European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 10, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday october 10, 1987 the stars and stripes Page 23 rookies Grace year of the Homer pitchers Token deep 4,458 times new straws stir drinks for a a .  a sports Nolti r Mark Mcgwire and by nil Santiago led a Parade of rookies who made their imprint in the baseball record Hook in 198 7. Mcgwire lie Oakland athletics slug Ging first baseman shattered Al Rosen s american league Rookie Home run Mark of 37 Ilia had stood since 1950, then broke inc major league record or 38 set by Wally Berger of the Boston braves in 1930 and lied by Cincinnati s Frank Robinson in 1956, by hitting 49 Home runs. I Don t even think about  Mcgwire said about hitting homers. I be never even put myself in i he position where i thought i would Lead the Ameri can league in Home runs Mcgwire however did lend the league in homers while driving in 118 runs Mcgwire s record breaking 39th Homer came on a pitch from 300-Gamc Winner Don Simon of the California an gels on aug. 14 at Anaheim stadium. It was very special to hit it in South Ern California in front of my family and friends Mcgwire said. It was even More special that we got a  on june 27 and 28 at Cleveland Mcgwire lied a major league record when he hit five homers in two games and scored nine runs. Guys with average Talent get hot and they get five or six hits Over a couple games with maybe a double or a Home run. A Guy with Talent like this when he gels hot boy Oakland manager Tony Larussa said of Mcgwire. While Mcgwire cooled off somewhat Over the final six weeks of the season Santiago closed with a Rush and a record. The san Diego Catcher broke Jimmy Williams Rookie record of Hilling safely in 27 straight games for he 1899 Pitts Burgh pirates Hilling in 34 in a Row be fore being slopped saturday by los an Geles Orel Hershiser. Santiago finished the season with a .300 average in homers and 79 Bis. It s not surprising that he hit in so Many straight but the fact that he s a Rookie Catcher and has so Many other things to worry about besides hitting is what makes it More  teammate Tony Gwynn said. We expected this out of him but we did t have any idea he had this kind of ability padres general manager Jack Makcon said. It s very difficult to pre judge a Guy in april and say he s going to Pul these kind of numbers on the  at the beginning i tried to go very hard and impress  Santiago said. I chased Loo Many bad pitches and every Lime i had two strikes on me i d swing at a Pilch on inc ground. Bui after a couple of months i started relax ing concentrating on what t was doing and Evelyth i no turned  Kansas City s Kevin Seitzer did every thing right jus about Alt season. Stitzer became the i3lh Rookie in major league history to reach the 200-Hil Mark finishing with 207. The last Lime it happened was 1964, when Tony Oliva of Minnesota had 217 hits and Richie Allen of Philadelphia had 201. The Kansas City third baseman also Al lets Murk Mcgwire. Record 49 Home runs padres a cello Santiago record 34-Gamc hit Streak royals Kevin Seltzer. Al leading 207 hits had 15 homers 83 rib and a .323 aver age. Another Kansas City Rookie to Jack son was getting the headlines Early but he slumped finishing the season 5-Lbr 52, and a. 235 average Seitzer s statistic make him a con tender for the Al Rookie of the year award although the front runner is Mcgwire. It s a Nice Honor if you girl it. But that s the furthest thing from my mind now suit scr said. Matt Nokes replaced departed free agent Lance Parrish As Detroit s catchier and also produced he kind of numbers that would make him Rookie of the year most seasons. Nocks hit 32 homers with 87 Bis and batted .289. Two other rookies pitchers Mike Henneman and Jeff Robinson also made important contributions to inc tigers Al East championship. "1 Don t know where we d be without our  tigers manager Sparky an Derson said. Our rookies have played a major role in our season. That s unusual but these Guys Don t take a Back scat to  the Best Rookie Pitcher this season appeared to be Pittsburgh s Mike Dunne who compiled a 13-6 record and a 3.03 earned run average. Appl Kakoi tiers mall Nokes. .32 homers 87 Bis if he s not the Rookie of the year Pitcher then something s  i Rales manager Jim Leyland said. In the bullpen Toronto Rookie reliever Jeff Mussel Man was 12-5 Wilh three wives while Henneman was 11-3 Wilh seven saves. The Boston red sox last year s at champions got off to a slow Start and called up several rookies who played Well. Outfielder Mike Crew Well hit ,328 with 19 homers and 89 rib. First base Man designated hitter Sam Horn had 14 homers in 158 Al bats and outfielder Ellis Burks became Only the third Boston Rookie to hit 20 homers and steal 20 bases. Outfielder Todd bin Zinger and Catcher John Marzano also were impressive for Boston. Others rookies who made important contributions to i hair clubs included out fielder Devon while of California Caich or . Surhoff of Milwaukee Pitcher Joe Maranc of is. Louis first baseman Fred Mcgriff of Toronto infielder  Casey Candaele of Montreal and infielder Dave Magadan of the new York mils. Who will be Rookie of the year in 1988? based on four starts with the Chicago White sox it could be Pitcher Jack Mcdowell. He was 3-0 Wilh a 1.93 Era. By Hen  base Ball writer Lively balls poor pitching new slug Gers. We Civer the reason. I9h7 was the season for Home runs. There were 4,458 homers Hil this year an increase of 17 percent Over last year s record 3,813. Andre. Dawson. Dale Murphy and Wade Boggs were among 50  set career highs in Home runs. To Lucre were 28 players who Hil at least 30 Hom ers double last year s total and seven More than Ever before. Cleveland Detroit Kansas c ily. Oak land Texas Toronto inc Chicago cubs and no York mils each Sci learn re cords for Home runs. Baltimore gave up226. Inc most allowed in one season. Doth leagues also set records there were 2,614 homers in the american up from is record total of 2.290. There were 1,824 in National breaking the pre Vious High of 1,683 Sci in 1970. It s a Freak thing said Seymour Siwoff. Head of the Elias sports a Urlau. Which compiles baseball statistics. "1 really can t explain  at the All Star break Home runs were up 22 percent and prompted both leagues id lest their baseballs in see if they were any different. Those Iii Mirit Lions found nothing. In  half. The Jui Rcd up Ball debate tailed off and so did lie humerus slightly. I though the Ball was livelier Early in the season when i d see a routine Fly bal go out of the Ballpark Allan la manager Chuck Tanner said. Then there was All the talk about the Ball and in was Cut  s amazing. Either the pitching got Bler or they started paying More Atten Tion to the making of hit  is one of those who blames pitchers fur this year s Home  pitching is still horrendous lie said. As Pennant races got lighter pitching solidified in the no but not in i heal around mid season batting averages in inc no were about equal to those inthe Al even without Benefit of the designated Hitler. The no s Overall average wound up a bit lower. Darrell and Dwight Evans were among 20 Al players with 30 or More Home runs. Mike Schmidt Darryl Straw Berry and Eric Davis were among the eight no players to hit 30-plus. Going into this season there were 226 players Wilh at least Ihrck years experience in the majors and 50 set new Homer Marks. Mark Mcgwire who Sci a Rookie re Cord with 49, along Wilh 30-or-Niore-men will Clark mall Nocks Mike 1 Agliarulo ant Cory Snyder were some of those who achieved new highs Wilh less than three years experience. Mcgwire s Hom ers were the most in the Al since har Mon kill brew Hil 49 in 1969. Maybe in was up a Little bit. But t did t Sec any difference Murphy said. He Hil 44 Home Nins this season 37 were the most he had hit in 10 full seasons. And. The numbers showed a new Breed of sluggers partly evidenced by a re Cord number of strikeouts in inc major leagues this year. Dawson hit 49 Home runs 17 More than Ever before. Boggs Triplet his previous High by Hilling 24, Bell showed an increase of 6 by reaching 47 and Juan Samuel s 28 lopped his previous total by nine. Kent la Rock Alan Trammel Keith her Nandur. Tim Kames and Larry Parrish were Oiher big names Wilh big new  Bers