Blue Jays' Hinske, Rockies' Jennings land rookie awards

NEW YORK -- Toronto third baseman Eric Hinske won the AL Rookie of the Year award Monday, and Colorado pitcher Jason Jennings was voted the NL's top rookie.

Hinske got 19 of 28 first-place votes and nine seconds to finish with 122 points in voting by a panel of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He hit .279 with 24 homers and 84 RBIs.

Baltimore right-hander Rodrigo Lopez, who went 15-9 with a 3.57 ERA, was second with nine firsts, 17 seconds and one third for 97 points. Orioles reliever Jorge Julio was third with 14 points after going 5-6 with a 1.99 ERA and 25 saves.

The 25-year-old Hinske is Toronto's first player to win the award outright. Alfredo Griffin tied Minnesota's John Castino in the 1979 rookie voting.

"I just wanted to be staying in the big leagues the whole year," said Hinske, acquired from Oakland in the deal that sent closer Billy Koch to the Athletics. "The success I had was pretty surprising for me."

The 24-year-old Jennings went 16-8 with a 4.52 ERA and became the first Colorado player to win the award. He got 27 firsts and five seconds for 150 points.

Montreal outfielder Brad Wilkerson, who batted .266 with 20 homers and 59 RBIs, was second with two firsts and 57 points.

Cynergy Field to be razed

CINCINNATI -- Hamilton County commissioners accepted a contractor's proposal on Monday to blow up most of Cinergy Field on Dec. 29.

The multipurpose stadium was completed in 1970.

A wrecking ball will be used to bring down parts of Cinergy Field in preparation for the blast.

O'Rourke has chosen D.H. Griffin Wrecking Co. of Greensboro, N.C., as its implosion subcontractor. That company imploded Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in 1997.

A series of about 1,000 blasts, each generated from about 1.5 pounds of nitroglycerine, will take down Cinergy Field in 37 seconds, experts said.-- From wire reports