Two people familiar with the proposed deal said Monday the A's and the Colorado Rockies have reached a tentative agreement.

It was unclear whom Colorado would get for the two-time All-Star.

MARLINS-NATS DEAL: Matt Sosnick, the agent for starting pitcher Scott Olsen and outfielder Josh Willingham, says they have been traded from the Florida Marlins to the Washington Nationals.

ESPN.com reported, citing sources, that the Marlins would receive second baseman Emilio Bonifacio and two minor-leaguers in the deal.

2009 OPENER: The World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies will host the Atlanta Braves in Major League Baseball's 2009 opener on April 5. The Sunday night game will be broadcast on ESPN2.

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