11.   At the end of his rookie season, he was basically a fourth-line afterthought as the Bruins bowed out to the Washington Capitals in the first round.

12.   At one point during his rookie season, the team put him in a hospital for three weeks with a nurse who acted more like a prison warden.

13.   Baker was named National League manager of the year in his rookie season.

14.   Barber conceded that the boundless confidence he now displays was sapped two years ago, when he was in a season-long slump after a good rookie season.

15.   Bailey said he would prefer to spend his rookie season in the NFL playing cornerback before expanding his horizons.

16.   Benji Gil surprised us in his rookie season with the Rangers last season.

17.   Besides losing his mother during his rookie season, he also lost his sister, Janice, to illness and his fiancee to an auto accident.

18.   Before his rookie season he was slowed by a broken foot and came into camp out of shape.

19.   Bengie Molina showed he has the potential to be a solid major-league catcher and second baseman Adam Kennedy should improve after an up-and-down rookie season.

20.   Bodacious continued to accelerate that rookie season, and at the NFR he bucked off champions Ty Murray and Jim Sharp.