MVP Profile: Ken Caminiti, 1996

Third Baseman, San Diego Padres

Age:  33

2^nd season with Padres

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 200

Prior to 1996:

A native of Hanford, California Caminiti played football as well as baseball in high school and went on to San Jose State where he played baseball during the 1983 and ’84 seasons. He was chosen by the Houston Astros in the 1984 amateur draft and played for Class A Osceola in the Florida State League in 1985 where he batted .284 and drove in 73 runs. Moving up to Columbus of the Class AA Southern League in 1986 Caminiti hit .300 with 12 home runs and 81 RBIs. He split 1987 between Columbus and the Astros. He made his major league debut in July and hit .246 in 63 games. He spent most of 1988 in the Class AAA Pacific Coast League with the Tucson Toros where he batted .272 in 109 games before returning to the Astros. In his first full major league season in 1989 Caminiti batted .255 with 31 doubles, 10 home runs, and 72 RBIs while starting 159 games at third base. He remained with Houston through 1994, the first year in which he was named to an All-Star Game. That year he reached a new high with 18 home runs in the strike-shortened season. In the offseason he was traded to the Padres as part of an 11-player deal. In 1995 Caminiti won his first Gold Glove for his fielding prowess at third base while also hitting .302 with 26 home runs and 94 RBIs, distinguishing himself as an intense competitor and team leader.

1996 Season Summary

Appeared in 146 games

3B – 143, PH – 3

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 639

At Bats – 546

Runs – 109 [15]

Hits – 178 [19]

Doubles – 37 [14, tied with Fred McGriff & Devon White]

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 40 [5, tied with Ellis Burks, Sammy Sosa & Vinny Castilla]

RBI – 130 [3]

Bases on Balls – 78 [11]

Int. BB – 16 [5]

Strikeouts – 99

Stolen Bases – 11

Caught Stealing – 5

Average - .326 [5]

OBP - .408 [7, tied with Ellis Burks]

Slugging Pct. - .621 [3]

Total Bases – 339 [5]

GDP – 15

Hit by Pitches – 4

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – 10 [1, tied with Dante Bichette & Rick Wilkins]

Midseason snapshot: HR – 12, RBI – 49, AVG - .294, SLG PCT - .487

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) at LA Dodgers 9/27 – 10 innings

Longest hitting streak – 13 games

HR at home – 12

HR on road – 28

Most home runs, game – 2 on seven occasions

Multi-HR games – 7

Most RBIs, game – 6 vs. Montreal 8/19

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 2 (.000)

Fielding

Chances – 433

Put Outs – 103

Assists – 310

Errors – 20

DP – 28

Pct. - .954

Postseason Batting: 3 G (NLDS vs. St. Louis)

PA – 12, AB – 10, R – 3, H – 3, 2B – 0,3B – 0, HR – 3, RBI – 3, BB – 2, IBB – 1, SO – 5, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .300, OBP - .417, SLG - 1.200, TB – 12, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: BBWAA

Gold Glove

Silver Slugger

All-Star

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Ken Caminiti, SD: 392 pts. - 28 of 28 first place votes, 100% share

Mike Piazza, LAD: 237 pts. – 60% share

Ellis Burks, Col.: 186 pts. – 47% share

Chipper Jones, Atl.: 158 pts. – 40% share

Barry Bonds SF: 132 pts. – 34% share

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Padres went 91-71 to finish first in the NL Western Division by one game over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Lost NLDS to the St. Louis Cardinals 3 games to 0.

Aftermath of '96:

Caminiti needed surgery on his left shoulder in the offseason and followed up with another strong performance in 1997, hitting .290 with 26 home runs and 90 RBIs, and garnering an All-Star selection and a Gold Glove once more. While suffering from knee problems, his average dropped to .252 in 1998 to go along with 29 home runs and 82 RBIs in a year in which the Padres won the NL pennant. He returned to the Astros as a free agent in 1999 and plagued by injuries, his home run total dropped to 13 with 56 RBIs and a .286 batting average. Following a similar season in 2000 Caminiti moved on to the Texas Rangers as a free agent in 2001. Released by the Rangers in July, he finished the season, and his career, with the Atlanta Braves. Overall in the major leagues, Caminiti batted .272 with 239 home runs and 983 RBIs. He hit .295 with 121 home runs and 396 RBIs while with San Diego, where he also won three Gold Gloves and garnered two of his three All-Star selections. In 2002 he publicly admitted to steroid use during his 1996 MVP season and thereafter. He also was treated for alcohol and cocaine abuse and died from a drug overdose at age 41 in 2004. Caminiti was posthumously inducted into the Padres Hall of Fame in 2016.

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MVP Profiles feature players in the National or American leagues who were winners of the Chalmers Award (1911-14), League Award (1922-29), or Baseball Writers’ Association of America Award (1931 to present) as Most Valuable Player.

MVP Profile: Jim Bottomley, 1928

First Baseman, St. Louis Cardinals

Age:  28 (April 23)

7^th season with Cardinals

Bats – Left, Throws – Left

Height: 6’0”    Weight: 180

Prior to 1928:

An Illinois native, Bottomley dropped out of high school at 16 to work at odd jobs to help his family. Playing semipro baseball he came to the attention of Cardinals GM Branch Rickey and after a tryout he signed with the Cards for $150 per month in 1919. He started out in the Class D South Dakota League with the Mitchell Kernels in 1920 where he hit .312 before moving up to the Class A Sioux City Packers for a brief late-season stint. Bottomley was with the Class A Houston Buffaloes in 1921 and batted just .227 before moving on to the Syracuse Chiefs of the Class AA international League where he hit .348 with 15 triples and 14 home runs in 1922. Bottomley joined the Cardinals later during the 1922 season and took over as the starting first baseman in place of Jack Fournier. Over the course of 37 games he batted .325 with 5 home runs and 35 RBIs. In his first full major league season in 1923 he ranked second in NL batting with a .371 average and also accumulated 34 doubles, 14 triples, 8 home runs, and 94 RBIs. A fan favorite dubbed “Sunny Jim” due to his pleasant personality (illustrated by his tendency to wear his cap at a jaunty angle) Bottomley had another strong season in 1924, highlighted by setting a major league record for RBIs in a game with 12 against Brooklyn.  Over the course of the year Bottomley drove in a total of 111 runs while batting .316 with 31 doubles, 12 triples, and 14 home runs. 1925 was a bigger year yet with a .367 batting average, a league-leading 227 hits and 44 doubles, and 12 triples, 21 home runs, and 128 RBIs. The Redbirds won the pennant in 1926 and Bottomley led the NL with 120 RBIs and 40 doubles, also contributing 14 triples, 19 home runs, and a .299 batting average. He also hit .345 with 5 RBIs in the seven-game World Series victory over the New York Yankees. St. Louis dropped to fourth place in 1927, but “Sunny Jim” had another strong season with 31 doubles, 15 triples, 19 home runs, 124 RBIs, and a .303 average.

1928 Season Summary

Appeared in 149 games

1B – 148, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 667 [9]

At Bats – 576 [13]

Runs – 123 [2]

Hits – 187 [10]

Doubles – 42 [3, tied with Rogers Hornsby]

Triples – 20 [1]

Home Runs – 31 [1, tied with Hack Wilson]

RBI – 136 [1]

Bases on Balls – 71 [6]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 54 [5]

Stolen Bases – 10 [16, tied with Jake Flowers & Chuck Dressen]

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .325 [11]

OBP - .402 [6]

Slugging Pct. - .628 [2]

Total Bases – 362 [1]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 3 [20, tied with twelve others]

Sac Hits – 17

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading triples were +1 ahead of runner-up Paul Waner

League-leading RBIs were +12 ahead of runner-up Pie Traynor

League-leading total bases were +32 ahead of runner-up Fred Lindstrom

Midseason snapshot: HR – 19, RBI - 74, AVG - .353, OBP - .429, SLG PCT – .707

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 4 AB) at Phila. Phillies 6/2

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

HR at home – 14

HR on road – 17

Most home runs, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. Chi. Cubs 5/21, at Phila. Phillies 6/2, (in 5 AB) at Bos. Braves 6/12, (in 4 AB) vs. Chi. Cubs 7/4

Multi-HR games – 4

Most RBIs, game – 5 vs. Chi. Cubs 5/21

Fielding

Chances – 1526

Put Outs – 1454

Assists – 52

Errors – 20

DP – 113

Pct. - .987

Postseason Batting: 4 G (World Series vs. NY Yankees)

PA – 16, AB – 14, R – 1, H – 3, 2B – 0, 3B – 1, HR – 1, RBI – 3, BB – 2, IBB – 0, SO – 6, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .214, OBP - .313, SLG - .571, TB – 8, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – N/A

Awards & Honors:

NL MVP: League Award

Top 5 in NL MVP Voting:

Jim Bottomley, St.LC.: 76 pts. - 95% share

Fred Lindstrom NYG: 70 pts. – 88% share

Burleigh Grimes, Pitt.: 53 pts. – 66% share

Larry Benton, NYG: 37 pts. – 46% share

Hughie Critz, Cin.: 37 pts. – 46% share

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Cardinals went 95-59 to win the NL pennant by two games over the New York Giants. The team led the league in doubles (292) and bases on balls drawn (568). They lost the World Series to the New York Yankees, 4 games to 0 as Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig hit a combined .593 with seven home runs between them.  

Aftermath of ‘28:

Bottomley spent another four seasons with the Cardinals and remained a reliable hitter and fine fielder throughout. He was traded to Cincinnati in 1933 and in four seasons with the Reds his production began to tail off. He moved on to the St. Louis Browns for the last two years of his career in 1936 and ’37. Overall in the major leagues he hit .310 with 2313 hits that included 465 doubles, 151 triples, and 219 home runs with 1422 RBIs. Of that, 1727 hits, 344 doubles, 119 triples, 181 home runs, 1105 RBIs, and a .310 batting average were accumulated with the Cardinals. Bottomley was the interim manager of the Browns after Rogers Hornsby was fired during the 1937 season. Following his major league career Bottomley was a minor league player/manager with Syracuse. He later became a scout and minor league manager in the Cubs organization. Bottomley was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974, 15 years after his death.

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MVP Profiles feature players in the National or American leagues who were winners of the Chalmers Award (1911-14), League Award (1922-29), or Baseball Writers’ Association of America Award (1931 to present) as Most Valuable Player.

Rookie of the Year: Jason Bay, 2004

Outfielder, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age:  26 (Sept. 20)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 210

Prior to 2004:

A member of the Little League team from his hometown of Trail, British Columbia that represented Canada in the 1990 Little League World Series Bay went on to play American Legion baseball in a nearby Idaho town. In college he went first to North Idaho Community College and then Gonzaga University. He performed well there, winning the West Coast Conference batting title as a senior with a .388 average. Bay was chosen by the Montreal Expos in the 2000 amateur draft and hit .304 with Vermont of the short-season New York-Pennsylvania League that summer. He spent 2001 in the Florida State and Midwest Leagues and batted a combined .315 with 24 doubles, 14 home runs, and 25 stolen bases. The Expos traded Bay to the New York Mets in 2002 and he performed well in the Florida State and Eastern Leagues before being dealt again, this time to San Diego, who assigned him to Mobile of the Class AA Southern League. Overall with three minor league clubs in 2002, he hit .283 with 17 home runs, 85 RBIs, and stole 39 bases. Bay got off to a strong start with Class AAA Portland in 2003 and was promoted to the Padres in May. He appeared in three games until suffering a broken wrist. In August he was traded to the Pirates along with LHP Oliver Perez for OF Brian Giles. In 105 games for Pittsburgh in ’03 he hit .299 with 16 home runs and 70 RBIs, assuring himself of a spot in the outfield for 2004, although he had to miss the season’s first month due to a shoulder injury.  

2004 Season Summary

Appeared in 120 games

LF – 117, CF – 5, PH – 6

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 472

At Bats – 411

Runs – 61

Hits – 116

Doubles – 24

Triples – 4

Home Runs – 26

RBI – 82

Bases on Balls – 41

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 129 [14, tied with Richard Hidalgo]

Stolen Bases – 4

Caught Stealing – 6 [16, tied with eight others]

Average - .282 [Non-qualifying]

OBP - .358 [Non-qualifying]

Slugging Pct. - .550 [Non-qualifying]

Total Bases – 226

GDP – 9

Hit by Pitches – 10 [16, tied with Sean Casey & Lance Berkman]

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – 5

Midseason snapshot: HR - 12, RBI – 39, AVG - .304, SLG - .642

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) vs. Milwaukee 7/2, (in 5 AB) at Montreal 7/9, (in 6 AB) vs. San Francisco 8/11 – 11 innings, (in 4 AB) at St. Louis 8/22

Longest hitting streak – 5 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 4 AB) vs. San Diego 5/20, (in 4 AB) vs. Seattle 6/18, (in 5 AB) at Montreal 7/9

HR at home – 15

HR on road – 11

Multi-HR games – 3

Grand Slams – 1

Most RBIs, game – 8 vs. Milwaukee 7/2

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 5 (.000) with 1 R

Fielding

Chances – 216

Put Outs – 211

Assists – 3

Errors – 2

DPs - 0

Pct. - .991

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

NL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Jason Bay, Pitt.: 146 pts. – 25 of 32 first place votes, 91% share

Khalil Greene, SD.: 108 pts. – 7 first place votes, 68% share

Akinori Otsuka, SD.: 23 pts. – 14% share

Aaron Miles, Col.: 6 pts. – 4% share

Matt Holliday, Col.: 3 pts. – 2% share

Pirates went 72-89 to finish fifth in the NL Central Division, 32.5 games behind the division-winning St. Louis Cardinals while leading the league in triples (39)  and fewest bases on balls drawn (415).

Aftermath of 2004:

Bay followed up with another strong performance in 2005, batting .306 with 32 home runs and 101 RBIs and garnering selection to the All-Star Game. Another big season in 2006 (35 home runs, 109 RBIs, and a .286 batting average) was followed by a 2007 campaign in which Bay suffered through a major slump and saw his numbers drop to 21 home runs, 84 RBIs, and a .247 average. Midway through the 2008 season he was traded to the Boston Red Sox and over the course of 49 games slugged 9 home runs with 37 RBIs and batted .293, helping his new team to reach the playoffs where he continued to perform with distinction. Bay had a fine year for the Red Sox in 2009, hitting .267 with 36 home runs and 119 RBIs and returning to the All-Star Game. In the offseason he signed a four-year, $66 million free agent contract with the Mets. In his three injury-riddled seasons with the Mets Bay hit .234 with 26 home runs and 124 RBIs, which did not come close to meeting expectations. He was released by the Mets following the 2012 season and signed with the Seattle Mariners. He appeared in just 68 games in 2013 and underwhelmed with 11 home runs, 20 RBIs, and a .204 batting average. He retired having produced 222 home runs, 240 doubles, 95 stolen bases, and a .266 batting average over the course of his major league career. 151 doubles, 139 home runs, 50 stolen bases, 452 RBIs, and a .281 batting average were compiled with Pittsburgh. He also represented the Pirates in two All-Star Games.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major league. 

Rookie of the Year: Dick Allen, 1964

Third Baseman, Philadelphia Phillies

AKA Richie Allen

Age:  22

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 187

Prior to 1964:

A native of Wampum, Pennsylvania (hence his being called “the Wampum Walloper”), Allen excelled in basketball as well as baseball in high school. He signed with the Phillies as a shortstop in 1960 but was moved to the outfield. Newly wearing glasses, he hit .281 with Elmira of the Class D New York-Pennsylvania League and moved up to Magic Valley of the Class C Pioneer League in 1961, where he clubbed 21 home runs, drove in 94 runs, and batted .317. With Williamsport of the Class A Eastern League in 1962, Allen hit 20 home runs with 109 RBIs and a .329 batting average. Promoted to Class AAA Arkansas of the International League in 1963, thus integrating the Little Rock-based club, he added a league-leading 33 home runs and a .289 average and earned a late-season call-up to the Phillies. Shifted to third base for 1964, Allen, was able to add his powerful right-handed bat to the lineup while playing an unfamiliar position. An initial and ongoing controversy occurred over the organization’s insistence on calling him Richie rather than Dick, which he utilized as the preferred nickname for his first name Richard.

1964 Season Summary

Appeared in 162 games

3B – 162

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 709 [2, tied with Billy Williams]

At Bats – 632 [6]

Runs – 125 [1]

Hits – 201 [3, tied with Billy Williams]

Doubles – 38 [4, tied with Frank Robinson]

Triples – 13 [1, tied with Ron Santo]

Home Runs – 29 [7, tied with Frank Robinson]

RBI – 91 [12]

Bases on Balls – 67 [7]

Int. BB – 13 [5, tied with Willie Mays & Denis Menke]

Strikeouts – 138 [1]

Stolen Bases – 3

Caught Stealing – 4

Average - .318 [5]

OBP - .382 [7]

Slugging Pct. - .557 [3]

Total Bases – 352 [1]

GDP – 8

HBP – 0

Sac Hits – 6

Sac Flies – 3

League-leading runs were +4 ahead of runner-up Willie Mays

League-leading batter strikeouts were +10 ahead of runner-up Billy Cowan

League-leading total bases were +1 ahead of runner-up Willie Mays

Midseason snapshot: HR - 16, RBI - 47, AVG - .308, OBP - .368, PCT - .559

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Cincinnati 4/28, (in 6AB) vs. Milwaukee 9/25 – 12 innings

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at Chi. Cubs 4/19, (in 5 AB) vs. Pittsburgh 8/23, (in 5 AB) at Cincinnati 10/4     

HR at home – 14

HR on road – 15

Multi-HR games – 3

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Pittsburgh 8/23, at Pittsburgh 8/29, at Cincinnati 10/4

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding

Put Outs – 154

Assists – 325

Errors – 41

DP – 30

Pct. – .921

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

7^th in NL MVP voting (63 points, 23% share)

NL ROY Voting:

Dick Allen, Phila.: 18 of 20 votes, 90% share

Rico Carty, Mil.: 1 vote, 5% share

Jim Ray Hart, SF: 1 vote, 5% share

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Phillies went 92-70 to finish tied for second in the NL with the Cincinnati Reds, one game behind the pennant-winning St. Louis Cardinals. Leading the league in mid-September by 6.5 games with 12 to play, the Phillies lost 10 straight and had to rally at the end to deprive Cincinnati of a share of first and salvage second place.

Aftermath of ‘64:

Following a spring training holdout Allen had another strong season in 1965, although a fight with first baseman Frank Thomas led to his antagonist being waived and Allen became a target for frequent booing from the home fans thereafter. He batted .302 for the year with 20 home runs and 85 RBIs, and he was selected as an All-Star for the first time. After leading NL third basemen in errors as a rookie, his defense improved.  In 1966 his home run total jumped to 40, and his RBIs to 110, to go with a .317 average and league-leading .632 slugging percentage. Swinging a 40-ounce bat, Allen was capable of tape-measure blasts. He could also be temperamental, resistant of authority, and was frequently fined. Allen’s 1967 season ended in August due to a hand injury that required surgery, suffered while pushing a car. He still ended up leading the NL in on-base percentage (.404) while hitting .307 with 23 home runs. He was moved to left field in 1968 and his hitting remained strong as he belted 33 home runs with 90 RBIs and a .263 average.  Allen was at first base in 1969, a year in which he was suspended for a time due to disciplinary issues and ended up with 32 home runs, 88 RBIs, and a .288 batting average. He was traded to St. Louis in the offseason and played well, and was once more an All-Star selection, until a hamstring injury shortened his season that concluded with 34 home runs, 101 RBIs, and a .279 average in 122 games. Allen was traded next to the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he split time between first and third base and the outfield and batted .295 with 23 home runs and 90 RBIs in 1971. He was dealt next to the Chicago White Sox in 1972 where he had a MVP season while leading the AL with 37 home runs, 113 RBIs, and a .603 slugging percentage. Allen’s 1973 season was interrupted due to a hairline fracture in his right leg suffered in an on-field collision that limited him to 72 games and led to charges of malingering. He came back strong in 1974 until abruptly announcing his retirement in August, still managing to lead the AL with 32 home runs. Still interested in playing, he was traded to the Braves in the offseason and announced he would not play for them and in May of ’75 he returned via trade to the Phillies. He struggled through a miserable season in which he batted .233 with 12 home runs. He had an injury-plagued year in a 1976 season in which the Phillies won the NL Eastern Division and Allen finally got to appear in the postseason, with mediocre results. He was released afterward and signed with the Oakland Athletics in 1977, where Allen finished out his career by batting .240 with five home runs in 54 games. Highly talented but highly controversial as well, overall in the major leagues he hit .292 with 351 home runs and 1119 RBIs. 204 home runs and 655 RBIs came in his two stints with the Phillies, with whom he batted .290 and appeared in three All-Star games. His brothers Hank and Ron also played major league baseball.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major league. 

Rookie of the Year: Andrew Bailey, 2009

Pitcher, Oakland Athletics

Age:  25 (May 31)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 240

Prior to 2009:

Bailey, a New Jersey native, went to Wagner College from Paul VI High School in Haddonfield, from where he was chosen by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2005 amateur draft following “Tommy John” surgery for an elbow injury suffered during his junior year. He decided to remain in college, became Wagner’s all-time leader in strikeouts, and was drafted by the A’s in 2006. Bailey started 10 games for Vancouver of the Short-Season Class A Northwest League and compiled a 2-5 record with a 2.02 ERA and 53 strikeouts over 58 innings pitched. While with the Midland RockHounds of the Class AA Texas League in 2008, the decision was made to move Bailey to the bullpen, which set the stage for him to make the A’s in the spring of 2009.

2009 Season Summary

Appeared in 68 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 68 [20, tied with Hideki Okajima]

Games Started – 0

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 6

Losses – 3

PCT - .667 [Non-qualifying]

Saves – 26 [9]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 83.1

Hits – 49

Runs – 17

Earned Runs – 17

Home Runs – 5

Bases on Balls – 24

Strikeouts – 91

ERA – 1.84 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 0

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 6 [19, tied with sixteen others]

Midseason Snapshot: 4-1, ERA - 1.92, SV – 10, SO - 60 in 51.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 4 (in 2 IP) at Toronto 4/17, (in 2 IP) vs. Arizona 5/23

Fielding

Chances – 17

Put Outs – 7

Assists – 9

Errors – 1

DP – 0

Pct. - .941

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star

AL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Andrew Bailey, Oak.: 88 pts. – 13 of 28 first place votes, 55% share

Elvis Andrus, Tex.: 65 pts. – 8 first place votes, 41% share

Rick Porcello, Det.: 64 pts. – 7 first place votes, 40% share

Jeff Niemann, TB: 21 pts. – 13% share

Gordon Beckham, ChiWS.: 10 pts. – 6% share

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A’s went 75-87 to finish fourth (last) in the AL Western Division, 22 games behind the division-winning Los Angeles Angels.

Aftermath of 2009:

Bailey followed up with a 25-save season in 2010 and was again an All-Star selection. A strained right forearm put him on the disabled list for the first half of the season in 2011 and he ended up with 24 saves and a 3.24 ERA. The A’s traded the injury-prone Bailey to the Boston Red Sox in the offseason. A thumb injury limited him to 19 games in 2012 and his comeback in 2013 was derailed by a shoulder injury that required surgery. Bailey signed with the New York Yankees in 2014 and missed the entire season, returning as a minor league pitcher in 2015 who appeared in 10 games for New York to unimpressive effect. He moved on to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016 and continued to miss extensive time due to injuries. He was released in August and signed with the Los Angeles Angels. He compiled six saves in 12 late-season games and signed a one-year deal to remain with the Angels in 2017. He saw action in only four games due to another shoulder injury and retired in the offseason to take on a coaching job with the Angels. Over the course of his injury-plagued career, Bailey compiled a 16-14 record with 95 saves in 265 games. 75 of the saves occurred while with Oakland, where he was 7-10 with a 2.07 ERA. He was a two-time All-Star with the A’s as well.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major league. 

Rookie of the Year: Stan Bahnsen, 1968

Pitcher, New York Yankees

Age:  23

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 185

Prior to 1968:

Bahnsen, from Council Bluffs, Iowa, starred in baseball and basketball at that city’s Abraham Lincoln High School and spent a year playing baseball at the Univ. of Nebraska, where he earned All-Big 8 honors and was nicknamed “The Bahnsen Burner”. Chosen by the Yankees in the fourth round of the 1965 amateur draft, he was 2-2 with a 2.72 ERA for Columbus of the Class AA Southern League and 6-3 with a 2.06 ERA in the Florida Instructional League  in ’65 and moved up to the Toledo Mud Hens of the Class AAA International League in 1966 where he put together a 10-7 tally that included a no-hitter, with 151 strikeouts in 170 innings and a 2.91 ERA and earned a late-season call-up to the Yankees. In four appearances, the hard-throwing Bahnsen compiled a 1-1 record with 16 strikeouts in 23 innings. Following a mediocre spring in 1967 he was sent back to the International League with the Syracuse Chiefs and produced a 9-11 record with a 3.52 ERA. He was able to earn a spot in the Yankee rotation for 1968.

1968 Season Summary

Appeared in 37 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 37

Games Started – 34 [10, tied with Jim Merritt, Chuck Dobson & Jim Hunter]

Complete Games – 10 [14, tied with Earl Wilson & Dick Ellsworth]

Wins – 17 [6, tied with Mickey Lolich]

Losses – 12 [19, tied with six others]

PCT - .586 [10]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1

Innings Pitched – 267.1 [6]

Hits – 216 [4]

Runs – 72

Earned Runs – 61

Home Runs – 14

Bases on Balls – 68 [15, tied with George Brunet & Gary Bell]

Strikeouts – 162 [14]

ERA – 2.05 [6]

Hit Batters – 2

Balks – 1 [7, tied with many others]

Wild Pitches – 4

Midseason Snapshot: 7-5, ERA - 2.09, SO – 72 in 120.1 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 12 (in 9 IP) at Boston 8/1

10+ strikeout games – 1

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 7 IP) at Minnesota 8/19

Batting

PA – 98, AB – 81, R – 4, H – 4, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 3, BB – 6, SO – 49, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .049, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 10, SF – 1

Fielding

Chances – 50

Put Outs – 15

Assists – 32

Errors – 3

DP – 1

Pct. - .940

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

AL ROY Voting:

Stan Bahnsen, NYY: 17 of 20 votes, 85% share

Del Unser, Wash.: 3 votes, 15% share

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Yankees went 83-79 to finish fifth in the AL, 20 games behind the pennant-winning Detroit Tigers.

Aftermath of ‘68:

Bahnsen struggled in 1969 while adjusting to the lower pitcher’s mound, and his record dropped to 9-16 with a 3.83 ERA and 130 strikeouts in 220.2 innings. He bounced back with 14-win seasons in 1970 and ’71 and was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 1972 where he was part of a rotation anchored by durable left-handed knuckleballer Wilbur Wood. Bahnsen was 21-16 with a 3.60 ERA for the ’72 White Sox, who were in contention for most of the season, and followed up with an 18-21 record in 1973 in which he pitched a career-high of 282.1 innings. He spent one more year in Chicago before being dealt to Oakland during the 1975 season. He went a combined 10-13 with a 4.36 ERA. The A’s began using Bahnsen as a spot starter and long reliever in 1976 and he compiled an 8-7 record with a 3.34 ERA. He was traded to Montreal in May of 1977 where he became a starting pitcher again and was 8-9 with a 4.81 ERA. It was back to the bullpen in 1978 where he was utilized as both a closer and middle reliever. The result was a 1-5 record with 7 saves and a 3.84 ERA. He became a set-up man in combination with LHP Woodie Fryman in 1979 and remained in that role until released by the Expos after the 1981 season. He spent time with the Angels and Phillies in 1982 and was with Class AAA Oklahoma City in ’82 and Portland in 1983.  Overall in the major leagues, Bahnsen compiled a 146-149 record and struck out 1359 batters over the course of 2529 innings pitched with an ERA of 3.60. His record with the Yankees alone was 55-52 with 534 strikeouts and a 3.10 ERA. Bahnsen went on to play in the Florida Senior League in 1989 and with a team in Haarlem in the Netherlands where he was a player/coach at age 48.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major league.

Rookie of the Year: Dwight Gooden, 1984

Pitcher, New York Mets

Age:  19

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 190

Prior to 1984:

Gooden, a native of Tampa, Florida rose from Little League to become a star pitcher at that city’s Hillsborough High School. He was chosen fifth overall by the Mets in the 1982 amateur draft. He passed up college scholarship offers to sign for $40,000 with an $85,000 signing bonus. He made an immediate impression as a 17-year-old with Kingsport of the Rookie-level Appalachian League in 1982, striking out 18 batters in 13 innings. Gooden was quickly promoted to Little Falls in the Class A New York-Penn League. Overall in ’82 with two teams, he produced a 5-5 record with 84 strikeouts in 78.2 innings and a 2.75 ERA. Promoted to Lynchburg of the Class A Carolina League in 1983, Gooden refined his talent to become a dominant pitcher, with outstanding speed. He compiled a 19-3 record and struck out 300 batters in 191 innings and had a 2.50 ERA. He was promoted to Tidewater of the Class AAA International League to finish out his ’83 season and performed well in the league playoffs and the round-robin Class AAA World Series. With the Mets in rebuilding mode, Gooden joined his Tidewater manager, Dave Johnson with the parent club for the 1984 season, where with his great fastball and excellent curve he moved into the rotation.

1984 Season Summary

Appeared in 31 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 31

Games Started – 31 [19, tied with Steve Trout, Tim Lollar & Ed Whitson]

Complete Games – 7 [9, tied with Larry McWilliams & Rick Sutcliffe]

Wins – 17 [3]

Losses – 9

PCT - .654 [3]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 3 [4, tied with Rick Rhoden, Bob Knepper & Rick Sutcliffe]

Innings Pitched – 218 [13]

Hits – 161

Runs – 72

Earned Runs – 63

Home Runs – 7

Bases on Balls – 73 [16]

Strikeouts – 276 [1]

ERA – 2.60 [2]

Hit Batters – 2

Balks – 7 [1, tied with Steve Carlton]

Wild Pitches – 3

League-leading strikeouts were +36 ahead of runner-up Fernando Valenzuela

Midseason Snapshot: 8-5, ERA - 2.84, SO – 133 in 111 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 16 (in 9 IP) vs. Pittsburgh 9/12, (in 8 IP) at Philadelphia 9/17

10+ strikeout games – 15

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 1 (in 9 IP) vs. Chi. Cubs 9/7

Batting

PA – 83, AB – 70, R – 5, H – 14, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 3, BB – 1, SO – 14, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .200, GDP – 3, HBP – 0, SH – 10, SF – 2

Fielding

Chances – 45

Put Outs – 21

Assists – 22

Errors – 2

DP – 0

Pct. - .956

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star

15^th in NL MVP voting (28 points, 8% share)

2^nd in NL Cy Young voting (45 points, 38% share)

NL ROY Voting (Top 5):

Dwight Gooden, NYM.: 118 pts. – 23 of 24 first place votes, 98% share

Juan Samuel, Phila.: 67 pts. – 1 first place vote, 56% share

Orel Hershiser, LAD.: 15 pts. – 13% share

Dan Gladden, SF.: 9 pts. – 8% share

Ron Darling, NYM.: 3 pts. – 3% share

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Mets went 90-72 to finish second in the NL Eastern Division, 6.5 games behind the division-winning Chicago Cubs.   

Aftermath of '84:

Gooden, nicknamed “Doctor K” for his propensity to strike out batters, or “Doc” for short, followed up in 1985 with a 24-4 record and 268 strikeouts in 276.2 innings as well as a league-leading 1.53 ERA. He received the NL Cy Young Award for his efforts. The Mets, contenders in ’85, won the NL pennant and World Series in 1986 with Gooden contributing a 17-6 record and 2.84 ERA. He was a disappointing 0-2 in the World Series and encountered off-field problems in the off-season related to heavy drinking and cocaine use and he entered a drug rehab facility. Not playing again until halfway through the 1987 season, Gooden’s performance dropped off to 15-7 with 148 strikeouts and a 3.21 ERA in 25 starts. He came back strong in 1988 with an 18-9 record, 175 strikeouts, and 3.19 ERA, and returned to the All-Star Game for the first time in two years. A shoulder injury limited him to 17 starts and a 9-4 tally in 1989 but he came back with a 19-win season in 1990 in which he recorded 223 strikeouts in 232.2 innings. Gooden was 13-7 in ’91 and experienced his first losing record in 1992 when he was 10-13 with a 72-90 ballclub. In the opening game of the ’93 season, he broke his toe after kicking a bat rack in the dugout and during recovery resumed cocaine use. Suspended by major league baseball he sought treatment at the Betty Ford Center. He relapsed upon leaving rehab at the time of the major league players’ strike that brought the season to an early end. Suspended for all of the 1995 season, Gooden entered a recovery program and signed with the New York Yankees in 1996. Following a slow start he pitched a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners and went on to compile an 11-7 record despite a 5.01 ERA. He spent one more ineffectual season with the Yankees in ’97 and moved on to the Cleveland Indians where he was 11-10 over two seasons. He was with Houston and Tampa Bay in 2000 before finishing the year back with the Yankees. No longer even close to being the dominant pitcher he was at the start of his career, Gooden retired during spring training in 2001 while facing the likelihood of being released by the Yankees. Overall, he compiled a 194-112 major league record, with 2293 strikeouts and a 3.51 ERA. Of that, he was 157-85 with the Mets, where he struck out 1875 batters and had a 3.10 ERA, as well as being a four-time All-Star who won a Cy Young Award.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major league. 

Rookie of the Year: Bob Allison, 1959

Outfielder, Washington Senators

Age:  25 (July 11)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 205

Prior to 1959:

Allison, a Missouri native, went to the Univ. of Kansas on a football scholarship, but made more of an impression as a baseball outfielder, signing with the Senators in 1955. He batted .256 with Hagerstown of the Class B Piedmont League in ’55 while hitting only five home runs. The batting average dropped to .233 with Charlotte of the Class A South Atlantic League in 1956 with 12 home runs. He drew more attention for his play in center field than with his bat as he moved on to Chattanooga of the Class AA Southern Association in 1957, where he hit .246 and tied for the league lead with 11 triples while belting only two home runs. Back with Chattanooga in 1958, Allison’s batting average rose to .307 and he hit 9 home runs with 93 RBIs. He earned a September call-up to the Senators and hit .200 in 11 games. After a fine stint in the Cuban Winter League Allison came to spring training ready to compete for the starting center field job, thanks to his good range and throwing arm. The line drive hitter was able to significantly exceed expectations with his bat.  

1959 Season Summary

Appeared in 150 games

CF – 134, RF – 9, LF – 7

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 638 [11]

At Bats – 570 [6, tied with Minnie Minoso]

Runs – 83 [14]

Hits – 149 [12]

Doubles – 18

Triples – 9 [1]

Home Runs – 30 [6]

RBI – 85 [11]

Bases on Balls – 60 [15]

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 92 [6]

Stolen Bases – 13 [5]

Caught Stealing – 8 [5]

Average - .261

OBP - .333

Slugging Pct. - .482 [8]

Total Bases – 275 [5]

GDP – 22 [2]

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 5

Sac Flies – 2

League-leading triples were +1 ahead of runner-up Gil McDougald

Midseason snapshot: HR - 21, RBI - 53, AVG - .288, SLG PCT - .557

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Most hits, game – 5 (in 5 AB) at Detroit 6/5

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

Most HR, game – 2 (in 5 AB) at Detroit 6/5, (in 4 AB) vs. Chi. White Sox 6/9

HR at home – 17

HR on road – 13

Multi-HR games – 2

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Chi. White Sox 5/6, at Detroit 6/5

Pinch-hitting – 0 of 1 (.000) with 1 RBI

Fielding

Chances – 350

Put Outs – 333

Assists – 8

Errors – 9

DP – 1

Pct. - .974

Awards & Honors:

AL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA

All-Star

28^th in AL MVP voting, tied with Gerry Staley, Chi. WS (1 point, 0% share)

AL ROY Voting:

Bob Allison, Wash.: 18 of 24 votes, 75% share

Jim Perry, Clev.: 5 – 5 votes, 21% share

Russ Snyder, KCA: 1 vote, 4% share

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Senators went 61-93 to finish eighth in the AL, their third consecutive last-place finish, 31 games behind the pennant-winning Chicago White Sox while placing last in the league in hits (1205) and first in batter strikeouts (881), but second in home runs (163).

Aftermath of ‘59:

Allison was installed in right field in 1960 and a major slump that negated a strong start dropped his season totals to 15 home runs, 69 RBIs, and a .251 batting average. He moved with the franchise to Minnesota in 1961 and had a better year, hitting 29 home runs and compiling 105 RBIs with a .245 batting average. His all-out style of play both in the outfield and running the bases, where he was particularly adroit at breaking up double plays, made him popular with the fans and media. Injuries hindered Allison’s performance in 1962 but he recovered enough to put together another strong season with 29 home runs, 102 RBIs, and a .266 average. He was named an All-Star in each of the next two seasons and led the AL with 99 runs scored in 1963 in addition to slugging a career-high 35 home runs with 91 RBIs and a .271 batting average. In 1964 he appeared at all three outfield positions (but primarily in center and left to accomodate the arrival of star rookie Tony Oliva in right field) as well as first base and he had another good year at the plate by batting .287 with 32 home runs and 86 RBIs. The Twins won the AL pennant in 1965 and Allison played primarily in left field and had a lesser year at the plate due to a wrist injury, ending up with 23 home runs, 78 RBIs and a .233 batting average. In the World Series against the Dodgers, he made an outstanding backhanded sliding catch of a line drive by LA’s Jim Lefebvre that helped Minnesota to win the second game. Dodger pitching dominated the Series and LA won in seven games. Allison, still a vocal and valued leader on the Twins, showed major signs of wear in 1966, as he lost his starting job in left field to Sandy Valdespino, who had platooned with him during ’65. He hit only 8 home runs with 19 RBIs and a .220 average while appearing in 70 games. His performance perked up in 1967 and ’68 as he regained his spot in the lineup. Following a lesser season as a role player in 1969, Allison was waived during spring training in ’70, but he was retained by the Twins and retired following the season. In a career spent entirely with the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins franchise, Allison batted .255 with 256 home runs and 796 RBIs. He was a two-time All-Star.

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major league.