ATLANTA -- Rafael Furcal arrived at spring training as a non-roster teenager wearing No. 78 on his uniform.

He finished the season as the best rookie in the National League.

	Rafael Furcal Shortstop Atlanta Braves
	2000 SEASON STATISTICS G AVG R HR RBI SB OBP 131 .295 87 4 37 40 .394

Furcal, who batted .295 with 40 steals for the Atlanta Braves, was a runaway choice as NL Rookie of the Year on Tuesday. He received 25 of 32 first-place votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

"I didn't know anything and I was in line to enter immigration when a man approached me to congratulate me. At first I didn't understand," Furcal said shortly after his arrival at Santo Domingo's airport Tuesday night.

The only player listed on all 32 ballots, Furcal got six seconds and one third for 144 points.

"I was tired and exhausted, but when I found out that I won the award, I felt tremendous relief," Furcal said. "I'm happy. This distinction will drive my career, but I still have many things to do in this sport."

Rick Ankiel of the St. Louis Cardinals, who gained notoriety during the playoffs by throwing five wild pitches in one inning, was second with 87 points. He got six firsts, 17 seconds and six thirds.

New York Mets outfielder Jay Payton was third with 37 points, followed by Philadelphia outfielder-first baseman Pat Burrell with 10 and Houston catcher Mitch Meluskey with seven.

In 1999, Furcal split his season between Class A Macon and Myrtle Beach. He made the switch from second base to shortstop while stealing 96 bases, making him one of the best prospects in baseball.

Still, the 19-year-old speedster was given little chance of making the Braves when he was invited to the big-league camp as a non-roster player.

Even Furcal had his doubts.

"I don't know about that," he said in the early days of spring training. "I'll play hard every time I get a chance."

Furcal was so impressive that the Braves released Ozzie Guillen just before opening day.

"I was convinced he could help us win ballgames," manager Bobby Cox said.

The Braves said Furcal, who turned 20 in August, was the first major leaguer born in the 1980s. HBO reported that he is three years older, which the player denied.

Furcal's rookie season was marred by a June arrest for drunken driving and underage alcohol consumption. General manager John Schuerholz said the infielder "realizes he made a mistake, he admits to it and he's sorry for it."

	Voting results
	Voting for the NL Rookie of the Year Award, on a 5-3-1 basis:
	Player	1st	2nd	3rd	Total
	Furcal, Atl.	25	6	1	144
	Ankiel, StL.	6	17	6	87
	Payton, NYM	1	7	11	37
	Burrell, Phi.	--	1	7	10
	Meluskey, Hou.	--	1	4	7
	Berkman, Hou.	--	--	1	1
	Pierre, Col.	--	--	1	1
	Smith, Fla.	--	--	1	1

Furcal became the first middle infielder to win the NL award since Steve Sax of Los Angeles in 1982.

He became the sixth Braves player to win, joining Alvin Dark (1948), Sam Jethroe (1950), Earl Williams (1971), Bob Horner (1978) and David Justice (1990).

This year, Furcal led NL rookies in runs (87), walks (73), steals and on-base percentage (.394). He had only four homers -- all in September -- and 37 RBI.

Furcal traveled Tuesday from Atlanta back to his native Dominican Republic. Kinzer told the Braves that Furcal was unaware the rookie announcement was being made Tuesday.

Ankiel was 11-7 with a 3.50 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 175 innings, helping St. Louis win the NL Central.

But the most enduring memory was his performance in the Cardinals' postseason opener, when he became only the second pitcher in major league history -- and the first in 110 years -- to throw five wild pitches in one inning.

By the time the postseason was done, Ankiel had nine wild pitches and 11 walks in only four innings.

"He's a young kid and he's tough as nails," Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan said after Ankiel threw two wild pitches in the NL championship series finale against the New York Mets. "He's going to be fine."

Voting was done before the end of the regular season, and the 21-year-old left-hander was impressive.

"He's probably the best-looking young pitcher in baseball, at least in our league," Gene Lamont said before being fired as Pittsburgh's manager. "When he starts throwing that curveball and change across, they'll start talking about him like they did about Kerry Wood."