BRIEFLY : DODGERS' STREAK ENDS - ROLEN TOP ROOKIE.

The Dodgers' stranglehold on the National League Rookie of the Year award was broken Tuesday when Scott Rolen of the Philadelphia Phillies was announced as a unanimous winner of the 1997 award.

The 22-year-old third baseman became the youngest NL player to reach 90 RBI since Darryl Strawberry in 1984, and led NL rookies in batting average (.283), runs (93), hits (159), doubles (35), home runs (21) and RBI (92).

The Dodgers had dominated the award since 1992, produced a record five straight winners: Eric Karros, Mike Piazza, Raul Mondesi, Hideo Nomo, Todd Hollandsworth.

The Cleveland Indians declined a $4.8 million option on former Notre Dame High School pitcher Jack McDowell, the New York Mets decided against exercising a $4.5 million 1999 option on second baseman Carlos Baerga and the New York Yankees decided not to exercise their $1.4 million option on second baseman Pat Kelly.

McDowell, who signed a $9.6 million, two-year contract with the Indians after the 1995 season, gets a $550,000 buyout. He went 3-3 with a 5.09 ERA in eight appearances in '97, missing the rest of the season after surgery on his right elbow May 20.

The Dodgers announced they have assigned the Sand Gnats, their Class A Savannah minor-league team in the South Atlantic League, to the Texas Rangers.

A jury in Houston took four minutes to clear Wade Boggs of civil assault in a profanity-laced encounter with an airline attendant on a Yankees team flight in '96.

NFL: Quarterback Elvis Grbac, who rejuvenated Kansas City's offense in just half a season, will be out at least a month with a broken collarbone, suffered when he was slammed to the ground in the fourth quarter of Monday night's 13-10 win over Pittsburgh.

The NFL's free-agent signing deadline passed with the Washington Redskins unable to come to terms with former L.A. Rams star defensive lineman Sean Gilbert, so the league's lone holdout will be forced to sit out the entire season.

Philadelphia Eagles center Steven Everitt was charged with drunk driving, speeding and possession of drug paraphernalia after police stopped him in Mount Laurel, N.J.

NBA: Problem-plagued Isaiah Rider has been fined $1,000 by the Portland Trail Blazers for missing a practice following a two-game suspension.

BOXING: The promoter for Pernell Whitaker said his fighter, who tested positive for cocaine prior to a fight last month, has been suspended for 30 days pending an appeal. Whitaker is disputing the findings.

NHL: Florida Panthers coach Doug MacLean has been suspended for two games, without pay, and fined $5,000 as a result of a confrontation with officials, the league announced.

Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander won't be adding the Edmonton Oilers to his holdings because the Canadian city is insisting that the team not be moved for at least seven years.